mold design

[Tim Pruett]

I recently received a job offer designing plastic injection molds using mastercamx9. I have to be honest, I'm pretty nervous and a little intimidated. I've been programing since version 9, about 11 years or so. I'm going Friday to take a solids class at my reseller cause I struggle with solids a little. Although I do like the recent updates, like push/pull.  Hopefully I can learn a thing or two that will help. Any suggestions. Would moldplus be a good addition?

 

Thanks, Tim

[CJep]

You can design simple molds in Mcam using solids but for more complex mold design SWorks has some very cool tools.

[betts]

You can do the job, most of the time.  I don't think MCX is the BEST tool, but you can do a lot.  If you are doing anything other than open and shut and have contoured parting lines, Moldplus is worth every penny.  The struggle sometimes with MCX is once you get it designed if you are in a shop that uses full prints to build with, you will most likely need to use another tool to make those prints.  There are many products out there but if MCX is what you have to work with then they must have been getting along with it so far.

[Del.]

I hear Cimmitron is good for molds.

[Tim Pruett]

Thanks for the info everyone. I think I'm gonna take the job. They also have a seat of cimitron. Maybe I could take the time to learn it as well. I will probably try to convince them to buy a standard seat of moldplus. Does anyone know about how much it costs?

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

I hear Cimmitron is good for molds

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes ,it is

It simply rocks .

Mold design is splendid fast and very easy

Hybrid modeling is cool

Drawings ,dimensioning great

Assebling too

I would say for something as molds Cimatron is better than Solidworks without any doubt

But When I used it for NC what can I say

Only true Cimatron fans can say machining in Cimatron is cool .

Ugly  at least but still I used it couple of years with good results .

 

This is my 5 agarots

BR

[Gracjan aka Pullo]

I have 500+ mold designs on Mastercam under my belt.

The worklow is usually like this:

 

1 divide the part into core/cavity / sliders using Moldplus.

2 create solids. Most of the time , the surface model will have to exported outside for waterproofing. This is to save time..

3 After that it's downhill...

 

Gracjan

[Brian B 74]

We have NX and Solidworks along with Moldplus.  I couldn't imagine designing molds in Mastercam (even with Moldplus) when for a little more than the cost of Moldplus you can get a standard seat of Mastercam.  I only use Moldplus for the juncture surfaces.  Electrodes I find SW or NX is much more powerful and simplified.

 

Best of luck to you with your new job!