VISI Flow

Whenever designing a product or component for injection moulding, there is always a benefit in optimising the mould tool design and moulding process from the outset.  Rutland Plastics’ technical team take pride in the support they offer customers.  To help them they use VISI Flow software which enables the simulation of the injection moulding process to help develop cost effective and reliable mould designs; it can also help to assess optimum moulding conditions.

VISI Flow has been developed by Vero Software and sits alongside the VISI 3D design software and Machining Strategist that Rutland Plastics already uses.  The main advantages of VISI Flow are:

• It is the first fully integrated CAD/CAE application
• Provides accurate mould filling simulation
• Identifies aesthetic issues
• Predicts warping
• Can help with design for gas assisted moulding, another service offered by Rutland Plastics.

Please click on the image below to see a VISI Flow demonstration clip.

In The Beginning

The most obvious time to use this design aid is at the early stages of development.  Before any tool design is started, using VISI Flow to analyse the design of the part can highlight any potential manufacturing issues, such as weld lines, air traps and the best gate location.  This can avoid any costly and time consuming changes to the mould tool at a later date.

Existing Parts

Of course, there are occasions when existing components are not moulding or performing as expected.  VISI Flow simulations can help with understanding the conditions inside the mould cavity during the moulding cycle.  This can save time and money in judging the effectiveness of different corrective actions whether that is to the moulding process or even minor modifications to the mould tool itself.

Accuracy

VISI Flow uses a patented ‘meshing’ approach to the 3D model which gives consistent results unaffected by component size, complexity or wall thickness.

Results are affected by the type and even the grade of material used.  There is an extensive material database covering a wide selection of material grades and suppliers.  The software provides the same level of control over the injection of molten polymer into the mould tool as on any injection moulding machine.  The filling simulation provides the ability to forecast and visualise how a part will be filled making it possible to identify any potential aesthetic issues.  The results will also help identify any possible defects, such as sinking or voids.  If necessary, it is possible to export the warped model geometry for comparison with the original CAD data for potential reverse engineering or improvements to the mould tool design.

Rutland Plastics can work with CAD files in almost any format although Parasolid or STEP are the preferred options.  Contact Rutland Plastics for help with your products or components, whether it is a completely new project or existing parts that you may be experiencing problems with.

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