CADMOULD to support bidirectional communication of injection parameters with ENGEL machines
In plastic injection molding, there can sometimes be a disconnect between the plans and designs made in engineering, and realities on the shop floor. During the design of part and mold, engineering will use simulation technology to investigate the optimal injection molding parameters. However, these settings sometimes get “lost in translation” when handing over to the shop floor for tryouts and sampling.
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Things can sometimes get lost in translation between engineering and the shop floor
One reason for this is that injection molding simulation tends to capture injection parameters in a different format than they need to be entered on the machine. The machine setter will need to interpret these measures and translate them into what the machine needs to operate. Often, this is done manually with pen and paper, which is tedious and error prone. Finally, it often becomes clear during sampling that the parameters need to be tweaked. If these changes are not reported back to engineering, engineering will not be able to update and refine their plans for future projects, thus hampering learning.
Connecting simulation and machine digitally, to improve collaboration
In order to help engineering and machine setters work together more effectively, injection molding parameters can be transferred back and forth digitally between the simulation software and the injection molding machine. This way, the conversion from simulation parameters to machine parameters factors in the specifics of the machine and an important source of errors is automated and less error-prone. And if changes are made, it is much easier to relay this back to engineering. This way, engineering can learn from the changes that machine setters make in real-world tryouts, and improve future designs based on these insights.
CADMOULD now compatible with ENGEL’s sim link technology
Germany-based plastic injection molding simulation specialist SIMCON is therefore expanding
its collaborating with machine manufacturers, to build digital parameter-transfer capability to a
growing number of machine types.
Today, SIMCON and ENGEL have announced upcoming compatibility between simulation software CADMOULD and ENGEL’s sim link technology. With this new feature, injection molding parameters from CADMOULD can be transferred directly to sim-link-compatible ENGEL injection molding machines, and vice versa. Because the solution permits bi-directional communication, changed machine settings can seamlessly be transferred back to the simulation software, closing the learning loop between sampling and engineering. The product is currently deployed with a few early pioneer customers, for final polishing. The general-market release is scheduled for early 2022.
