Pro mould design software

[Robust]

Dear all Pro engineer users,


It is my humble request to let me share aboutmy 15 years pro mould experience with you.
I have started to use Pro mould 1994 when I was in New Zealand. Therewere not many pro engineer users in New Zealand. I would say Mr.Peter tasker ([url]http://www.petertasker.co.nz/[/url], This picture was the first Pro engineer assisted award winning plastic product design within New Zealand during 1995 and I was so proud to say that I was involved indesigning the mould ) and Mr. Garry Born were probably the best out of the rest of the users which would have been around 10 apart from InterCAD Mr.Steve.
Since day one, I have been told to use Mill volumes to split the cavities. But today I can say that Icanuse better ways to split any complicated part within hours through the Parting surface option. I can even challengeUG usersfor any bench mark test with me. This pro mould module is such a wonderful product.But due to some old users, I found that new users are mislead in the wrong direction. This is only my experience and personal views as an experienced and talented user.
I hate redefiningany complicatedmoulds in more than an hour but due to the fact that their inital method wasnt correct,it would take days to redefine.They won't change their way of approachbut we can change the way the new users approach by stating the cprrect method here. So there fore, they can follow the right path.
If the PTC forum lets me speak about my pro mould experiencefrom itsPro mould design module for its new users, I would happy to start one post within my blog.
This is nothing to do with any personal promotion about me, but I have had so many frustrations in thepastthat redefines someone elsesbad mould designs.
My task would let the new Pro engineer users to rethink about their modeling strategies. This would leadnew users to accomplish their product designs to supportthe Pro mould design's functions to let this software to be the fastest software among other CAD systems to do any mould design work.

 

[FireWild]

Robust,


Please do share your knowledge of mold design. I have also found very few designers that understand how touse the Pro/Mold module for mold design. PTC also does not do a good job with training for Pro/Mold. Most of what I have learned has been from other users.


Your statment about mill volume for splitting leaves me a little confused. I am familiar with Mold Volumes andfor mold splitting but not mill volume. Do you use Pro/Manufacture for mold splitting? How about EMX Expert Mold Base Extension?


I prefer to use mold volume for splitting with skirt surface, but it really depends on the part and and the mold concept, so I use several methods depending on the part.


I'm wondering if you couldwin zip up one of yourmold designs so I could get a better understanding of your approach.


Zakia(username on this form) has also claimed to be an expert at mold design. He has not posted here for awhile so I'm wondering if he is still in the mold design feild.


Please share your knowledge and maybe we can learn something from each other.

 

[Robust]

Sorry I have to change the "Mill volume" to Mold volume.


As you can see, I forget the termMold volume at all. I also used Pro manufacturing since 1994 so I used Mill volume insted.


I have gone through my PTC Pro engineer, Pro mold and Pro manufaturing training during 1997 through Fisher and paykel NZ.


And since then I have been using my own way to split the complex cavities through Parting surface. I reckon Parting surface was introduced during that time.


Mold volumes are great to use if its a less complecated product.


But when its come tosplit any complexproducts, you will have so many referances.You have topick your correct seed and bundry surfaces.


If the part completly modified, and you are redefining another ones mold design,your task is toredefine your volumes I would say your hed will be blown.And it would take days to redefine your whole mold design.


You can do the samethrough surfaceextrude and blendfeaturers creat a surface quilt around boundriesofyour product. You don't need to touch your modell at all.To identify your boundries or parting line you can simply use the Silhouette curves facilities. To do that you must have Pro Mould.


Once you define your required parting surface quilts externally, Only referance the part to fill up the part holes through one common parting surface.


Now if you look at your model tree, you will have only10 features but if you use mold volumes you would have at leasat 50 features now.


Now click the mold splitsand system will ask you to pick the required parting surface quilt to create a mold volume for you. Pick the core surfaces first and separate those core mold volumes out from your general WP volume.Nowuse the common shutting off parting surface quilts to split the cavity and core plates.


Job done.


If the part modify in the future, tell the Product design engineer to modify the part wherever he wants. Still we have referances throughthe S.C curve.


When you redefine the mold, Part will fail. Now you have no problem redefining your your seed surface and boundry surfaces or any thing.


Simply redefineextruded featurers and relace thenew S.C curve insted of missing curves.You will be thrilled that your mold volumes and extracted parts will regenerate like amagic.


So prduct designer could have his own freedom to modify his productand he can make sure that S.Curves want effect due to his mods.He could use S.C as his referance feature to control his mold design andcould be able use that as acommunication tool to comunicate with any mold designer.


This worked very well within my past job situations. I made some impossible tasks possible through this features.

 

[FireWild]

Robust,<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

Ok this helps me understand a little better, but I'd still like to see an example. I'm not too sure you understand mold volume and how it can be used. I use a mold volume instead of a work piece and find it more robust. I can control the location of the ref-part cutout and put it where I need too. The best practice for mold splitting is to make as few part references as possible and this can be done several ways.Silhouette curve is a power full tool but I'd like to see how you are using the surface blend tool. I'm looking forward to seeing an example of one of your mold designs.

Question: What do you use for your mold bases, your own start part or have you tried EMX Expert Mold Base?

 

[Zaki]

Hi Robust and Firewall
glad to see a thread like this. I feel so hungry to learn from Robust as he has a lot of experiance.
About your question Firewall!!, I didnt remember you asked me for a mold design files, but I always paste pictures of my mold designs. Its not easy to put complete folder here. There are a lot of restrictions. Normally owners dont allow to share their intellectual property. And of most challanging mold, as you saw "coil tray", I cant post its design files or pictures as I left that company and now they dont allow me to access their data.
I will try to post some mold designs (complete folder). But my advise is first you check every feature, and write down every step in detail (even in sketch mode, sketch orientation, and use edge details too). then you can redefine features (even in part) easily.
Other wise, sometimes we made a change in part, then come to redefine mold features and it puzzles us.
Some years back, if I need to redefine part (as well as mold) then I was making a copy in another folder and re-split complete mold.
Now I love to redefine, even sometimes it takes a couple of days.
Anyway, its good to share our knowledge, as I already request Robust to learn us two color mold designs.
I started learning about these technologies.
keep it up guys.

 

[Robust]

Hi Fairwall and Zaki,


As you know I recently started my new firm and bought my own Pro engineer.I am currently in the process to installing my new Pro engineer software so as usual, it will take a bit time to for me to do the basic setup. Once I have completed then I will show you all step by step.


Priviously I worked with some companieswhere Ididn't even use Pro mouldbut I used the basic pro engineer licencetodesigneven very complex tools such as bread crate ( 650mm x650mm).


So Ican talk about the important practical aspects about using Pro mould (SC functions andPS assisted moldsplits ( opposite operations to Skirt surfacescoz Most of the parts used to have SC gaps so that Skirt functionwill notwork most of the time like a magic).and not using Pro mould and Icould talk about the pains which Igonethroughduring design stages under the pump.


Same way Ican talk about the Pro manufaturing software as well under the pump situations. I used Pro manufacturing for my entire carrier in NZ and Australia.I can exactly prdict the programming time by simly looking the job.


Apart from many success stories, I faced so many problems and struggles.


Imanaged those challanges through positive mental attitudes and got a NO. 1 stamp amoung all most all the machine operators whoever worked with me. I never evercaused pained to others or let them crashedtheir machines due to my Programmes.


One job, I programmed few months ago through HaArrop Engineering Pty Ltd Australia was Iscar milling cutter which has gotapp 80 pokets and complex deep pocket profiles.


3- 5 Axis tool path involement was absolutly necessary.We gotalmost 540 Nc sequences to complete this job. It took exactly full 2weeks, 8 hrs per day continuouscutting time.


Therefore I handled Pro manufacture softwarebeyond others imagination and expectaion. So I can talk about some issues which need an urgent attention.


So there are lot to talk about under Pro mfg as well.


Apart from these sides, I feel thatInever got chance to learn otherpro engineer modules. Specially Pro engineer configurations and FEM and mechanism dsign.So while I amsharing my experienceit would be grate if you help me to learn from your experience.

<H3 ="post-title entry-title">How to use Pro mould PTC software efficiently and effectively? </H3>
<DIV ="post-er-line-1"></DIV>
<DIV ="post- entry-content">Thank you.</DIV>


Robust
Edited by: Robust

 

[Zaki]

Hi Robust (I love to know your name as I hate to address peoples with face names)
dont worry man, take ur time.
I am always availble to share what I know. I feel proud and happy whenever I teach someone.

 

[spaggioli]

Robust,


I would be interested in learning more about your method of mold design as I am a newer user and as you said been told to use mold volumes for splits. So I look forward to viewing your Knowldge.

 

[Robust]

Trust me man. I will give you a very good Pro mould presentaton so that you can understand from A..Z and you will lead your way. It is so easy.I am preparing the basic foundations for that demonstration right now and you would be fine and youcould feel100% satisfaction.

 

[aaron53]

We expect with impatience of an example

 

[Robust]

The model, which I am going to present would be an interesting one too. The current designer may have not even imagine this concept and this would let himimprove his product development further to its next level.

 

[Robust]

I am not yet ready to use pro engineer 100% as you know I need lots of settings to do. But I just modelled this over moulding concept for you through through Pro eng try out version. Please be patience I will get there slowly to show you all the secreats behind this type of designs


Robust: http://www.robust-engineering.blogspot.com/

 

[pubojeff]

Hello~~
I want to use pro/e to split the mold.
Here I have a question I want your help.

https://docs.google.com/open?
id=0B66goludRP4YNFFXSkJOTFFqVEU


If you use copy and paste, it will automatically generate
the %20%20 inside of the website line address.
Please help me delete the %20%20.

I can't split the mold. Are there any problem inside of
the parting line function.