The plastic injection molding process takes place with a machine divided into clamping and injection units.
The process begins by clamping a metal mold with a cavity of your part geometry into place. Next, the injection unit melts plastic pellets and injects it into the mold at a very high pressure (thousands of PSI). Depending on the specifics of the part and the type of plastic, there may be a holding period when the plastic is held under pressure to ensure that is forms correctly. The mold has cooling channels that help uniformly cool the material. During a cooling period, the pressure is released to help with cooling. Finally, the clamping unit is released and mechanisms eject the part from the mold for the cycle to then repeat.
Parts may need further finishing steps, such as removing molding aids like plastic sprues or runners, polishing, or assembly to other components.
Mechanical design is the first step in mechanical production and the most important factor in determining mechanical performance. In order to meet high requirements of mechanical product performance, computer technology is widely used in mechanical design for auxiliary design and system analysis. Following are ten most popular mechanical engineering design software in the world.
1. Autodesk Moldflow
Autodesk Moldflow Adviser, as part of Autodesk's digital prototyping solution, provides customers with an easy-to-use tool that enables them to simulate and evaluate design solutions, optimize them before manufacturing, reduce potential design errors, shorten product development cycles, and reduce development costs.
In product design and manufacturing process, Moldflow provides two major simulation analysis software:
AMA (Moldflow Plastic Parts Consultant) and AMI (Moldflow Advanced Molding Analysis Expert). AMA is easy to use, can quickly respond to designer's analysis and changes. Therefore, it is mainly aimed at injection product design engineers, project engineers and mold design engineers to quickly verify feasibility of product in the early stage of product development. AMA can quickly give answers to basic manufacturing feasibility questions, such as "Can product be filled?" Through this unique design mode, whether you are an experienced expert or a novice, AMA will let you feel reliability and practicality of injection molding simulation.
Moldflow's overall solution. With vigorous development of plastics industry and plastics-related industries, competition in plastics industry has become increasingly fierce. On the one hand, price of raw materials and labor costs continue to rise, on the other hand, sales price of products continues to fall, requirements for product quality and functionality continue to increase, and delivery cycle is required to be shorter.
2. AutoCAD
AutoCAD software is an automatic computer-aided design software produced by United States Autodesk. It can be used for drawing, two-dimensional drawing, and basic three-dimensional design. It can be used for automatic drawing without knowing programming. Therefore, it is widely used all over the world and can be used in civil construction, decoration, industrial drawing, engineering drawing, electronics industry, clothing processing and other fields.
Although AutoCAD has powerful graphics functions, its table processing function is relatively weak. In actual work, it is often necessary to make various tables in AutoCAD, such as engineering quantity tables. How to make tables efficiently is a very practical problem. AutoCAD can create basic graphic objects such as straight lines, circles, ellipses, polygons, and splines in many ways. AutoCAD provides drawing aids such as orthogonal, object capture, polar tracking, and capture tracking. Orthogonal function allows users to draw horizontal and vertical straight lines easily, object capture can help pick up special points on geometric objects, tracking function makes it easier to draw diagonal lines and locate points in different directions.
Starting from AutoCAD2000, system has added many powerful functions, such as AutoCAD Design Center (ADC), Multi-Document Design Environment (MDE), Internet driver, new object capture function, enhanced annotation function, partial opening and partial loading Features.
3. Pro/Engineer
Pro/Engineer operating software is an integrated CAD/CAM/CAE 3D software under US PTC Corporation. Pro/Engineer software is known for its parameterization and is the earliest application of parameterization technology, it occupies an important position in current 3D modeling software field. Pro/Engineer is recognized and promoted by industry as a new standard in the field of mechanical CAD/CAE/CAM in the world today. It is one of mainstream CAD/CAM/CAE software.
Pro/Engineer is built on a unified base-level database, unlike some traditional CAD/CAM systems built on multiple databases. So-called single database means that all materials in the project come from one database, so that each independent user is working on a product model, no matter which department he belongs to. In other words, any changes made in any part of entire design process can also be reflected back and forth in relevant links of entire design process.
In Pro/Engineer software version, in addition to using major versions like proe2001, Wildfire, WildFire2.0, WildFire3.0, WildFire4.0 and WildFire5.0, there is a minor version difference of date code in each major version. Date code represents order of release date of major version.
4. SolidWorks
SolidWorks is an original 3D design software based on Windows system. With its easy-to-use and friendly interface, SolidWorks can fully automatically capture design intent and guide design changes during entire product design work. In assembly design of SolidWorks, you can directly refer to existing parts to generate new parts. Regardless of whether design uses a "top-down" method or a "bottom-up" method for assembly design, SolidWorks will greatly improve design efficiency with its easy-to-use operations.
Users not only use SolidWorks software to solve general part design problems, more and more users are beginning to use SolidWorks software to handle system-level large-scale assembly designs, and speed of uploading large-scale assemblies is also increasing. Facing needs of users, R&D department of SolidWorks has managed to improve uploading speed of large assemblies from different angles, including distributed data processing and use of graphics compression technology, which has improved performance of large assemblies by several ten times.
5. Unigraphics NX
UG (UnigraphicsNX) is a product engineering solution produced by Siemens PLMSoftware, which provides users with digital modeling and verification methods for product design and processing.
UnigraphicsNX provides a proven solution for users' virtual product design and process design requirements.
Development of UG began in 1969, it was developed and implemented based on C language. UGNX is a flexible numerical software tool for solving partial differential equations developed using adaptive multigrid methods on two- and three-dimensional unstructured grids.
UG is an interactive CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) system. It has powerful functions and can easily realize construction of various complex entities and models. At the beginning of its birth, it was mainly based on workstations, but with development of PC hardware and rapid growth of individual users, application on PC has achieved rapid growth, and it has become a mainstream application of 3D design in mold industry.
Using NX modeling, industrial designers can quickly create and improve complex product shapes, use advanced rendering and visualization tools to maximize aesthetic requirements of design concept.
6. Cimatron
Cimatron is a product of Cimatron, a well-known software company in Israel. Cimatron's subsidiary in China is Simetron (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd., and now Cimatron is owned by 3D Systems in United States. For many years, Cimatron's CAD/CAM solution has been successfully used as an indispensable tool in enterprise equipment, from small mold manufacturing plants to manufacturing departments of large companies.
Since Cimatron was founded in 1982, its innovative technology and strategic direction have made Cimatron a recognized leader in CAD/CAM field. As a leader in manufacturing CAD/CAM integrated solutions, we promise to provide molds, tools and other manufacturers with comprehensive and cost-effective software solutions, streamline manufacturing cycle, strengthen relationship between manufacturers and external vendors to greatly shorten product delivery time.
Whether you are designing for manufacturing or generating safe, efficient and high-quality NC tool paths for 2.5~5 axis milling processing, Cimatron's manufacturing-oriented CAD/CAM solutions provide customers with ability to handle complex parts and complex manufacturing cycles. Cimatron guarantees that every product manufactured is product you designed.
New Chinese version of Cimatron E10.0 launched by Cimatron company, its CAD/CAM software solution includes a set of tools for easy 3D design, allowing users to conveniently process acquired data model or carry out conceptual design of product. Version 10.0 has made significant progress in design and data interface.
Today, more than 4,000 customers worldwide are using Cimatron's CAD/CAM solutions to manufacture products for various industries. These industries include: automotive, aerospace, computer, electronics, consumer goods, medicine, military, optical instruments, communications and toys industries.
7. Mastercam
Mastercam is a CAD/CAM software based on PC platform developed by CNC Software Inc. in United States. It integrates multiple functions such as two-dimensional drawing, three-dimensional solid modeling, surface design, voxel stitching, numerical control programming, tool path simulation and realistic simulation. It has convenient and intuitive geometric modeling. Mastercam provides an ideal environment for designing shape of parts, its powerful and stable modeling function can design complex curved and curved parts. Version above 9.0 of Mastercam also supports Chinese environment, and the price is moderate. It is an ideal choice for majority of small and medium-sized enterprises. It is a cost-effective and all-round software system. It is a CAD/CAM system widely used in industry and schools.
Mastercam not only has powerful and stable modeling functions, it can design complex curves and surface parts, but also has powerful surface roughing and flexible surface finishing functions. Its reliable tool path validation function enables Mastercam to simulate entire process of part processing. In simulation, it can not only display tool and fixture, but also check interference and collision between tool, fixture and processed part, which truly reflects actual situation in process, Deserves to be an excellent CAD/CAM software. At the same time, Mastercam has relatively low requirements on operating environment of system, allowing users to obtain the best results no matter in processing operations such as modeling design, CNC milling machine, CNC lathe or CNC wire cutting.
Mastercam has powerful surface roughing and flexible surface finishing functions. Mastercam provides a variety of advanced roughing technologies to improve efficiency and quality of parts processing. Mastercam also has a wealth of surface finishing functions, from which you can choose the best method to process the most complex parts. Multi-axis machining function of Mastercam provides more flexibility for parts processing.
Mastercam's strength lies in CNC machining, which is easy to use, generated NC programs are simple and efficient. Main competitors are UGNX, Edgecam, WorkNC, Cimtron, Delcam (Powermill), PTC (Pro/NC), Space-e, CAMWORKS, HyperMILL, etc. Compared with these software, it has an overwhelming advantage in 2D processing; in terms of surface, it has an advantage in simple rules; in terms of multi-axis surface, third-party 5-axis multi-surface machining is introduced in X3, making it still king in general CNC machining.
Mastercam software has been widely used in design and NC processing of general machinery, aviation, shipbuilding, military industry and other industries. Since the late 1980s, China has introduced this famous CAD/CAM software, which has made a great contribution to rapid rise of China's manufacturing industry.
8. CATIA
CATIA is flagship solution for product development of France Dassault. As an important part of PLM collaborative solution, it can help manufacturers design their future products and support entire industrial design process from pre-project phase, specific design, analysis, simulation, assembly to maintenance. Since 1999, its digital prototype process has been widely adopted in the market, making it the most commonly used product development system in the world.
Modular CATIA series products provide product style and appearance design, mechanical design, equipment and system engineering, management digital prototype, mechanical processing, analysis and simulation. CATIA products are based on an open and scalable V5 architecture. Whether it is solid modeling or surface modeling, because CATIA provides an intelligent tree structure, users can easily and quickly make repeated changes to product, even if major changes are required in final stage of design, or original scheme is updated. For CATIA, it is very easy.
CATIA provides a complete design capability: from conceptual design of product to formation of final product, it provides a complete 2D, 3D, parametric hybrid modeling and data management means with its accurate and reliable solutions, from design of a single part to establishment of final electronic prototype; at the same time, as a fully integrated software system, CATIA organically combines mechanical design, engineering analysis and simulation, numerical control processing and CATweb network application solutions to provide users with a strict paperless working environment, especially CATIA's special modules for automobile and motorcycle industries.
CATIA provides convenient solutions to meet needs of large, medium and small enterprises in all industrial fields. Including: from large Boeing 747 aircraft, rocket engines to cosmetic packaging boxes, almost covering all manufacturing products. CATIA series products provide 3D design and simulation solutions in eight major areas: automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, plant design, construction, power and electronics, consumer goods and general machinery manufacturing.
CATIA's competitors include UGNX, Pro/E, Topsolid, and Cimatron. Among them, NX and Pro/E and CATIA can be described as one-third of the world. CATIA currently holds the largest market share in design and engineering software. This comes from such a strong source of customers and military background. Compared with its competitors, CATIA's advantage lies in its pleasing interface, easy-to-use and powerful functions, and powerful functional support in specialized industries such as automobiles, aerospace, shipbuilding, etc. IT boss IBM's global sales cooperation.
9. Delcam
Delcam is the world's leading professional CAD/CAM software company. DelcamPlc is headquartered in Birmingham, a famous city in United Kingdom, and is a listed company on the London Stock Exchange. Research and development of Delcam software originated from Cambridge University, a world-renowned university. After more than 40 years of development, Delcam software series spans product design, mold design, product processing, mold processing, reverse engineering, art design and engraving processing, quality inspection and collaboration Cooperative management and other application areas. Delcam's latest software research and development are carried out simultaneously in United Kingdom and United States, with more than 40,000 customers in more than 80 countries and regions around the world.
As a CAD/CAM software company with a history of more than 40 years that integrates design, manufacturing, measurement and management, focuses on research, development and technical services, Delcam knows that everything for sake of users is the key to Delcam's success. To this end, Delcam not only provides users with leading software solutions, but also provides users with the highest level of technical support through more than 350 technical support branches in more than 80 countries and regions around the world, ensuring that Delcam solves any user problems with the fastest response speed.
Delcam is the only CAD/CAM software company in the world with a large CNC machining workshop. All Delcam software products have been rigorously tested in actual production environment. This enables Delcam to best understand problems and needs of users, provide a complete set of products from design, manufacturing, testing to management.
DelcamCAD/CAM series software is widely used in industries such as aerospace, automobiles, ships, household appliances, light industrial products and mold manufacturing. Well-known companies such as Airbus, Boeing/McDonnell Douglas, Hafei, XAC, Chengfei, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Volkswagen, MercedesBenz, Pratt&Whitney, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Canon, LG, Nike, Clarks, FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Group, Zhuhai Gree, are all Delcam users.
10. Edgecam
Edgecam is an automated CNC programming software developed by Planit, UK. Edgecam can be integrated with today's mainstream CAD software data, and achieve barrier-free data transmission. Give full play to relationship between entity and tool path. If geometric features of entity (such as: height, depth, diameter) are modified in 3D software, you only need to update tool path without re-editing. Edgecam provides complete solutions for milling, turning and milling combined processing methods.
EdgeCAM is a powerful, versatile, easy-to-learn and easy-to-use intelligent CNC programming system, and adopts a modular design to meet needs of different users. Users can select modules with different functions to form a CAM solution for CNC machining programming according to their own programming needs. Research, development and promotion of EdgeCAM products have always been based on meeting needs of global processing and manufacturing users, and provide global users with the latest CNC programming functions at the fastest speed to meet different needs of different users. In the process of product development and application for more than 20 years, EdgeCAM has more than 40,000 authorized users worldwide.
Planit Group ranks first in global manufacturing industry in terms of CAM software installed capacity, with installed capacity reaching 84,000 units, 24,000 units higher than installed capacity of other competitors in same industry, and nearly 30,000 units higher than its own sales in 2005 quantity. Planit Group's products include EdgeCAM, AlphaCAM, Radan and other CAM software. Diversification of Group's products has stabilized and strengthened Group's position in manufacturing sector. In response to special requirements of mold industry, Edgecam provides a variety of different processing methods to deal with processing requirements under different conditions, including processing program optimization for different methods such as product processing, mold manufacturing, turning processing, composite processing and high-speed processing.