Tokyo Seiki Reduces at Least 50% of Its Time in Trial-and-Error Using Moldex3D


Customer Profiles
Tokyo Seiki is the manufacturer of plastic injection molds and the first Moldex3D/Solid user in Malaysia. Over 50 cases have been completed by Tokyo Seiki’s previous engineering manager, VC Chong. Mr. Chong admitted that CAE analysis has exceed his expectations by significantly reducing the mold trial time. (Source: Tokyo Seiki)

Challenges

  • Inner part of a DVD-Rom Flow balance problem.
  • Motorcycle horn buttons weld line problem.

 Solutions

After revising the runner for five times, the flow balance had increased from 88% for the original design to 99% for the 5th revised design, and the runner weight to part body ratio became 10g :16g.

 Benefits

Ensure company’s competitiveness and the commitment to delivering the best quality design to customers.

Nowadays, the intuitional and traditional-experience-relying mold design have proven difficult to satisfy the ever-changing demands. Our biggest advantages and secret weapon is to use the scientific and precise CAE calculation to determine the quality of the mold design and even to persuade customers to modify their original design.  –VC Chong, Previous Engineering Manager, Tokyo Seiki

With the help of Moldex3D, Tokyo Seiki becomes the first mold maker in Malaysia to provide CAE analysis reports with vivid pictures and graphics. As a result, more and more potential customers are surfacing to Tokyo Seiki because they feel more confident about this kind of service and analysis. Previous engineering manager of Tokyo Seiki, VC Chong, pointed out: “Nowadays, the intuitional and traditional-experience-relying mold design have proven difficult to satisfy the ever-changing demands. Our biggest advantages and secret weapon is to use the scientific and precise CAE calculation to determine the quality of the mold design and even to persuade customers to modify their original design.” Now at least 50% of the molds Tokyo Seiki produces are mainly modified by Tokyo Seiki itself, such as the runner imbalance problems in the printer parts, and the warpage enhancement of the camera parts for a famous brand.

CAE analysis was only part of VC Chong’s work; he used Moldex3D to help him manage the project execution time more efficiently. “On average, I have to spend 2-3 days each week in analysis to ensure the production of some inexperienced designs, so I let my computer run CAE cases at nights and test the results in the morning.” He added “Comparing the Moldex3D Solid analysis time with the real mold trial time, the former is definitely worthy of our investment, because we have saved at least 50% time in revisions and trial frequency.”

The injection molding analysis contains many different projects we can discuss in different point of view and according to various demands. For a mold manufacturer, the manufacturing time is very short, so explicit analysis is the key factor that helps customers eliminate problems quickly and efficiently. Mr. VC Chong used this concept on designing and producing, so the Moldex3D can be utilized powerfully. Here we will introduce the real case studies provided by Tokyo Seiki in order to discuss two key points – flow balance and weld line in injection molding simulation.

Flow Balance Problem

To balance flow pattern is a good way to prevent warpage problems, especially for the precise products, the flow balance is what we usually take as the comparative data. The case discussed here is the inner part of a DVD-Rom that can be produced up to 60,000 pieces per month. Besides flatness, the customers also ask Tokyo Seiki to cut down the runner weight, because the runner weight is apparently higher than the part body (20g：16g). After revising the runner for five times, the flow balance had increased from 88% for the original design to 99% for the 5th revised design, and the runner weight to part body ratio became 10g :16g. (Fig. 1~4)

Fig. 1  Melt front distribution at 60% of original design 
Fig. 2  Melt front distribution at 88% of original design
Fig. 3  Melt front distribution at 60% of revised design
Fig. 4  Melt front distribution at 99% of revised design

Weld Line Problem

The position and length of weld lines are usually the first to consider in the simulation field when products are suspected to have aesthetic or mechanical strength problems. In this case, we would discuss the motorcycle horn buttons, which are pressed many times after fabricating; therefore, the weld line is “the” factor that influences the part strength. We should avoid putting a weld line on the strength-receiving region during molding production. In this simulation process, we notice that the weld line is on the place where forces are received, which could weaken the product’s strength. We can solve this problem by changing the gate location. (Fig. 5~8) 

Fig. 5  Melt front distribution at 60% of original design
Fig. 6  Melt front distribution at 90% of original design
Fig. 7  Melt front distribution at 60% of revised design
Fig. 8  Melt front distribution at 60% of revised design

Tokyo Seiki Continues to Invest on Moldex3D

For Tokyo Seiki, a new mold development could be completed within three weeks, but the mold trial time and retooling was unpredictable. After Moldex3D was adopted, they were able to limit the mold trials to no more than 3 times. To strengthen Tokyo Seiki’s ability to produce other kinds of mold products, VC Chong’s company is ready to increase investment on Moldex3D this year. VC Chong perceives adopting Moldex3D as the best decision to increase company’s competitiveness and to provide the good-quality design to the customers.

* This case was published in June, 2005. Moldex3D News No. 11


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