It is extremely common in the injection molding industry to use a cost calculation based on experience, relying on outdated excel tables and rough estimations. Many RFQs are not awarded due to miscalculations and poor predictions on overall costs. Customers are not always looking for low cost and quick turn around, but quality and delivery on time. Wouldn’t it be great to have a tool that can justify the bid showing the engineering experience and potential drawbacks of the RFQ before engaging into business?
It is now possible to replace cost estimation with cost engineered simulation. SIGMASOFT® Virtual Molding can be implemented as early as the quoting stage. The manufacturer cam now submit a bid to the customers showing engineering results that complement the knowledge and expertise of the manufacturer team such as:
• Cycle time estimation
• Last areas to solidify (areas with higher potential to higher sink marks, voids, stresses and shrink)
• Recommended gate locations
• Hot/Cold spots that will require better cooling or mold materials
• Inherited part distortion based on part design only
• Clamp tonnage requirement
These type of quick thermal simulation results add value to the bid and take less than 30 mins to be created. SIGMASOFT® accounts for heat exchange of polymer, cooling lines, mold and simulates thermoplastic flow mechanics to calculate filling pressure and tonnage in a matter of minutes.