This document provides an overview of how to use SolidWorks Plastics to simulate the injection molding process. It outlines the steps to: 1) Set up the analysis by selecting units, creating a mesh, choosing a polymer material, and specifying injection locations and process parameters. 2) Run the simulation and view key results like fill time, air traps, weld lines, and sink marks to identify potential issues. 3) Save and close the project files.

1. LESSON 1 - SOLIDWORKS PLASTICS - OVERVIEW
Thisintroductorylessonguidesyouthroughthe stepsrequiredtosetupandsimulatethe fillingphase of
the injectionmoldingprocess.Youwill workwithaIce Scrapermodel asshownbelow.
In thislesson,youwill learnthe following:
 Selectingaunitsystem
 Creatinga mesh
 Selectingapolymerfromthe materialsdatabase
 Settingfillingprocessparameters
 Specifyinganinjectionlocation
 Runningthe analysis
 Reviewingkeyresults like sinkmarks,weldlinesandshrinkage

2. ADDING IN SOLIDWORKS PLASTICS AND OPENING THE PART
TO ADD-IN:
ClickTools,Add-insand checkthe optionfor
SolidWorksPlastics.
ClickOK.
TO OPEN THE PART:
Browse to C:MoldToolDie101Lesson01IceScraper.SLDPRT and Double Clicktoopenthe part in
SolidWorks
SolidWorksPlasticsusesaCommandManagerTab, pull downmenuanda feature tree structure as
User Interfaces.
The tree includes MESH,RESULTS and DISPLAY
SETUP headingsand selectablemenuitems

3. SELECTING A UNIT SYSTEM
TO SELECT A UNIT SYSTEM:
1. On the SolidWorksCommand Manager, clickSolidWorksPlastics
2. Clickon Help Unit– Metrics SI
CHANGING SETTINGS TO WORK WITH SOLIDWORKS CONFIGURATIONS
1. On the SolidWorksCommandManager,
clickSolidWorksPlastics
2. Clickon Help Settings.Checkthe
option SolidWorksConfiguration
Integrationas showninthe image onthe
right
Thisallowsassociatingthe Plasticsstudytoa
SolidWorksconfigurationandreplicatingthe same
setuponmultiple SolidWorksconfigurations.Thus
youcan run different“What-If” scenariosonthe
same part.

4. CREATING THE MESH
TO CREATE THE MESH:
1. On the Plastics Feature Tree, Double Click on
MESH Shell
2. SelectAuto fromthe popupmenuas shown.
The meshingtakesa fewseconds.Assoonasit’s
done,the software createsadditional itemsinthe
PlasticsFeature Tree.
Note the checkmark on the Shell icon
inthe studytree indicatingthatthe meshinghas
beensuccessfullycompleted.
To viewthe Mesh,clickon the MeshModel
inthe SolidWorksPlastics
CommandManager.To hide the mesh,clickon
MeshModel again.

5. SELECTING A POLYMER FOR THE ANALYSIS
TO SELECT THE POLYMER:
1. On the PlasticsFeature Tree,DoubleClick on
INPUT MaterialPolymericon.
The PolymerMaterial database appears.
2. From the Polymerlistonthe leftside,clickon
the plussignnextto 1 ABS and thencheckthe
box 24: BASF/ ABS6003.
Material propertiesof thispolymerare displayed
on the rightside
3. Click OK
A greencheckmark nowappearson the Polymer
iconSolidWorks
The selectedmaterial isautomaticallyadded
to the Favorite Materialslist.Nexttimeyouwant
to use the same material,simply
RMB onPolymer iconinthe feature tree and
selectthe favorite materialfromthe list.

6. SELECTING AN INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE
TO SELECT A MACHINE:
1. On the PlasticsFeature Tree,DoubleClick
on INPUTMachine icon.
In thislesson,youwill selectamachine thatcan
generate upto 100 MPa (~14,500 psi) of Injection
Pressure.
2. In the Machine dialogbox,clickonthe
firstrow to selectthe machine.The
selectedmachine name is Default
Machine (Large)
3. Clickon the InjectionUnittab.
Note that the Max InjectionPressure is100 MPa
whichisapproximately70%of the maximum
injectionpressure capacityof mostcommercial
injectionmoldingmachines.
4. ClickOK

7. SETTING PROCESS FLOW SETTINGS
The processparametersare automaticallydeterminedbythe software basedonpartvolume and
material andmachine selections.Howeveryoucanoverride these settings.Inthislesson,we wantto
have a Fill Time of 3 seconds.
TO SET THE PROCESS FLOW SETTINGS:
1. On the PlasticsFeature Tree,DoubleClick
on INPUTProcessFlowSettingsicon.
2. Uncheck the Auto box.
3. Enter a FillingTime of 3 second.
Note the Meltand Mold Temperature valuesare
automaticallyspecifiedbasedonthe polymer
material selection.
4. Clickthe greentickmark on the Flow
Settingsdialogbox.
A greencheckmark appearsonthe FlowSettings
icon indicatingthe process
parametershave beenappliedsuccessfully.
SolidWorksPlasticscansimulate boththe
FillingandPackingphasesof aninjectionmolding
cycle.For specifyingthe Packingsettings, Double
Click on INPUT ProcessPack Settings
The Pack settingslike Pressure HoldingTime and
Pure CoolingTime are automaticallycalculated
but youcan override these settings.Forexample,
youcan varythe packingpressure asa functionof
holdingtime usingthe Profile option.

8. SPECIFYING AN INJECTION LOCATION
The software allowsyoutospecifymultiple injectionlocations.A minimumof one injectionlocationis
requiredtorunthe analysis.
TO SPECIFY AN INJECTION LOCATION:
1. On the PlasticsFeature Tree,DoubleClick on
INPUT BoundaryConditions Gate
Selectionicon.
2. Clickthe outer cylindrical vertexat
approximately the centerasshown.
A conical pointerappearsindicatingthe node thatflow of
meltedplasticwillstartfromwithinthe partcavity.
Note that it isnot the actual gate geometrybeingcreated
but justa graphical pointer.
3. Clickon AddGate icon
The gate selectionappearsinthe listbox.
Note that youmustuse the Add Gate optionto
ensure thatthe selectedlocationonthe graphicsareais
addedto the listbox.
You may accidentlyclickonthe withoutaddingthe gate!!
So alwaysensure thatthe gate informationshowsupin
the listbox.
4. Clickthe greentickmark on the Gate Selection
dialogbox.

9. RUNNING THE ANALYSIS
You are nowreadyto run the simulation.
TO RUN THE SIMULATION:
1. On the PlasticsFeature Tree,Double
Click on RUN Flowicon.
The analysisstartsand the AnalysisManager
windowappears.Partial resultsonthe model
begintoappearas well onthe graphicsarea
providinggreatvisual feedback.A logof the
solvercalculationdetailsisalsodisplayedinthe
AnalysisManager window.
MINIMIZING THE ANALYSIS MANAGER
The Analysis Manager can be minimizedduring
the calculations.Itappearsinthe Windows
SystemTray listat the bottomof your windows
screenas an icon.
To access itagain,clickon the AnalysisManager
iconon your WindowsTaskbar. The SolidWorks
part can also be closedwhile the analysisis
running.

10. REVIEWING RESULTS – FILL TIME PLOT
There are manykeyand fundamental setsof resultsthatcan be viewedandanalyzedtoidentify
potential issueswiththe designand manufacturabilityconsiderations.Firstthe FillTime Plotwill be
reviewed.Thisplotisthe defaultplotandshouldbe alreadyactivatedandreadytoview.
TO VIEW THE FILL TIME PLOT:
1. Under the Flowtab,clickthe Fill Time result.
2. Animate the Fill Time Plotbyclickingonthe
Play button
3. ClickStop buttonto stopthe animation.
Recording an Animation file
To record an animationfile,clickonthe Video
Recording inthe SolidWorksPlasticsCommand
Manager. Selectthe GIFor AVIoption.Playthe
animationof the Fill Time result.Stopthe animation
and thenclickagainon the VideoRecordingin the
SolidWorksPlasticsCommandManager.Thiswill
promptto save the videofile toa desiredlocationof
interest.

11. REVIEWING RESULTS – AIR TRAPS
Airtraps can leadto burning,ordieseling,appearsasblack,gray,or browndiscolorationonthe surface
of the part. Thisisresultof gassesand volatilesbecome trappedinthe mold,compressed,andheated
during1st
stage injection.
TO VIEW THE AIRTRAPS:
1. Under the Flowtab,check the box Air Traps.
In the resultbelow,we cansee thatthe air traps are
locatedat the endnear the partingand shouldn’tbe
a problem.
The Air Traps resultusesspherical ballstoindicate
the areas of the cavitywhere the airinthe cavity
before injectionmustbe vented.
If the air getsdisplacedtoanarea that cannot be
easilyvented,thenthere isahuge problemandthis
needstobe addressed.
2. Uncheck the Air Traps box.

12. REVIEWING RESULTS – WELD LINES
Weldlinesare a resultfromthe joiningof twopolymerflow fronts.
TO VIEW THE WELDLINES:
1. Under the Flowtab,check the box Weld
Lines.
In the resultbelow,we cansee thatthe weldlinesare
locatedaroundthe hole as the material flowsaround
the circle and jointogether.The structural properties
at thisarea are much lowerthanthe strengthinareas
whichdo nothave the weldlinesfor similar
thickness.
2. Uncheck the WeldLinesbox.

13. REVIEWING RESULTS – SINK MARKS
Sinksare depressionsonthe partsurface where the material shrinksawayfromthe moldsurface
whereasvoidsare sectionsinthe centerof the part where material shrinkswaysfromitself,leavinga
small cavitywithinthe part.
TO VIEW THE WELDLINES:
1. Under the Flowtab,select SinkMarks.
In the resultbelow,we cansee thatsinkmarks
appearpredominantlyattwoplacesandmightaffect
the cosmeticpropertiesof the part.

14. SAVING AND CLOSING THE FILE
SavinginSolidWorkssavesboththe part and the analysisdata.
1. Save and Close the file inSolidWorks.
The analysisdatais savedina separate folderwith
the same name as the part. The folder iscreatedin
the same locationas the part. To remove the
SolidWorksPlasticsdatafromthe part,delete the
analysisdatafolder.
AnalysisData Folder
SolidWorksPart File
Congratulations! Aftercompletingthistutorial,younow have the basicskillsrequiredtosetup,runand
interpretthe resultsfromaSolidWorksPlasticsanalysis,allowingyoutooptimize yourpartdesignsfor
the injectionmoldingmanufacturingprocess.