Enterprise-Enabled Simulation - Optimizing Your Product Development Cycle

By Moldflow Corporation

Related links: Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) | Injection Molding

Organizations involved in the design and manufacture of plastic parts are facing continuous pressure to get innovative products to market faster than ever. These compressed development cycles often result in simulation only being used to troubleshoot or validate part and mold designs in the latter stages of development. Failure to perform simulation early not only results in a greater likelihood of defective parts, but also in lost opportunities to optimize the product for both manufacturability and performance.

The question now being posed by these organizations is, “How do we incorporate simulation into our best practices so designs can be optimized using analysis results?” Fortunately, new enterprise-enabled simulation solutions have been developed that give everyone involved in development the tools they need to analyze their piece of the design and use the results to optimize their work.

Current Trends in Simulation

Global competition, concerns about the environmental impact of new products, and shortened time to market are the critical pressures that businesses designing and manufacturing plastic parts are currently facing. From an engineering standpoint, these pressures translate into the need to optimize product designs so each part is manufactured at the lowest cost, with the least amount of material, and in the shortest development cycle possible.

Simulation Driven Design
Industry leaders are responding to these pressures by implementing simulation earlier in the development stages to actually drive the design of the part. Using this method, designs are analyzed and improved iteratively so potential problems are preemptively solved and products are optimized prior to starting production. This method has proven to be extremely effective because quality is now designed into the product and less testing is required in the later stages, which improves the overall efficiency of new product development.

Paul Hornikx, Mechanical Engineer in Microsoft’s hardware division, speaks of the problems with not utilizing simulation early: “Being late, and not knowing about it until the end, is very costly. Airship, losing shelf space, flying engineers all over the place, lost engineering time for the next programs, and the stress on the engineering group is phenomenal.” He adds, “This should all be incentive to do analysis as early as possible.”

Hornikx utilizes simulation early in product development, performing analyses on industrial design concepts prior to adding the internal engineering features. Recently, during the design of a bottom case for a new keyboard, he found that a thick section around the perimeter of the part would have created a tension ring that would cause the part to warp significantly.

Using the simulation results, Hornikx went back to industrial design with two options: move the parting line or reduce the thickness of the sidewalls. He was able to negotiate a 1.5 mm reduction in the thickness, which instantly removed a majority of the warpage from the part.

Challenges in Achieving Widespread Simulation Use

An inherent problem with plastics product development is that people involved in the early stages of design have the most influence on manufacturability, but it is the production engineers at the end of development who are responsible for optimizing the process. Pushing simulation into the earlier stages of design counters this effect but presents its own challenges due to time constraints, lack of expertise, and also because of the current way simulation software is priced and sold.

No Time for Simulation
Without question, running multiple analyses at each phase in the design of a new product will increase the quality and manufacturability of the part. The problem is that each analysis can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to complete, due to model preparation, actual processing time, and results interpretation. With already compressed development cycles, the amount of time available to run these analyses is very limited.

The challenge is to make simulation as lean as possible for each type of user, thus reducing the amount of “waste” in the form of superfluous results and extended analysis times.

Simulation: “Experts Only” Please
Typically, the use of injection molding simulation is isolated to only a few engineers within an organization whose primary job function is running analyses for the rest of the development group. This has been the case for two reasons: the intricacy of the injection molding process and the complexity of the simulation application.

Crafting a successful injection molding process requires a thorough understanding of the multitude of variables that must be skillfully manipulated to get an acceptable part. While the latest processing methodologies and technologies have turned injection molding from an art form to a science, anyone new to the process would be overwhelmed with the amount of options available.

Due to all these variables, and also because of the many variants of the injection molding process itself, even the most carefully designed simulation application has an intimidating amount of features to navigate. The leading simulation products currently offer multiple meshing options, thousands of material choices, support for several different molding processes, and options for viewing shrinkage, warpage, and other potential part defects. While all these tools are required by the expert user, having this many options dissuades people who are unfamiliar with simulation from using the product.

The question going forward is, “How does one simulation package accommodate people with little simulation experience while still maintaining the functionality the expert user demands?”

The Pricing Model for Simulation
The way simulation is priced and sold has always been based on the presumption that organizations allocate simulation to only a few dedicated users. While the cost is certainly justified when considering the savings dedicated users provide, there are very few companies that are able to purchase a copy for every occasional user in new product development.

Because designers will never be full-time simulation users, they only need access to the simulation software when they are ready to run an analysis on their current design iteration. This type of use is not efficient with the way simulation is currently licensed, because a majority of the time the designer is designing, not analyzing.

What is needed is a system where all licenses purchased are being used as much as possible by as many people as possible to maximize the value of simulation.

A Brief History of Simulation Use

Thousands of companies around the world currently employ simulation to some extent, and many view it as a competitive differentiator. Over the course of three decades, the manner in which these businesses use simulation has evolved as the accuracy and speed of the software improved and as they looked for new ways to outpace their competitors.

Using Simulation as a Troubleshooting Tool
When simulation tools first gained widespread use, it was typically to fix a problem discovered in production environments or even in end-use applications. A single analyst would then troubleshoot the problem and determine a solution given the existing constraints. Of course, even if the analyst was successful, valuable time and material had already been wasted, driving up costs.

Using Simulation as a Validation Tool
As simulation tools and computers grew faster, the next logical step was to validate part or mold designs prior to committing to the mold build. Any errors in the designs could be communicated by the simulation expert to the engineer responsible, and the issue could be fixed prior to steel ever being cut.

While this results in more value being realized from the use of simulation, there is still the potential for significant hidden costs because parts and molds are not being optimized. For example, without optimization, companies are not determining if a part could be made thinner, which would reduce material usage, decrease cycle times, use less energy, and lower overall costs.

The problem with using simulation to troubleshoot existing problems or validate designs is that both of these approaches focus on problem-fixing and problem-avoidance, rather than on trying to create truly optimized designs.

The Solution: Enterprise-Enabled Simulation

To overcome the challenges of time constraints, lack of expertise, and the way simulation is priced and sold, businesses are turning to enterprise-enabled simulation to optimize their new products and development cycles.

Enterprise-enabled simulation is a methodology for implementing analysis software into the best practices of any organization that designs and develops new products. At its core, enterprise-enabled simulation is focused on empowering everyone involved in new product development to confidently analyze their own designs and use the results to optimize parts for both manufacturability and performance.

A shared licensing system is used in enterprise-enabled simulation, where every seat purchased is placed into a pool where it becomes accessible to anyone involved in new product development. For occasional users, this means they have the ability to access the software whenever they need it without requiring their own individual license. Because each user does not need a dedicated license, businesses can assess what their simulation needs are and determine the optimum number to purchase so each license is used efficiently. This is also the ideal system for growing companies, because it is easily scalable by simply adding more licenses as simulation use becomes more common or more users are added.

Enterprise-enabled simulation can be customized to a specific job function and the types of analyses and results required at a particular stage of development. For example, industrial designers may only require a simple filling analysis, whereas mold designers need to be able simulate filling, cooling, warpage, shrinkage, and so on. The software can be configured at every level, from meshing options to the selection of the material, available processing methods, and default results displayed.

The key to integrating simulation into new product development is to ensure everyone is comfortable using the software and confident in their results. The enterprise-enabled simulation methodology includes training programs specifically designed for different user levels, technical support for help with tackling the tough issues, and many other critical support features to ensure simulation becomes part of the company’s best practices.

Enterprise-enabled simulation is about more than just the application; it is also about a technology partnership with the software provider for long-lasting, cooperative growth and success.

The Benefits of Enterprise-Enabled Simulation

What to Look for in an Enterprise-Enabled Simulation Software
Some of the specific benefits that can be realized through the use of enterprise-enabled simulation include these:

Faster time-to-market: As more users learn about and benefit from the value of simulation, development cycles will inherently move faster, allowing companies to outpace their competitors at every turn.

Empowered engineers: Designers throughout the development cycle now have the capability to improve upon their design using results from their own analysis.

Reduced product costs: Optimized designs mean shorter cycle times, lower part weights, and less scrap, which all result in huge returns for the organization.

Improved part quality: Parts with designed-in quality will cost less to manufacture and support over their lifetime and typically use less material and energy to produce.

More products per year: Engineers spend less time troubleshooting at the end of the product development process, so they have more time to work on new products.

Increased innovation: With a new set of tools and skills, engineers can experiment with new designs and processes more often to create truly innovative products.

What to Look for in an Enterprise-Enabled Simulation Software

When looking for an enterprise-enabled simulation software product, consider the following key points:

Accessibility: Simulation must be easily accessible by any member of a design-to-manufacturing team. This means going from only a few users to many users and enabling even occasional users quick and easy access to the simulation technology that will allow them to optimize their input to the design.

Configurability: The user interface and number of analysis options should be configurable based on job function, knowledge, skill, and experience. If someone is involved in industrial design or part production, the software should be customizable in such a way that makes it easy to learn and use with minimal training and support requirements, while still maintaining all the functionality the expert user requires.

Process integration: Enterprise-enabled simulation software should integrate easily with existing applications, especially 3D CAD and CAE software, as well as proprietary, company-specific applications.

Communication focus: Valuable simulation results are only as good as your ability to communicate them to other members of a design-to-manufacturing team. The software should export to a number of industry standard formats, including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint and HTML-based web reports, as well as offer free results viewing software so engineers outside the organization can have full access to the analysis results.

Strategic implementation: Enterprise-enabled simulation must come with a strategic implementation plan that covers everything from licensing to training, technical support, and material testing to maximize the return on investment and ensure simulation is incorporated into the best practices of the organization.

Examples of Simulation Use During Development

While it is important to utilize simulation as early as possible in development, such as the analysis of Microsoft’s keyboard during industrial design, it is also critical for design and tooling engineers to take advantage of simulation tools to optimize their work as well.

Design Engineering
Many firms contracted to design plastic parts, especially for the automotive industry, view molding feasibility analysis as the responsibility of the mold shops, and therefore, simulation typically is not performed at a time when the part design could be optimized for molding. This has resulted in some automakers requiring simulation results to be included in the approval process for product designs while others are taking matters into their own hands.

Glenn Reed, Mechanical Technical Expert at Ford Motor Company, uses simulation to assist in overseeing the supplier development of CD/DVD players and in providing them with technical support. He uses simulation as his “Expert Checker” to analyze incoming designs from his suppliers for anything from short shot conditions to the potential of sink and warpage.

Reed’s viewpoint is that designers and engineers are in the best position to impact the cost of the part and that true optimization requires design iterations that are improved through the use of simulation. He proudly carries the torch and preaches to managers and engineers around him to develop and share a “Simulation Attitude!”

Examples of Simulation Use During Development

Mold Design
Mike McCullough, Process Engineer at OEM/Erie, a Tier 1 and 2 supplier to General Motors and Chrysler, estimates that they see an average savings of $7500 on each mold by utilizing simulation during design. McCullough says, “The savings come as a result of decreased prototype time to get good parts, optimizing gate locations early in the process, accurately predicting cooling patterns, eliminating mold retooling and freight costs, and material savings due to fewer defects.”

Beyond this, OEM/Erie has used simulation to add a new competency to their portfolio: in-mold decorating (IMD). After taking on a project for International Truck and Engine Corporation for three interior consoles, simulation was used extensively to place the gates, design the runner systems, and optimize the cooling layout.

McCullough notes, “Overall, [simulation] predicted the thermal effects of the in-mold decoration material quite well. Simulation is critical for successful IMD as the gating, filling and process conditions can make or break your quality.”

Moldflow Plastics Insight - Enterprise Edition

With the advent of Moldflow Plastics Insight – Enterprise Edition™ (MPI-e™), Moldflow is leading the way for companies that want to implement enterprise-enabled simulation to optimize their product development cycles. MPI-e is an enterprise-enabled simulation software suite comprised of all Moldflow’s core products including:

Moldflow Plastics Insight® – In-depth simulation of more than 20 different molding processes

Moldflow Plastics Advisers® – Easy-to-use simulation to optimize designs for manufacturability

Moldflow Communicator™ – Visualization, quantification, and comparison of Moldflow results

The key features of MPI-e that enable it to perform as an enterprise-enabled simulation solution include a task-based floating license system, customizable workspaces, multiple importing and exporting capabilities, and extensive reporting and communication tools.

MPI-e is based on tasks that float on a network, giving both occasional and dedicated users access to the full suite of simulation tools. The MPI-e Dashboard allows users to see the usage of licenses on the network and to reserve, check out, or check in tasks easily. The Dashboard also ensures that all licenses are used efficiently by providing users the information they need to determine which task level is required for the analysis they need to perform.

Customizable user workspaces included in MPI-e can expose the user to as much or as little of the functionality as required. Profiles can be created for novice users so they are guided through the analysis process to find typical problems specific to their job function. For more advanced users, more functionality and flexibility can be given to ensure they have the resources needed for their phase of the design process.

MPI-e integrates with existing design applications using robust CAD interfaces, making it quick and simple to import 3D solid geometry that is ready for analysis. MPI-e can also include Moldflow Structural Alliance, which links Moldflow results to leading structural CAE applications to ensure that structural analyses performed on injection molded plastic parts are of the highest possible accuracy. MPI-e also features an application programming interface (API) that can be used to customize outputs and interface with other software applications used across the organization.

The enterprise-wide implementation of MPI-e means everyone within the organization has access to open up the software to interpret the results of an analysis. To communicate results outside the enterprise, MPI-e also includes advanced reporting tools that create Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or internet-ready reports. MPI-e can also export results to the Moldflow Communicator, a free product that allows anyone to visualize, quantify, and compare simulation results.

The Moldflow Advantage

When you purchase a Moldflow product, you are investing in a technology partnership founded on new product innovation and world-class customer support and training. With close to 300 employees in 15 different countries, Moldflow is a truly global company able to provide all our customers with local sales and technical services. Some of the additional services Moldflow offers include:

Material testing: Moldflow’s software currently contains the largest database of materials characterized for use in CAE with over 8000 different resins available. If a particular material is not already in the database, Moldflow has two state-of-the-art labs, one in the US and one in Australia, that can fully characterize both commercial and proprietary grades of resins. Patented tests performed in Moldflow’s labs are specifically designed to ensure that analysis results accurately reflect what happens in real-world molding, so design changes can be made with confidence.

Expert-led training: The key to maximizing the investment in simulation is to train users so they feel comfortable using the software and confident in their results. Moldflow offers a variety of training options including expert instructor-led courses that are available either on-site or in one of the Moldflow Center for Professional Development classrooms. Along with training, Moldflow also offers a formal program where users are evaluated on their level of simulation knowledge and are able to earn bronze, silver, and gold level certifications.

Technical support: Moldflow’s technical support engineers are highly trained in software usage and typically have extensive experience in the injection molding industry. Whether you are having issues with licensing or need help running a problematic analysis, the support engineers are there to help. And, with engineers in 15 different countries, we are able to provide that support locally to make sure you are getting the best possible service.

Steve Papa, Applications Engineer at SABIC Innovative Plastics, notes, “A competitor has been trying to get me to look at their software, supposedly as good and cheaper to purchase. A big reason I am not interested in looking at their product is because of Moldflow’s technical staff. They are truly the differentiators and are a big reason why I will always stick with Moldflow.”

To take the first steps towards optimizing your product development cycle using enterprise-enabled simulation, visit us at www.moldflow.com/stp/.