Achieving Accurate Part Shrinkage Data with Moldflow Insight

The success of a new product launch relies heavily on the ability of molding thermoplastic parts within specified tolerances and successfully assembling them into a functional product. Building a mold with the correct mold-shrinkage values is crucial for a given plastic material. Currently, a toolmaker guesses the shrinkage value from the range published by a material supplier before cutting steel. Thus, choosing one value at the mid-point of the range results in a part with vastly different shrinkage values in the flow, cross-flow, and transverse directions. Subsequently, many compromises may have to be made in order to qualify the part and approve the tool before routine production. We have been working with Moldflow software to improve and fine-tune the material testing and plastic-part simulation in order to predict accurate shrinkage values to eliminate the guesswork and make more-educated decisions before ordering tools. This session features Moldflow Insight and Moldflow.