DMC Mold & Tool Corporation (Cary, IL) designs and builds moulds for the plastic injection and insert moulding industry specializing in turn key project solutions requiring prototype through class 101 production tooling. The core competency of DMC Mold & Tool begins at the front end of a project during the part design phase for manufacturability where the customer and supplier communication is most important. The design and manufacturing team at DMC Mold & Tool implements their methodology based on experience, which typically has included complex tolerance schemes, insert interchangeability, over moulding or decoration (IMD) considerations. The company’s customers are primarily custom plastic moulders, such as Nypro, Inc., Seaquist Perfect and Ironwood Industries, Inc. Their customers include Research In Motion, Palm One, Kyocera, Whirlpool, Baxter and Cardinal Health.

Dustin Carlson is DMC Mold & Tool’s president and owner. He says highest among the challenges of designing and building moulds is maintaining customer requirements, such as adhering to their quoted cycle time along with helping to reduce runner volume while continuing to produce quality products. “Typically, we work closely with the customer to achieve these goals,” says Carlson.

In 1997, DMC Mold & Tool invested in VISI solid moulding software from Vero Software Plc. Jack Thompson from Solid Tooling Solutions was the sales/applications expert that made the initial visit to the facility. Prior to his visit they had solicited a number of solid modelling software packages. They had a similar challenge for each one of the applications experts when they arrived and Thompson’s VISI modelling software was the only one to pass the test.

Recently, it supplemented the suite of software with VISI Flow, new technology that helps users accurately design moulds. They had investigated several other soft-ware programs, but again found that the VISI Flow far out-paced the competition.

Using VISI, DMC Mold & Tool users can create a full 3-D model to show how a mould will be represented. Customers can analyze the model and decide whether or not the mould will perform to their expectations. “Prior to implementing VISI Flow,” adds Carlson, “we relied on the customer’s knowledge as to where to locate gates and runners, as well as gate and runner sizing. The customer established runner size and location based on what they hoped would be correct. Their expectations were to minimize scrap and maximize quality part potential.

“For many projects, we witnessed our customers struggling to establish mould specifications. Each customer had a go-to person who they relied on to decide the best outcome for the mould design. We watched as customers tried to maintain quality, cycle time and reduce production scrap. Projects suffered because of this traditional methodology. Relying on one person’s expertise is not the proper way to move forward during this economic period,” notes Carlson.

Using VISI Flow, DMC Mold & Tool can show them real results prior to tooling. “We can demonstrate if there are any benefits to their runner and gate locations or what the drawbacks are based on their input. The software provides a full recreation of what the end result will be. VISI Flow is much more accurate and it also depicts cycle time. Fill accuracy includes a timing element that will help them judge if they are meeting their required cycle time,” Carlson says.

“Using traditional methodology,” explains Carlson, “it was a costly measure in time and money to make changes to a tool once it was built. VISI Flow gives us the ability to make adjustments to the design in a minimal amount of time.” In today’s fiercely competitive global marketplace, mould makers cannot afford mistakes. With cost consciousness at an all-time high, DMC Mold & Tool must be able to show that it can provide more value. Using VISI Flow, DMC Mold & Tool can offer quality and accurate pricing. “You have to marry everything together. We need the tools to achieve those end goals,” Carlson adds.

Recently, DMC Mold & Tool received a mould for DANA Automotive Products Division that was insert-moulded. (An insert-moulded mould involves a stamped metal insert that is placed in the mould and plastic is over-moulded into it.) The mould was divided into two small plastic sections that were not balanced. Carlson says, “VISI Flow provided the information we needed to determine runner placement. As a result, we reduced runner size and weight, and saved on production scrap by 18 percent.”

For another VISI Flow project, DMC Mold & Tool was contracted to build a replacement mould for an existing mould that was not meeting the customer’s capacity requirements. At first, it worked in the field, but it quickly lost its integrity. As expected, the customer was not satisfied with the tool and approached DMC Mold & Tool to build a replacement.

“We started the project knowing the mould did not fill correctly. Using VISI Flow, we researched how to improve runners, gates and cooling. In doing so, we discovered a moulded-in stress situation on the part causing a fracture. The custom moulder had to adjust their cycle time longer than their quoted cost. We were able to show the customer where the moulded-in stress point was located, and we revised the gate placements and sizes. There was tremendous relief on the part of the customer when we provided the VISI Flow results.” Carlson reports.

He says that establishing gate locations, gate size, runner locations and runner sizes are VISI Flow’s biggest and best performance offerings. “The software is very powerful and fast. It provides customers with an in-depth depiction of the mould design. If we make a change, the customer can see the results of that change.”

VISI Flow also is a good sales tool for Carlson. “Besides a good engineering tool, VISI Flow is an excellent instrument for quoting jobs,” says Carlson. “In this constantly evolving competitive market, we need to have the right tools to satisfy our customers’ needs. We also want to pass along the benefits we are realizing to our customers.”

Carlson says VISI and VISI Flow support is very strong. Vero Software Plc provides thorough online documentation and tutorials for all its products. Carlson notes that it is helpful if users have an engineering background to use the software packages. Vero and Solid Tooling Solutions provide 24/7 telephone support. Carlson says the hotline support is very responsive. The speed of analysis is dependent upon part file size. Analyzing the data can range from two to 10 hours.

“I think the VISI suite and VISI Flow are underrated software products, and new and existing customers constantly ask me ‘What design software do you use?’ After we installed VISI and realized the breadth of capabilities, power and ease of use, we stopped using our other package and let the license lapse.”

About The Company:

Name: DMC Mold & Tool Corporation

Business: Precision Injection and Insert Mold Builders

Web: www.dmcmold.com

Benefits Achieved:

• Saved 18% on production scrap material
• Ability to show customers an analysis of the end result and cycle time calculations
• Saved customers time and money by making adjustments in the design stage
• Easily found the cause of a moulded-in-stress situation on a critical part

Comments:

"VISI Flow gives us the ability to make adjustments to the design in a minimal amount of time."

Dustin Carlson
President