SOLIDWORKS Plastics makes it easy for companies that make plastic parts or injection molds to accurately predict part quality from the earliest stages of the design process.
BUILT-IN INJECTION MOLDING SIMULATION FOR SOLIDWORKS
Go beyond the existing mold design capabilities available within SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD. SOLIDWORKS Plastics was created specifically for plastic part and injection mold designers, providing you with the tools you need to easily identify potential manufacturing problems earlier in your design process. This easy-to-use solution helps you to simulate and predict mold filling patterns, prevent product defects, and reduce your costs and product development timelines – all directly in your familiar SOLIDWORKS interface.
With SOLIDWORKS Plastics, you can be confident in your part design before ever cutting steel for the mold.
Determine whether a given molding machine can successfully fill a part.
Weld Lines
Visualize problem areas where plastic melt recombines.
Sink Marks
Predict location of surface depressions due to sink.
Multiple Gates
Compare mold filling for one or many gates in.
Nominal Wall Thickness Advisor
Check part geometry for walls that are too thick or too thin.
Air Traps
Predict air trap locations.
Venting Analysis
Specify vent locations to predict air pressure in the mold cavity.
Packing
Estimate shrinkage based on packing stage parameters.
Gas Assisted Injection
Simulate gas-assisted co-injection for hollowed out parts.
Valve Gates
Include gates that shut on/off during molding cycle
Multiple Cavity Molds
Simulate full mold layout including runner system and sprue.
Runner Balancing
Automatically find optimal runner sizes for even mold filling.
Co-Injection
Simulate injection of multiple materials.
Insert Over-molding
Predict flow around plastic or metal inserts.
Shrinkage
Predict volumetric shrinkage in a part.
Cycle Time
Predict total cycle time for filling, pack, and cooling.
Fiber Analysis & Birefringence
Predict fiber orientation and optical effects.
Part Warpage
Calculate deformed shape of part based on internal stress.
Cooling Line Analysis
Calculate the actual temperature distribution in a mold based on cooling system design.
HOW CAN HAWK RIDGE SYSTEMS HELP?
Since SOLIDWORKS Plastics was first introduced in 2012, Hawk Ridge Systems has helped many companies like yours add injection molding simulation into their part and mold design processes.
We helped an established contractor for machined plastic parts implement injection molding services complete with mold filling simulation and optimization.
We partnered with a specialty tool and manufacturing
company to perform injection molding simulation of a 24-inch plastic pipe cap using SOLIDWORKS Plastics.
Our analysis consulting team performed a detailed analysis of a complete injection molding cycle to evaluate warpage in a medical implant.
SERVICES
MORE THAN JUST A PROVIDER
Hawk Ridge offers many different services for SOLIDWORKS Plastics. Want help getting started? In our Flight Plan implementation, one of our specialists will help get you set up with the software and take you through your first part filling simulation project. Want help to validate a complex mold setup? We also help established users by offering consulting services.
TRAINING
IMPROVE PERFORMANCE THROUGH TAILORED LEARNING
Whether your focus is plastic part design or validation of mold tooling, Hawk Ridge Systems offers regularly scheduled training classes that cover all the functionality of SOLIDWORKS Plastics to help you become efficient with the software.
Complete support for Plastics is available from our dedicated simulation technical support team. We are here for everything from basic software questions to tackling bigger simulation challenges.
Whether you are looking for on-demand training, access to the latest software releases, exclusive resources and offers, or just needing expert support – there's a subscription option for you.
Is a SOLIDWORKS license needed to use SOLIDWORKS Plastics?
Yes. SOLIDWORKS Plastics is an add-in product that can run on any existing license of SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD
How is SOLIDWORKS Plastics licensed?
SOLIDWORKS Plastics comes in three levels (Standard, Professional and Premium), each of which can be purchased as a perpetual license (with subscription) or as a term license. It can be activated on a particular machine or shared as part of a network license pool (additional costs apply).
What kind of manufacturing processes does SOLIDWORKS Plastics support?
SOLIDWORKS Plastics can simulate plastic injection molding, such as that performed on machines from companies like Arburg, Engel, and Toshiba.
Does SOLIDWORKS Plastics simulate materials other than plastic?
Yes, SOLIDWORKS Plastics supports silicone, rubber, and epoxy-based materials such as those used in Metal Injection Molding (MIM).
Does SOLIDWORKS Plastics support Die Casting?
No, unfortunately molten metals and related equipment are not supported.
What are the pre-requisites to run SOLIDWORKS Plastics?
SOLIDWORKS Plastics can be added to any existing license of SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD.
Are there any special hardware requirements for SOLIDWORKS Plastics?
No, the hardware requirements are the same as those for SOLIDWORKS.
Can SOLIDWORKS Plastics simulate overmolding?
Yes, users can simulate both insert overmolding and two-shot molding processes including gas assist (requires Plastics Professional or higher)
