Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
With the process-oriented approach of SIGMASOFT®, the injection molding simulation for elastomers is no longer limited to predicting the cavity filling while designing the part or to answer questions regarding a balanced filling. Based on an accurate simulation of the curing reaction (vulcanization), it can be used for designing the mold, identifying process windows and troubleshooting during production.
The process-oriented approach of the Injection Molding Simulation Software SIGMASOFT® allows for the easy and exact consideration of all relevant information regarding mold and process into the calculation, beyond the part and runner geometry.
Schaumburg, IL, July 25, 2012 – At the recent DKT Conference in Nuremburg, Germany, SIGMA Engineering GmbH, Aachen, presented the latest functionality expansions of its 3D Injection Molding Simulation Software SIGMASOFT®. The focus of the presentation was the software’s ability to reduce development and production costs through new developments in process simulation.
Many factors in elastomer injection molding have an influence on product quality and costs. To ensure a competitive advantage, the whole manufacturing process must be considered. Since the design stage has the largest influence over the total costs of a part, this is where the savings start with SIGMASOFT®.
By using process simulation, feasibility and rough process parameters can be evaluated. Parting line and venting channels can be worked out, as well as the optimal type and positioning of the injection drop point. Where are weld-lines acceptable? Where do they need to be avoided? Do inserts need pre-heating? Which level of vulcanization should be reached and how much time and what temperature are needed to achieve this level? Important factors regarding part quality are optimized in this way, through the algorithms in the software.
A mold, which will be used for producing the part, can now be developed. Decisions must be made at this point, which can incur substantial costs: How many cavities can be designed in the mold (clamping force and required pressure)? How should the runner system be designed to obtain balanced cavity filling and the same compound quality in every cavity? Is there need for a cold runner? What heat-output is needed and how must the heating system be configured? Are the heated clamping plates adequate? Where should control points for the tempering be positioned?
The simulation is able to answer all these questions and allows reaching the desired quality with minimal effort (time and energy). In this way, the process stability is guaranteed before the mold is even built. Costs can be reduced significantly during development and existing processes can continue to be improved. This is all accomplished while substantially reducing rejects and material waste, thereby getting to the first good part much faster.
The latest developments in the software’s thermal solver allows for the exact integration of all mold components. As a result, an accurate reproduction of the real temperature profile in the mold is possible, even over multiple injection molding cycles. The simulation definition is optimized for the requirements of process engineers, so that complex detail questions can be examined from a practical perspective without requiring extensive knowledge of simulation software. For example, it can be determined how heating cartridges influence mold temperature and part quality, simulating them with their respective electric power and control.
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SIGMA® (www.sigmasoft.de) is 100% owned by MAGMA® (www.magmasoft.de), the world market leader in casting process simulation technology based in Aachen, Germany. Our SIGMASOFT® process simulation solution optimizes the manufacturing process for injection molded plastic components. SIGMASOFT® combines the 3D geometry of the parts and runners with the complete mold assembly and temperature control system and incorporates the actual production process to develop a turnkey injection mold with an optimized process.
At SIGMA® and MAGMA®, our goal is to help our customers achieve required part quality during the first trial. The two product lines – injection molded polymers and metal castings – share the same 3D simulation technologies focused on the simultaneous optimization of design and process. SIGMASOFT® thus includes a variety of process-specific models and 3D simulation methods developed, validated and constantly improved for over 25 years. A process-driven simulation tool, SIGMASOFT®, with its comprehensive simulation approach, provides a tremendous benefit to production facilities. Imagine your business when every mold you build produces required quality the first time, every time. That is our goal. This technology cannot be compared to any other conventional “Design” simulation approach employed in plastics injection molding.
New product success requires a different communication between designs, materials, and processes that design simulation is not meant for. SIGMASOFT® provides this communication. SIGMA® support engineers, with 450 years of combined technical education and practical experience, can support your engineering goals with applications specific solutions. SIGMA® offers direct sales, engineering, training, implementation, and support, by plastics engineers worldwide.
For more information:
Christof Heisser or Matt Proske
SIGMA Plastic Services, Inc.
10 N. Martingale Road, Suite 425
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: 847-558-5600
Email: contact@3dsigma.com
Web: www.3dsigma.com
Continue readingThanks to a completely reengineered solver technology and a revolutionary meshing concept, with SIGMASOFT® Version 5.0, the simulation time required in elastomer applications can be reduced by up to 80%. With this dramatic speed-up, simulation can now be integrated in the elastomer processing on a daily-basis, both for part design and process troubleshooting.
Figure 1 –With the new solver technology and the use of “unstructured meshes,” SIGMASOFT® Version 5.0 reduces the calculation time by up to 80% in the simulation of elastomer injection applications.
Schaumburg, IL, July 25, 2012 – At the DKT conference in Nuremberg, Sigma Engineering GmbH, Aachen, presented SIGMASOFT® Version 5.0, the latest release of its process-oriented simulation software. With a completely reengineered solver technology and a new meshing concept, calculation times have been dramatically reduced, while keeping all the advantages of accuracy and user friendliness of a complete 3D-simulation approach.
“With SIGMASOFT® Version 5.0, we have achieved a major breakthrough in injection molding simulation,” explains Dr. Marco Thornagel, Executive Manager at Sigma. “Some years ago, users had to wait sometimes days to get the results of a simulation. It was not viable to use simulation to support every-day production activities, or to quickly optimize products. Now, however, simulation can be part of the daily production tools used in the mold shop or in the production floor, to deliver reliable and profitable answers both to design new products and to optimize existing molds.”
SIGMASOFT® is still the only option available in the market to seamlessly integrate all elements in the mold within the simulation. Thanks to the implementation of “Finite Volume” numerical methods, not only can the cavity be considered in the simulation, but also the complete real mold configuration, including tempering channels, heating elements and inserts. SIGMASOFT® is and has always been based exclusively in 3D technology, developed over a quarter century. The mesh required to conduct the simulation is generated effortlessly by the user in only minutes, without requiring any manual optimization.
The new meshing technique in the latest version of the software uses “unstructured meshes.” These are basically “intelligent meshes,” which can automatically mesh finer regions where complex thermal and flow phenomena take place, such as part boundaries, thin walls or complex runner systems. It also can save mesh elements in regions where fewer interactions take place, such as mold boundaries. The calculation effort is reduced and the productivity of the software increases.
Through parallelization, the new solver architecture makes it possible to exploit the complete potential of multi-core technology in state-of-the-technology computers. Beyond a significant reduction in computational time, the technology now allows users to simulate more complicated injection molding processes. This will be now the focus of further developments in the software, according to Sigma sources.
For further information on this story, please contact:
Matt Proske
SIGMA Plastic Services, Inc.
10 N. Martingale Road, Suite 425
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: 847-558-5600
Email: contact@3dsigma.com
Web: www.3dsigma.com
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No. 873 is a 650ºF, electrically-heated inert atmosphere cabinet oven from Grieve, currently used for processing corrosive materials at the customer’s facility. Workspace dimensions of this oven measure 38” W x 50” D x 38” H. 40KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven chamber, while a 2000 CFM, 2-HP recirculating blower provides horizontal airflow to the workload.
This Grieve cabinet oven has 6” insulated walls, aluminized steel exterior, Inconel 600 interior with continuously backwelded seams and special exterior paint. The oven also features full inert atmosphere construction, including pressure regulator, flow meter, pressure gauge, internal high-temperature gasket, all-welded expansion connection in the doorway throat, air jacket on inner oven for cooling, ½” thick cellular silicone rubber atmosphere seal, blower shaft seal, positive latching door hardware, adjustable offset door hinges, outlet with pressure relief, interior seams welded gas-tight and all wall penetrations fitted with compression fittings.
No. 873 has a 650 CFM blower to pull air through the air jacket on the inner oven for cooling, plus automatic dampers. A hinged door jacket with 4” diameter connector to allow the jacket to be ventilated is also provided.
Sixteen pairs of shelf supports to support thirty-two Inconel 600 pans, with two pans on each level, plus loading truck tracks on the floor of the workspace, are built into this Grieve oven.
Controls on this inert atmosphere cabinet oven include a programming temperature controller, manual reset excess temperature controller, SCR power controller and fused disconnect switch.
Heimatec axial tool with built-in U-tec system
To everything, there is a REASON…turn, turn, turn…
Here’s your best reason to stop by our booth:
At this year’s IMTS, Heimatec will display its live tooling in a unique way…a live demo on a rotating machine tool turret. Come and see the show!
Heimatec, a world leader in live tools, angle heads and multi-spindle drill heads, today announced immediate availability of its newest development, recently unveiled for IMTS.
U-tec is the company’s patented flexible tool adapter system that allows a standard ER output live tool to accept various adapters for different applications. This allows users the ability to have quick changeover of tools on almost any lathe, using a single live tool, without having to commit to a quick-change system on the initial purchase. A facemill adapter, for example, can be quickly positioned into the standard holder, without the need for a completely new base being installed. This significantly reduces inventory costs as well as changeover time, for the busy shop.
Heimatec radial tool with built-in U-tec system
The U-tec system, according to Heimatec Inc. President Preben Hansen, “…represents a real improvement in lathe and mill/turn tooling design. U-tec allows great user flexibility, while a polygonal drive system ensures extremely high power transmission stability and faster set-up with absolutely no loss in performance or accuracy, because the live tool base remains in position and only the adapter and collet get swapped.”
He went on to explain the unique collet nuts on the U-tec system have internal threading for rigid mounting and that this new tool adapter system enables the actual cutting tool to be brought into closer proximity to the bearing, thus further improving performance in use. This benefit results from the short and compact tool length design. Internal coolant up to 2000 psi(140 bar) is provided standard.
Side lock adapter
Every adapter in the U-tec system comes complete with any necessary clamping nuts and adapters are immediately available in face mill style, ER extensions, side lock, shrink fit, hydraulic and blank.
The U-tec system is available for all major turning machines on the market today. Heimatec currently manufactures over 10,000 live tool types.
Extended ER collet chuck adapter
For further information and literature on this new product, please contact:
Preben Hansen, President
HEIMATEC INC.
16 E. Piper Lane Suite 129
Prospect Heights, IL 60070
Phone: 847-749-0633
Fax: 847-749-2445
Email: info@heimatecinc.com
Website: www.heimatecinc.com
Connect with Heimatec Inc: 
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Heimatec is an international tooling manufacturer, based in Renchen, Germany. Its experienced staff is dedicated to providing customers the most innovative tooling technology possible. In 2010, the company opened Heimatec Inc. in Prospect Heights, IL, near Chicago, to serve its growing North American customer base with sales and service, plus an extensive inventory of products. Heimatec serves the auto, aero, medical, off-highway, rail, energy, woodworking, composites and other industries, as well as an ever-increasing number of machine tool OEM’s worldwide.
Face mill adapter
ER collet
ER collet chuck adapter
Integrated Sawing and Machining Center Sets New Industry Standard
Rattunde Corporation introduces the ACS + CFMcurve integrated sawing and machining center, an exciting new technology, at the IMTS show, McCormick Place in Chicago, from September 10-15, in the North Hall Booth #6737. A fully operational system will be producing a variety of parts, demonstrating the fully automated flexibility of this manufacturing center.
The ACS Sawing Machine is the new industry standard for cold saws. It utilizes a proprietary sawing algorithm with servo motor controlled feed to continuously adjust critical sawing parameters during each cut. The results are the fastest sawing times, best surface finish and longest blade life available on the market.
The CFMcurve machining center is a patented Rattunde process that
simultaneously machines each workpiece end, using 12 independent servo-controlled axes. Machining options include: threading, boring, profile turning, grooving, radius edges and angled chamfering. Programming screens guide operators for quick setup on even the most complex part geometry. No special programming is required.
Precision parts are made in one continuous process with no operator intervention. Bundles of mill length stock, up to 16.5 meters (54’) long, are placed in an automatic loader, individually separated and fed to the sawing process. Cut parts are then transferred to the CFMcurve machine for precise finishing. Utilizing advanced CNC controls, linear ball screws and servo motors, all mechanical motion is seamlessly integrated into the machine design for full process control.
The technology incorporated on this manufacturing center delivers production rates and quality unmatched by the competition. For example, a tubular component of 70mm diameter, wall thickness of 5mm, material type ST52-3 BK, with a length of 150mm, machined with a 30 degree chamfer on the ID & OD with a faced end has a saw time of .96 seconds, a machined time of 1.86 seconds and the machine can produce 1,820 parts per hour, inspected for length and automatically packaged. Cut length tolerance of +/- 0.15mm at 1.67 CPK and a machined length tolerance of +/- 0.05mm at 1.67 CPK are maintained with consistency.
The operator interface saves part files for instant recall when changing parts. Servo motors move all cutting and machining tools to their exact positions and implement saved parameters. No tooling change is required in the ACS Saw within a diameter range of 10mm; there is a 5mm diameter range in the CFMcurve. Tooling change for the complete system takes less than 20 minutes, when necessary.
All critical sawing and machining parameters are monitored and controlled. Clamping forces and position, saw blade torque and vibration, plus machining insert torque are continuously displayed and monitored. Operating limits are set and machine functions stop when they are not met. Saw blade and tooling insert wear is predictable and consistent. Key data for each part produced are stored in memory for statistical evaluation. All guesswork is removed for the operator.
Rattunde sets a new industry standard for manufacturing with this machine, replacing slow and unreliable processes with a complete manufacturing center. Bar feeding lathe machines rely on a slow cutoff process, restrict the length of incoming stock and are not always capable of finishing both part ends simultaneously. Cutting in a conventional saw, dropping parts in a bin and eventually loading them
to a conventional machining center is time consuming, labor intensive and creates excess inventory with a loss of process control.
Additional processes, engineered and manufactured by Rattunde, are easily integrated with the ACS + CFMcurve, including: part inspection stations, washing and drying, automatic packaging and automatic container changing, all available to further automate customer manufacturing. The system being exhibited at IMTS will include part inspection and automatic packaging.
The ACS + CFMcurve is available in three models with diameter ranges from 10mm to 102mm, 10mm to 136mm and 10mm to 169mm, with finished part lengths from 10mm to 3500 mm. All material types can be processed.
You can watch the machine in action at:
http://www.rattunde-corp.com/tube-sawing-video.htm
For further information, please contact:
Rattunde Corporation
4980 Kendrick St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
616-940-3340
Alec Banish
IMTS PRE-SHOW NEWS…BOOTH N-6737
No. 1022 is a 550ºF, electrically-heated, two-zone, dual belt conveyor oven from Grieve, currently used for encapsulation curing of large electrical coils in fixtures at the customer’s facility. Workspace dimensions of this oven measure 8’ W x 40’ D x 18” H. 480KW (240KW per zone) are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven chambers, while two 20-HP recirculating blowers provide a 49,000 CFM vertical downward airflow to the workload.
This Grieve conveyor oven comprises a 2’ long open belt loading zone and 3’ long insulated, unheated entrance vestibule, two 20’ long insulated heat zones with independent recirculated airflow and temperature control, 3’ long insulated unheated exit vestibule and finally a 2’ long open unloading zone for the workpieces.
No. 1022 has 6” insulated walls throughout, aluminized steel interior/exterior and is split into two sections for shipping. Side doors along the length of the oven permit access to the workload and heating chambers. This Grieve conveyor oven is built with all safety equipment required for handling flammable solvents and is constructed to NFPA 79/NEMA 12 electrical standards.
The oven further features two 3’ wide, 1-3/16” diameter cross bar conveyor belts with 1-HP motor drive, variable from 0.5 to 9 ipm. The conveyor belt drive is used in either index or continuous mode. Removable drip pans are provided below the conveyor assembly.
Controls on the oven include separate power and control panels, plus photo eyes at the unload station to signal an alarm, if the workpiece unloading is not cleared before conveyor indexing, SCR power controller for each zone and a tower light to indicate oven status. All control functions are accessed through a touch screen HMI connected to the onboard PLC.
For more information, please contact: THE GRIEVE CORPORATION, 500 Hart
Road, Round Lake, Illinois 60073-2835 USA. Phone: (847) 546-8225. Fax: (847) 546-
9210. Web: www.grievecorp.com. Email: sales@grievecorp.com. Attention: Frank
Calabrese.
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New name to better reflect the scope of the machinery now represented throughout North America by the company
Ann Arbor, Michigan –Effective June 11, 2012, American Wera is now officially renamed German Machine Tools Of America (GMTA) and continues to represent various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema, WMZ and MAE. These machines are sold for gear and spline production, vertical turning, flexible machining solutions (blank to finish part solutions), as well as bar, pipe and tube straightening plus wheelset pressing. The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG, rail, wind energy, aerospace and other heavy equipment manufacturing.
This announcement was made jointly by GMTA President Walter Friedrich and Vice President of Sales Scott Knoy.
“The reason for the name change is simply that the parent company wished to use a name that is more representative of all the lines we handle in North America,” said Knoy.
Originally formed as the North American subsidiary for Wera in Germany, GMTA today provides application engineering, sales and service for a broad range of machine tools and metal fabricating equipment. GMTA has representatives throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Other key company individuals include Claudia Hambleton, Treasurer; Doug VanDeven, Service/Parts Manager and Shawn Wilkin, Senior Service Engineer. Joseph Kemple remains the dedicated Product Manager for the MAE line of straightening and wheelset presses.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone: 734-973-7800
Fax: 734-973-3053
Web: www.gmtamerica.com
Email: sales@gmtamerica.com
Attention: Scott Knoy, VP
Facebook: GMTA
Twitter: @GMTA_US
Fourth annual event to include Banner and Pioneer executives, presenting how to effectively address FDA supplier control concerns through strategic OEM/Supplier partnerships
Carol Stream, Illinois – Banner Medical executives Vince Adams, Vice-President of Sales, Marketing & Strategic Planning, and Bob Khin, Quality Assurance Director, along with Peter Johns, Supplier Quality Manager for Pioneer Surgical, will participate on a faculty panel at the upcoming Supplier Quality Management Congress sponsored by FDAnews, to be held at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland from July 31-August 2, 2012. The Banner Medical / Pioneer Surgical alliance has long been recognized in the industry as a successful strategic OEM / Supplier partnership formed to address the challenging supplier and raw material control issues which has been a focus of the FDA and of the Industry itself for the past decade. The partnership model, which the two companies have developed together, has produced positive results and yielded best practices that have been recognized by many and already adopted by some within the Medical Device industry.
This year’s Supplier Management Congress mark’s the fourth annual event and is designed to bring together suppliers, producers, top regulators / policy makers, legal and advisory consultants to the industry, for the purpose of assuring the integrity of Device raw materials and supply chains. FDA representatives as well a dozen other OEM and Supplier executives will participate as the faculty for this three-day event.
Attendees will include various manufacturers and suppliers to the industry, who will learn about risk management, recalls, liability issues and the new regulations recently instituted by FDA to better control the international drug and device supply chain to the medical markets.
Banner supplies medical and orthopedic device manufacturers with medical-grade materials to meet the highest quality standards. It operates two ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 certified, FDA CFR part 820 compliant facilities in Carol Stream, Illinois and Charlotte, North Carolina. The company provides its GuardiaNTM customer support solution program for supply chain management and medical materials stocking, plus its AssuraNce® protocol that assures all products made for the medical market are produced on equipment validated per the FDA requirements. Banner’s EsseNtial Quality SystemsTM is a patent-pending IT-based quality program that manages the company’s materials selection and production processes to deliver medical-grade bar and plate stock.
Banner Medical is a strategic business unit of Banner Services Corporation, a provider of precision ground bar as well as centerless grinding, turning and straightening, among other machining services.
For more information on this development, please contact:
BANNER MEDICAL 494 East Lies Road,Carol Stream, IL 60188-9425
Phone: 800-323-9732
Fax: 630-653-7555
Web: www.banner-medical.com
Email: getinfo@banner-medical.com
Agency contact:
Tim Daro or Wendy McCormick
Bernard & Company
847-934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
wendy@bernardandcompany.com
No. 951 is a 650ºF, electrically-heated, walk-in oven from Grieve, currently used for preheating large steel molds at the customer’s facility. Workspace dimensions of this oven measure 72” W x 42” D x 72” H. 60KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven chamber, while a 4200 CFM, 3-HP recirculating blower provides a combination airflow to the workload.
This Grieve walk-in oven features 5” insulated walls, top-mounted heat chamber, aluminized interior and exterior plus a free-standing oven rack with two 6000 lb. capacity shelves for the workpieces.
Controls on No. 951 include a digital indicating temperature controller, manual reset excess temperature controller with separate contactors and recirculating blower airflow safety switch.
For more information, please contact: THE GRIEVE CORPORATION, 500 Hart
Road, Round Lake, Illinois 60073-2835 USA. Phone: (847) 546-8225. Fax: (847) 546-
9210. Web: www.grievecorp.com. Email: sales@grievecorp.com. Attention: Frank
Calabrese.
Continue readingMinnesota foundry includes multiple layers from their organization to decide on the right casting process simulation tool
Wide view of Dotson Iron Castings in action
Dotson Iron Castings in Mankato, Minnesota is an iron foundry that melts and pours 100+ tons of ductile iron castings daily, using 20X24 horizontal, high pressure, green sand molding machines. Products include over 3,000 different castings for over 300 customers in a wide range of applications including medical, transportation, agriculture, construction and recreation equipment. The raw casting weights here range from 2 to 50 pounds with typical production quantities ranging from 25 pieces to several thousand.
Dotson prides itself on engineering excellence, providing customers a higher total value with castings designed and produced in a highly automated, quick response foundry and machining facility.
Operating as a foundry for over 130 years, Dotson credits its success to satisfying customer needs by not only managing, but exceeding, their expectations. The goal is to provide customers with quality products in a fast, flexible, cost effective manner.
As a company best practice, Dotson includes its employees in making all important decisions that will impact not only the job of each of the individuals, but the foundry as a whole. Dotson has a program called, “The $10,000 Project.” As the name implies, any purchase made by the foundry of $10,000 or more is done through a detailed process involving the employees who will be most affected by the purchase of the product or equipment being considered.
Any product or project that costs over $10,000 must have a cross-functional group examine all viable options. Members of the group choose what they consider the best product or piece of equipment to help them accomplish their goals. They then make onsite visits, make comparisons and do cost justifications. With the information they have gathered, they then make multiple presentations to the group explaining the “what” and the “why” of the product, equipment or service they have chosen for consideration.
John Jaycox, Bradley Wiyninger, Jim Headington and E. Jay Zins discuss MAGMASOFT® at Dotson
When Dotson’s owner Denny Dotson and President /CEO Jean Bye wanted to expand their capabilities in terms of serving customers with solidification solutions, MAGMASOFT®, provided by MAGMA Foundry Technologies (Schaumburg, IL) was one of the many software packages considered. “We certainly are a foundry that differentiates ourselves on our engineering services and to do that you must have the right tools,” Jean Bye said. “We researched and explored our options for a few years before making the decision to purchase simulation software for the foundry,” Denny Dotson adds.
The $10,000 Project is a lengthy process with the participants sometimes making three or four presentations to support their argument. Deciding on the simulation software that best supported the needs of this foundry took a long time, due to the importance of doing numerous comparisons. When comparing the benefits of all the products being considered, “…it came down to weighing out the factors and deciding which ones would have the greatest impact on the overall foundry operation,” Bye stated.
When the $10,000 Project is complete and a decision has been made, nobody can say they weren’t onboard. “They might not have gotten their way,” Bye notes, “but they certainly understand all the reasons why the decision was made, because it was well thought out by the entire group.”
Dotson saw the addition of simulation software as more then just an engineering tool; rather it represented a smart business tool specifically designed to improve yield as well as positively impact sales. There was a lot to consider in the justification process beyond the product’s capabilities. Ease of use, speed of use, accuracy of results, presentation of these results, reputation of the provider’s company, customer care, quick response time from company representatives when there was a question or assistance was needed, as well as which company Dotson felt was more technologically advanced with new innovations. In addition, a significant benefit Dotson saw with simulation was the ability to identify jobs that would require some type of stress relief before actually making the tool or gating system. “It’s much more difficult to go back to the customer after the fact and tell them this is your cost, than it is before you cut the tool. There are always options before anything is created,” Engineering Process Manager Jim Headington points out.
“Moving from opinion or educated guess to a factual report supporting changes has made it quicker and easier to communicate the need for making changes with our customers,” adds Jay Zins, Control Manager at Dotson.
Live shot of Dotson in action
When discussing the impact simulating the process has on time to first quality part, Headington explains, “Time isn’t always the most important issue at hand. Cost and the integrity of the tool by the time you’re done with it are the real keys. When you find yourself adding material to a production tool, it’s never a good thing. Once you scab on that material, no matter how you put it on, you’ve really jeopardized the integrity of the tool. This is all now done virtually, instead of through trial and error.”
On one recent customer project, Dotson ran approximately 30 virtual iterations on a particular part. Not only did having the ability to simulate the entire molding process save a significant amount of time, being able to run a large number of iterations also helped them be sure that the quality of the part was not compromised. “Once in a while, on projects like this, we do 30 simulated iterations, simply because we now can,” Josh Jaycox, Quality Assurance Engineer adds.
While all new jobs at Dotson are run through MAGMASOFT®, retro jobs, especially the high yield jobs, are also now simulated. A significant part of the justification process was improving yield. When considering yield improvements, Dotson recognizes that the improvement in the first year will normally be significant, as they hadn’t run simulation before, whereas moving forward, improving yield would be less significant, as all new jobs are now run through the simulation and, as a result, are more efficient from the very beginning. “Running the software on a casting will also help us see that it may be possible to make a riser smaller, this will help in de-gating and reduce grinding time.” Jaycox said.
Sales and Marketing Manager Matt Schindle adds, “The benefit to the customer is that they know we are not going to build a tool, we are not going to spend a dollar of their money, until we have done the solidification on it. It gives us more credibility and it gives the customer reassurance.”
“It’s almost like having a third party in the room giving our observations credibility,” Bye adds.
Furnace at Dotson Iron Castings
Seeing the importance of being sure their foundry and their engineers have the tools to be the best they can be, Dotson found the addition of MAGMASOFT® to be a natural next step. When considering the in-depth justification process and the criteria involved in bringing a new product or tool into the foundry, they learned their decision regarding process simulation to be a great benefit to the company overall. Dotson realizes customers now expect and rely on the fact that their parts are run through this virtual process with the end result being the highest quality castings possible.
Choosing MAGMASOFT®, Dotson believes all their performance and value criteria were met and, in many cases, even exceeded. MAGMA’s reputation in the world foundry market and their customer care program, as well as the added benefits of their training programs and annual user group meetings, help Dotson feel more confident in their partnership with MAGMA, according to Jaycox and Headington.
For more information on this story, please contact:
Christof Heisser
President
MAGMA Foundry Technologies, Inc.
10 N. Martingale Road, Suite 425
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone 847-969-1001 ext. 225
Email cheisser@magmasoft.com
Web www.magmasoft.com
