round up | product design cadMould simulates in 3d
the latest version of Simcon Kunststofftechnische Soft- ware’s cadMould 3d-F injection moulding simulation pro- gramme – Version 5.0 – adds a number of new technical functions, provides better simulation of blend perform- ance, and includes a modified interface that supports 3d visualisation of results. the new interface allows up
to four sets of simulation results to be displayed on screen at one time. it is now also possible to view the melt front from inside the mould or through “transparent” mould walls. Simcon says this makes it much easier to understand how complex cavities are filled and how weld lines are created, which can be further enhanced using the new 3d viewing feature. technical additions include
the ability to automatically generate cooling circuit layouts direct from Stl files, automati- cally identifying the location and diameter of channels and
converting them into the cadMould simulation model. the company says this is a particular benefit when working with conformal channels. it is now also possible to predict the pressure requirement in the cooling system. other new features include
calculation and display of the required melt injection power, which helps users determine the most appropriate machine for the task. Shrinkage and warpage results are now also available immediately after calculation is completed
– in previous versions this data was only available at the end of the full simulation. Simcon has also developed
a new pvt approach – the renner model – that is said to be more accurate in simulating shrinkage and warpage in copolymers and blends, which it says are not well managed by either the existing tait or Schmidt models. ❙
www.simcon-worldwide.com
wanted: top plastic designs
US plastics industry association SPi has issued a call for entries for its second international Plastics design competi- tion (iPdc). the competition is open
to individuals or companies worldwide. entries can be submitted online and must be submitted by 1 February. the winners will be announced at the nPe 2012 trade show in orlando, Florida in April. the competition extends
New
visualisation features in CadMould V5.0
to 18 categories and is judged by a specialist panel of experts, except for the People’s choice category that is voted for by visitors to the competition organis- er’s website. the winners will be
announced at the nPe 2012 trade show in orlando, Florida in April. ❙
www.plasticsdesign.org
Star prototypes functional biometric access
china-based Star Prototype, which was established by UK rapid prototyping specialist Gordon Styles, created functional prototypes for a canadian developer of a new
biometric door access device. the access device replaces
Biometric access device prototyped by Star
www.injectionworld.com
a conventional key with a scanning unit that reads the veins in the user’s finger. the developer required a prototype that was both photorealistic and fully functional, according to Star. “the client provided us with a specification of what was required and the materials they wanted to use and we then developed
a solution that we felt best suited their requirements,” says Styles. its solution called on Star’s
vacuum casting, cnc machin- ing, sheet metal forming, silk screening, vapour polishing, painting and engraving capabilities. the vacuum cast parts of
the prototype were made with two different types of poly- urethane – UP4280 and UPX8400 from Axson - which simulated ABS and rubber. the
dark grey castings were produced ready coloured taking their texture from the mould surface. the silver parts were painted. the pads were produced in
polycarbonate, and the keypads vacuum cast in blue tinted PX522Ht UV stable PU resin. the key pads were painted after moulding and the letters laser engraved into the surface to allow light to pass through. ❙
www.star-prototype.com
January/February 2012 | inJection world 55
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