While we consider our biggest asset in design to be the experience and talent of our engineers, we also like to make sure they have the aid of the latest technology at their disposal.
Moldflow Plastics Advisers® can be utilized to pinpoint ideal gate locations or diagnose difficult-to-fill areas even before the prototyping and testing processes.
Our designers can communicate all potential issues directly with the customers through detailed reports, conference calls, and interactive web conferencing sessions.
Functional plastic prototype parts can be produced overnight through the 3D printing process.
Moldflow Plastics Advisor
MPA is processing-simulation software that allows part and mold designers to optimize their designs during the initial stages of development.
Potential areas for concern like wall thickness, gate location, fill & cycle time, temperature, and consistency can be simulated and addressed early. This ensures the most efficient use of time and resources as it is significantly less costly to make part design changes before any actual machining has been done.
Web Conferencing
Our web conferencing sessions work similarly to a WebEx conference or Microsoft Live meeting. The idea being that our engineers can share live 3D data with you while discussing any critical points or details of your project. This saves time and helps the customer gain a more complete understanding of the tooling and molding processes. If you're trying to join a GoToMeeting Session . GoToMeeting has power features allowing unlimited conference calling over the phone or with a microphone connected to your PC. It also has the ability to let you take control of the computer during a conference.
3D Printing
3D printers are capable of making functional plastic prototypes directly from a 3D model. Much like the name implies, they accomplish this in a similar fashion to traditional ink printers. Instead of using ink, a 3D printer will stack hundreds of thin layers of melted plastic on top of each other through precise print heads. The prototype parts can often be created in less than 24 hours and can demonstrate basic functionality and testing depending on the application. Matrix is currently in the process of adding this exciting technology to our design department.
Cross-Sectional Scanning
This process is practically the opposite of 3D printing and can assist in reverse engineering a product where no original design data is available. A sample part is milled away, one layer at a time, until it is consumed. Meanwhile, cross-sectional images of each layer are captured. The resulting 3D data is comprehensive and contains every dimension on every part surface, both external and internal.
