SOLIDWORKS Plastics

Predict how melted plastic flows during the injection molding process

Training Course Contents

The SOLIDWORKS Plastics course teaches you how to use specialized simulation software tools to predict how melted plastic flows during the injection molding process. Predicting how the plastic will flow enables you to predict manufacturing defects such as weld lines, air traps, short shots, and sink marks.

By predicting these defects, you can change the part or mold geometry, the processing conditions, or the plastic material itself to eliminate or minimize them, saving energy, material, time, and money.

The SOLIDWORKS Plastics course covers all the features and functions of both SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional (for part designers) and SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium (for mold designers).

Course Info at a glance

In-class 3 day course (7 hours/day)

Or Online 2 days (7 hours/day)

Practical Hands-on Training

Intermediate Level

Course Preview

Take a look at some of the studies you will be conducting

Requirements & Benefits

Requirements

At least 1 month using software

Able to take time out for training

Features Targeted

Applying Meshes

Fill results & weld lines 

Inserts, Valve Gates & Hot Runners

Skills you will acquire

Able to detect short shots

Able to run cooling & warpage analysis

Able to optimize injection locations & minimize sink marks

SOLIDWORKS Plastics Lessons

The following lessons are included in the course

Lesson 1: Basic Flow Analysis

  • Basic Flow Analysis
  • Stages in the Process
    • Units
  • Element Types
    • Shell Elements
    • Solid Elements
    • Manual or Automatic
  • Meshing
  • The PlasticsManager Tree
  • Material
    • Polymer
    • Using the Databases
    • Machines
  • Injection Location
  • Running a Flow Analysis
    • Flow
    • Pack
    • Warp
    • Cool
  • Flow Results
    • Fill Time
    • Weld Lines
    • Results Adviser
  • Exercise 1: Basic Flow Analysis

Lesson 2: Detecting a Short Shot

  • Detecting Short Shots
  • Stages in the Process
  • Fill Settings
    • Definition Fill Setting Parameters
    • Filling Time and Injection Pressure Considerations
    • Report Text File
  • Flow Front Central Temperature
    • Pressure at End of Fill
  • Design Changes
    • Plastics to Modeling
    • Modeling to Plastics
    • Thickness Change
  • Simulations After Design Changes
  • Exercise 2: Short Shots

Lesson 3: Automation Tools

  • Automation Tools
  • Stages in the Process
  • Duplicate Study
  • Copying Settings
    • Plastics File Management
  • Batch Manager
    • Batch Controls
  • Summary and Report
  • Exercise 3: Design Changes

Lesson 4: Injection Locations and Sink Marks

  • Injection Locations and Sink Marks
  • Stages in the Process
  • Injection Location Rules
    • Positioning the Injection Location
    • Single vs Multiple Injection Locations
    • Modeling for Injection Locations
    • Automatic Injection Location Selection
    • Predict Flow Pattern
  • Sink Marks
    • Measure
    • Minimizing Sink Marks in Ribs
    • Nominal Wall Thickness Advisor
  • Exercise 4: Minimizing Sink Marks (1)
  • Exercise 5: Minimizing Sink Marks (2)

Lesson 5: Materials

  • Material Properties
  • Stages in the Process
  • User-defined Database
    • Material
  • Resin Properties
  • Temperature Properties
    • Melt Temperature
    • Mold Temperature
    • Part Ejection Temperature
    • Glass Transition Temperature
  • Heat Transfer Properties
    • Specific Heat
    • Thermal Conductivity
  • Viscosity
  • PVT Data
  • Mechanical Properties
    • Thermal Expansion Coefficient
    • Elastic Modulus
    • Poisson’s Ratio

Lesson 6: Mesh Manipulation

  • Mesh Manipulation
  • Stages in the Process
  • Local Refinement of Mesh
    • Mesh Density
    • Gradation
  • Element Issues
  • Mesh Editing
    • Mesh
    • Mesh Analysis
    • Mesh Triangles
    • Mesh Nodes
  • Leader Lines
  • Solid Mesh
    • Solid and Shell Mesh
  • Solid Mesh Types
    • Tetrahedral Elements
    • Hexahedral Elements
  • Exercise 6: Mesh Repairs

Lesson 7: Detecting Air Traps

  • Detecting Air Traps
  • Stages in the Process
  • Air Traps
    • Dieseling Effect
    • Plot Ranges
    • Thickness Analysis
  • Venting
    • Venting Analysis
    • Venting Locations
  • Exercise 7: Air Traps

Lesson 8: Gate Blush

  • Gate Blush
  • Stages in the Process
  • Runner Elements
    • Domains
  • Gate Blush
    • Shear Stress
    • Reducing Gate Blush

Lesson 9: Packing and Cooling Times

  • Packing and Cooling
  • Stages in the Process
  • Flow/Pack Switch
  • Pack Stage
    • Pack Settings
  • Pack Analysis
  • Pack Results
  • X-Y Plot
    • Volumetric Shrinkage at End of Packing
  • Cooling Times
    • Temperature at Post-Filling End
    • Nodal Temperature
  • Exercise 8: Packing and Cooling Times

Lesson 10: Reducing Cooling Times

  • Reducing Cooling Time
  • Stages in the Process
  • Multiple Injection Locations
    • Clipping Plane Mode
    • Jetting
  • Exercise 9: Optimizing Cooling Time

Lesson 11: Multiple Cavity Molds

  • Multiple Cavity Molds
  • Stages in the Process
  • Mold Layouts
  • Channel Design
  • Runner Channel Design
    • Runner Types
    • Element Count
    • Searching for Polymers
  • Runner Wizard Channel Design
  • Family Mold Layout
  • Using Runner-Balancing
  • Exercise 10: Multiple Cavity Molds
  • Exercise 11: Runner-Balancing

Lesson 12: Symmetry Analysis

  • Symmetry Analysis
  • Stages in the Process
  • Case Study1
  • Case Study2
  • Symmetry Face

Lesson 13: Valve Gates and Hot Runners

  • Valve Gates and Hot Runners
  • Stages in the Process
  • Hot Runners
  • Valve Gates

Lesson 14: Reaction Injection Molding

  • Reaction Injection Molding
  • Stages in the Process
  • Reaction Injection Molding

Lesson 15: Using Inserts

  • Using Inserts
  • Stages in the Process
  • Cavities and Inserts
  • Materials for Inserts
    • Insert Settings
    • Hiding Cavities and Inserts

Lesson 16: Multi Shot Mold

  • Multi Shot Mold
  • Stages in the Process
  • Multi Shot Mold
    • Domain Order

Lesson 17: Gas Assistance Molding

  • Using Inserts
  • Stages in the Process
  • Gas Assist
    • Material Selection

Lesson 18: Cooling Analysis

  • Cooling Analysis
  • Stages in the Process
  • Cooling
  • Cooling Channels and Mold Bodies
  • Coolant
  • Mold
  • Cool Settings
    • Cooling Simulations
    • Cool Flow Field
    • Cool Pipe
    • Coolant Entrance
    • Mold Wall Temperature
  • Cool Analysis
    • Cool
  • Cool Results
  • Baffle
  • Bubbler
  • Exercise 12: Cooling Analysis

Lesson 19: Warpage Analysis

  • Warpage Analysis
  • Stages in the Process
  • Shrinkage
    • Reducing Shrinkage
  • Warpage
  • Warp Settings
  • Warp Results
  • Reducing and Fixing Warped Parts
    • Thermal Contributions to Warping
    • Typical Warp Shapes
    • Residual Stress
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Training Methods

Choose from three different training methods available to you

SOLIDWORKS Group Training

Group/Public Training

Receive SOLIDWORKS training as a group in a traditional classroom environment.

Classes can be taken in one of our 12 training locations across Canada using SOLIDWORKS approved training content and methodologies.

Advantages
  • Cost effective training method.
  • Leave the office to concentrate on learning.
  • Learn more through group questions and feedback.
SOLIDWORKS Online Training

Live Online Training

With our online training you will experience an interactive learning environment where you can give feedback, gain access to the SOLIDWORKS training files and get time to work on training exercises.

Advantages
  • Online courses are typically half day sessions.
  • More effective than video based training, with recorded videos learners are often not as focused on the training and skip exercises.
SOLIDWORKS Onsite Training

Onsite at your location

Receive training at your place of work. This style of flexible training is perfect for teams or individuals who are faced with a specific challenge and require personalized courses with on-the-job coaching.

Advantages
  • Use our state-of-the-art mobile classroom at your facility.
  • Bring your team up to a consistent level of knowledge by having them take the same training at the same time.
  • Benefit from flexible scheduling options.

Upcoming Classes

Choose a SOLIDWORKS Plastics class from the list below

  • Start Duration Location Pricing
    Monday, 21st August, 2023 2 Days (7 hours/day) Online Get a Quote
    Monday, 16th October, 2023 2 Days (7 hours/day) Online Get a Quote
    Monday, 18th December, 2023 2 Days (7 hours/day) Online Get a Quote

    SOLIDWORKS Plastics class not listed for your required date or location?

    Get a quote for the course and let us know the date and location where you require training.

    Or learn more about our On-the-job Coaching and Customized SOLIDWORKS Training services.

     

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    Contact us to learn how the SOLIDWORKS Plastics course can be included in custom training for your business