Moulding the future: Innovations and solutions in plastic injection

Rising global demand for moulded plastic products – coupled with advances in hybrid machines, increased usage of all-electric injection moulding machines, and a rising trend of using lightweight yet strong plastic composites – have all combined to create significant growth in the plastic injection moulding industry. As the industry evolves, manufacturers face increasing pressure to deliver high-quality products quickly and cost-effectively while also addressing concerns about sustainability and environmental impact. 

To meet and overcome these challenges, many manufacturers are turning to advanced solutions like Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite, which provides a comprehensive, end-to-end approach that streamlines the design, simulation, and manufacturing processes.

Here, we discuss ways to optimise the mould design process. We’ll also highlight how simulation can help imbed quality in the design process and uncover how Hexagon solutions can help manufacturers solve even the most complex moulding challenges.
 

Optimising the design process

Designing moulds and mould assemblies comes with several unique challenges – including defining core and cavity geometry, designing electrodes, and managing complex assemblies. And Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite addresses these challenges. For example, the suite’s reverse engineering capabilities empower designers to create accurate 3D models from physical parts quickly. Complemented by advanced morphing capabilities that let designers easily manipulate and refine 3D model geometry, Hexagon’s Production Softwares allow for rapid design iterations and optimisation.

Additionally, the Mould & Die Suite’s automated core and cavity extraction features use intelligent algorithms to identify and extract the corresponding geometry from the part model, saving designers significant time and effort. The suite’s full assembly management capabilities offer a comprehensive solution for designing and validating the entire mould assembly, including the mould base, ejection system, cooling channels, and other components. The Suite’s CAD and CAE capabilities allow designers to check for interferences, analyse the assembly’s kinematics, and ensure proper function before manufacturing.

Other ways that Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite benefit designers include:

• Part design optimisation: The suite’s topology investigation tools help optimise part design for manufacturability by identifying areas where material can be removed without compromising strength or performance. 
• Informed decisions early: The Mould & Die  Suite’s comprehensive supplier component library and material characteristics database mean that designers can make informed decisions early in the design process, reducing design time and ensuring component compatibility. 
• Clear downstream communication: Hexagon’s automatic drafting and dimensioning features ensure that necessary information is communicated to downstream processes, generating detailed 2D drawings and 3D annotations directly from the CAD model.

Hexagon’s advanced simulation capabilities allow designers to address and overcome these challenges. Using the Mould & Die Suite’s powerful flow analysis tools, designers can simulate the injection moulding process, predict how molten plastic will fill the mould cavity, and identify potential issues that may negatively impact part quality.

The suite’s thermal analysis module simulates heat transfer within the mould, allowing designers to optimise cooling channel placement and prevent issues like hot spots or uneven cooling. Hexagon’s warpage estimation and compensation tools help designers predict and mitigate material shrinkage and deformation effects, ensuring the final part is dimensionally accurate. 

Additionally, the suite’s kinematics and simulation capabilities allow designers to validate the entire mould assembly’s performance, including the operation of sliding cores, lifters, and ejector systems.

Manufacturing the mould

Programming the machining processes for manufacturing moulds can be complex and time-consuming, with challenges like: 

• Optimising toolpaths: Generating efficient toolpaths that minimise machining time, reduce tool wear, and ensure consistent material removal can be challenging, especially for complex mould geometries.
• Achieving high surface quality: Moulds require very smooth, high-quality surfaces to produce accurate, aesthetically pleasing parts. Achieving the required surface finish can be difficult, particularly in hard-to-reach areas or when machining tough materials.
• Machining difficult materials: Moulds are often made from hard, wear-resistant materials such as tool steels or high-performance alloys, which can be challenging to machine efficiently and accurately.
• Ensuring compatibility with a wide range of machine tools and controllers: Mould manufacturers regularly use a variety of CNC machines and controllers, each with specific requirements and limitations. Generating NC code that is compatible with multiple machines and ensuring smooth post-processing can be time-consuming and error-prone.

Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite provides powerful CAM programming capabilities that solve these challenges. The suite includes tools for 3- to 5-axis milling, enabling the efficient machining of complex mould geometries. 

High-speed machining strategies optimise cutting parameters to reduce cycle times while maintaining tool life and surface quality. And the suite has integrated ultra-quality surface finishing techniques – like 3D morphing and circle segment finishing – to ensure that mould surfaces meet injection moulding’s tight surface finish requirements.

The Mould & Die Suite’s safe toolpath generation features and dedicated post-processing capabilities prevent collisions while ensuring compatibility with a wide range of machine tools and controllers. Its programming automation capabilities streamline NC code creation, reducing programming time and ensuring consistency between parts. And digital twin simulation and cycle time optimisation tools allow designers and programmers to validate and optimise toolpaths before running them on the machine.

Streamlining the end-to-end workflow

In essence, Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite streamlines the workflow from design to manufacturing, facilitating a smooth transition between each process stage. The suite’s integrated approach ensures that data flows seamlessly between the various tools, eliminating the need for manual data translation or file conversion. 

Thanks to simultaneous access to and modification of the same data, designers and engineers can collaborate more effectively. This access ensures everyone is working with the most up-to-date information.

The suite’s automation features reduce the time and effort required for repetitive tasks. That includes its automated core and cavity extraction, as well as programming automation. These automation tools also help ensure consistency and quality across different projects and teams, as best practises and proven strategies can be captured and reused easily.

By providing better control over product quality and facilitating faster time to market, the Mould & Die Suite helps manufacturers meet the growing demand for high-quality plastic products while controlling costs. The integrated workflow facilitates faster iterations and design changes, allowing manufacturers to quickly respond to changing customer requirements or market demands.

Navigating complex mould design, simulation and manufacturing challenges

As the plastic injection moulding industry continues to evolve, manufacturers must stay at the forefront of innovation to maintain their competitive edge. And Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite can play a critical role in helping navigate this dynamic landscape, providing a comprehensive solution that addresses the challenges of designing, simulating, and manufacturing complex moulds. 

The suite’s advanced capabilities – from reverse engineering and topology optimisation to high-speed machining and digital twin simulation – mean manufacturers can create optimised, high-quality designs and streamline production. 

By investing in Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite, manufacturers can reap the rewards of greater collaboration, automation, and data-driven decision-making – including reduced costs, improved quality, and accelerated time to market.

With its flexible, scalable platform – and Hexagon’s commitment to continuous innovation – the Hexagon Mould & Die Suite is poised to help manufacturers embrace emerging technologies and succeed in an ever-changing industry. 

As they face new challenges and opportunities in the years ahead, Hexagon’s Mould & Die Suite will remain a trusted partner, giving manufacturers the cutting-edge tools, expertise, and support needed to stay ahead of the curve and create innovative products.