SIMTECH™ INJECTION MOLDING CHALLENGE 2019 – DECEMBER CHALLENGE IS CLOSED!
Stay tuned to learn who will be named THE 2019 SimTech Injection Molding Challenge Champion? 
Welcome to Paulson Training Programs’ SimTech™ Injection Molding Challenge, part of a series of monthly challenges testing your knowledge of injection molding using the world’s most advanced injection molding simulator – SimTech™.
The Challenge? Make a defect-free part, within specifications per the instructions of each month’s specific challenge scenario. It’s FREE! Plus, rack up winning points each month to be eligible for the Grand Prize of $3,000 worth of training from Paulson and earn a spot on Paulson’s Challenge leaderboard!
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DECEMBER CHALLENGE IS CLOSED.
SCENARIO: DECEMBER Molding Challenge – High Difficulty – Efficiency Scoring
(This challenge is closed. We’ll be announcing the winner shortly. In the meantime, view the December challenge below.)
In this month’s challenge you will be molding a Cover out of Polycarbonate using a 300 ton molding machine. This part is rated at a medium difficulty to mold. The Cover is susceptible to warp, void marks and dimensional issues. This part must be molded with a precision tolerance on the length. The part is 6.500 inches long and 6.500 inches wide with a tolerance of +/- 0.002 in.
The initial setup for this challenge was done by a person who is not experienced in setting molding processes. Your job is to correct any machine alarms, correct any part problems, and adjust the machine settings to get the best molding efficiency percentage. This is called process optimization. The quoted (standard) cycle time for this job is 15 seconds.
You will see under the Cycle Results, the “Mold Full at VPT” is 76.12%. This VPT setting is not optimized. You’ll have to correct this. The VPT should occur when the mold is between 94% – 96% full. The part has some problems. The part has flash, voids, short shots and is undersized. Notice that the part does not meet the nominal dimension of 6.500 in for part length.
Flash is a critical part problem and must be addressed first in the optimization process. This is because this part problem creates a high probability of tool damage. Once the flashing is corrected then proceed to optimize the cycle time and part dimensions.
Our molding experts have achieved an efficiency of 130% plus. Can you eliminate all problems and mold better than a 15 second cycle? Can you beat the 130% plus efficiency?
Additional Conditions
• The minimum Melt Temperature of 559°F is allowed for Polycarbonate.
• The minimum Mold Temperature allowed is 140°F.
• The standard (quoted) cycle time for this job is 15 seconds.
- Mold Full at VPT must be between 94% – 96%.
- Cushion Size must be less than 10% of the Screw Back Distance.
- Melt Temperature must be within ± 2°F of the Nozzle and Front Zone Temperature.
GET STARTED
Log into your Simtech account by clicking this link.
Click Login or Register (if 1st time in Simtech)
Click on “Run Challenges”
Choose “DECEMBER Challenge 2019” and click on “Run”
Click the “Cycle” button to begin. Start to make controls changes, one at a time, and then click “Cycle”.
NOTE:Only make one control change at a time and then click the “Cycle” button to see the effects of that particular control change. This is the best practice to follow when making any control changes whether it be in SimTech or on an actual molding machine.
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Watch for details on who will named the 2019 SimTech Injection Molding Champion!
Have fun testing your molding skills using Paulson’s most advanced injection molding simulator SimTech™ no other plastics simulator has the ability to process over 26 million molding simulated calculations.
Good Luck! May the best molder win!
Get on the list now to have the latest challenge releases sent to your inbox. Throughout the challenges, participants will be added to the Challenge Leaderboard posted here.
View the Challenge Leaderboard by clicking on the #1 badge. 6
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SimTech™ Challenge FAQs
Click each icon below for answers
Each month, Paulson’s molding experts will devise a new molding problem for you to solve. For example, you will be challenged to mold a specific part without any defects and with the fastest cycle time. Once you’re in SimTech™, you will see the virtual control panel where you will be able to view the part, the plastic, and the machine specs in order to “mold” your part effectively. Bonus points are given, BUT if you need to access “hints,” points will be lost. Besides winning, the actual goal here is to learn.Yes! Each month you have the ability to earn points. At the end of six months, the person with the most points earned will be eligible to win the Grand Prize of $3,000 worth of online training from Paulson.SimTech™ is Paulson’s most advanced, proprietary, injection molding simulation tool. It’s a powerful online engine built on decades of complex mathematical equations of plastic and process analyses that combine both molding theories and practices. All together, SimTech™ has the outstanding capability to process some 20 million calculations per simulated cycle, and check all possible simulations against possible errors. No other injection molding simulation tool is more powerful!In order to participate in the monthly challenges, you MUST register by filling out the form. You will then receive email alerts when each challenge is released. Act now and be ready to take the challenge.