(MOLDFLOW) Moldflow's Part Adviser 2.0 Allows Teams To Rapidly Optimize
Plastic
Part Designs
(Business Wire; 05/04/98)
LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 1998--
Product Combines Dynamic Advisers, Internet-ready Reports, Extended Solution
Depth with the Industry's Best CAD Integration and World-class Support
Moldflow Corporation today announces Release 2.0 of Part Adviser(tm),
software used to quickly determine the "manufacturability" of injection
molded plastic parts. The updated version enables design teams to
effectively drive product optimization during the preliminary part design
phase. Overall, Part Adviser 2.0 features improved integration with solid
modeling computer-aided design (CAD) software, extendable solution depth,
advanced adviser capabilities, Internet-ready reports, and an improved
material database.
"Part Adviser is now proven technology being used by companies around the
world to quickly determine whether plastic part designs are feasible for
manufacture," says Ken Welch, vice president of marketing at Moldflow
Corporation. "There are many people in the development cycle of a plastic
part. In Release 2.0, we kept the solution simple and productive for
individuals in the design phase while providing a strong environment for
team driven design optimization. With the product's new features and our
strong partnerships with the leaders in solid modeling CAD, Part Adviser's
role as the standard for mainstream plastic part design simulation is
advancing rapidly."
Part Adviser 1.0 was noted for its breadth of integration to the leading
CAD systems. The software now features direct integration to the following
additional CAD systems:
Pro/ENGINEER Release 20, Unigraphics Release 14, SolidWorks 98, and AutoCAD
Mechanical Desktop Release 2.0.
Part Adviser 2.0 allows the user to explicitly set the injection pressure
limit, injection time, and mold and melt temperature. In addition, the
software now displays injection pressure, pressure drop and flow-front
temperature results. Moldflow recognizes that some companies routinely
operate at the extremes of processing conditions. Some use very aggressive
manufacturing guidelines, while others want to operate in the middle of the
process window. New environment preferences in Release 2 allow users to
customize the processing conditions to reflect their business practice --
for all analyses or just a single session.
The product's hallmark adviser capability is greatly enhanced with Release
2.0. Now Dynamic Advisers(tm) provide real time design advice. For example,
the designer may be given a red Confidence-of-fill(tm) warning in a
particular section of the model. By simply dragging the mouse over the red
model region, the adviser displays the underlying temperature and pressure
distribution values and fill time status as well as text-based design
advice - all in real time.
"Moldflow has increased product depth, without increasing product
complexity," says Christopher Harton, senior development specialist at
M.A.Hanna Resin Distribution in Norcross, GA. The program determines
suitable processing conditions so the user can generate sufficient results.
More experienced users can now optimize the design by adjusting the
processing conditions and injection time. With the new dynamic advisers, I
can get immediate pressure, temperature, and fill time status for any point
on the part just by moving the mouse over the model surface. Users can then
give a mouse click to receive context-sensitive advise for fixing problem
areas."
Part Adviser's new Internet-ready report feature allows customers to easily
generate customized reports and instantly share information with
colleagues. For example, a designer can now generate a web-based report and
post it on their intranet or Internet site. From there, the injection
molder or other "team members" can review the design through graphic
images, fill animations and VRML models and return input on ideal
processing conditions.
"Part Adviser allows a community of people to quickly convey the concepts
behind a part using standard tools in a virtually real-time environment,"
comments Joe Patterson, technical director of consulting services at PTA
Corporation in Oxford, CT. "With the new browser-based report generator, we
can communicate easily over the Internet to others on the design team
without worrying about data transfer issues. Part Adviser is now an even
better tool for reducing costs and bringing plastic parts to market in less
time."
Moldflow products feature the most complete and accurate material database
in the industry. In this release, Moldflow adds over 150 grade specific
materials to the Part Adviser database. Moldflow also provides tools for
the user to quickly add their own materials to the database. New search
capabilities make it even easier to browse the database.
Harton continues, "We use Part Adviser across the board from medical to
toys to automotive. For example, using Part Adviser we can quickly address
the concerns of our automotive customers, which are largely, `will it fill'
and cosmetic clean-up of things like weld lines. Because Part Adviser is
solid- based, we don't have to generate a midplane model which reduces
analysis time from roughly one-to-two weeks to a day. Our service customers
are indeed happier with the quicker turnaround that Part Adviser enables us
to provide. We run about three designs a week through Part Adviser and
address significant problem areas with Moldflow's Dynamic Series, which
accounts for the effects of things like cooling and warpage during
manufacture."
Moldflow backs Part Adviser with world-class support and an improved
Internet Customer Resource Center.
Part Adviser 2.0 is available for immediate shipment on the following
computer systems: Windows(R) 95, (Intel) and Windows NT(R) (Intel and
Digital Alpha) as well as the leading UNIX system platforms from Silicon
Graphics(tm), Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM and Sun Microsystems.
For more information on Moldflow and Part Adviser 2.0, please call Peggy
Cicalis at 781/674-0085 or visit the company web site at www.moldflow.com.
More about Moldflow
Moldflow is the world leader in process wide plastic simulation software
used to design and produce optimal plastic parts. Over 1500 customers in
more than forty countries have produced billions of injection molded parts
using the company's products. As major industries, including automotive,
computer, aerospace, and medical, increasingly turn to plastics, Moldflow
is delivering accurate, easy-to-use simulation products for all stages of
plastic part creation. Moldflow has strategic partnerships with all leading
CAD and hardware vendors and is represented in over 20 countries worldwide.
-0-
Moldflow is a registered trademark and Part Adviser, Confidence-of-fill,
and Dynamic Advisers are trademarks of Moldflow Corporation. Windows and
Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other
brands or product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
--30--mb/bos*
CONTACT: Boston Communications Worldwide
Bill Perkins, (617) 912-1104
bperkins@bcww.com
----------------------
Yakov Horenstein
Milano, Italy
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