Cimatron E 7.

Basic Mold Project Tutorial

 Table of Contents
Basic Mold Project.............................................................................................................. 1
Introduction...................................................................................................................... 1
Step1 Start a New Mold Project ...................................................................................... 2
Step 2 Place a Work Part in the Layout........................................................................... 3
Step 2a Place a Work Part in the Layout ........................................................................ 5
Split ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Step 3 Split....................................................................................................................... 6
Step 3a Split..................................................................................................................... 8
Step 3b Split..................................................................................................................... 9
Step 3c Create a Parting Line Preview .......................................................................... 10
Parting Face and Attributes............................................................................................... 11
Step 4 Internal Parting Curves and Faces ...................................................................... 11
Step 4a Internal Parting Curves and Faces .................................................................... 12
Step 4b Create Parting Faces ......................................................................................... 14
Create the First Parting Face ...................................................................................... 14
Step 4c Create Parting Faces ......................................................................................... 16
Create Another Parting Face ...................................................................................... 16
Step 5 Create a Stock.................................................................................................... 17
Step 5a Mark as Stock ................................................................................................... 19
Step 6 Load the MoldBase............................................................................................. 22
Step 6a Load the MoldBase........................................................................................... 25
Define and Create Active parts ......................................................................................... 27
Step 7 Define Active Parts............................................................................................. 27
Step 8 Create Active parts ............................................................................................. 30
Step 8a Create Active parts............................................................................................ 32
Step 8b Create Active Parts ........................................................................................... 33
Stitch Cut and Remove Geometry .................................................................................... 35
Step 9 Stitch, Cut and Remove Geometry ..................................................................... 35
Step 9a Stitch, Cut and Remove geometry .................................................................... 37
Step 9b Stitch, Cut and Remove Geometry ................................................................... 38

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Basic Mold Project

Introduction

The mold Project is a unique method of working for mold designers. By combining the work of splitting and
parting surfaces in parallel with mold choice and cavity layout, the designer can save time.

More information is available throughout the process, enabling quicker and more informed decisions to be made.

Select the button to jump to the relevant step.

This basic exercise will briefly cover the new structure and environment of the mold project. The tutorial example
shows creation of a simple mold with one core and cavity inserts.

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Step1 Start a New Mold Project

To start a new mold project, select the Mold Project icon .

The Mold Project setup wizard is loaded.

Name the main assembly: Basic mold

Check the Create a new folder box to create a folder, for placing the main assembly under.

The ‘basic mold’ is a single cavity tool, so accept the single cavity layout part.

The layout can be created as new or can be loaded from a predefined layouts library. The default is a single
cavity layout, selected from the Cimatron E layout library.

Select OK.

Note the assembly structure. There is also a parting sub-assembly, which will be used first.

The parting assembly will later include the workparts and parting faces parts. This helps organize the spilt work.

Later when moving into mold design, this assembly becomes suppressed in order to lighten the data load in the
main assembly.

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A mold assembly has been created. There is a structure of fixed side, moveable side, and ejection sub-
assemblies.

Note the layout part is currently activated. This holds a coordinate system for every cavity location, in this case
one. The outer box represents an optional mold base size.

This box is a simple sketch that represents a preliminary mold base size. It can be edited to any size to help with
the layout until a mold base is built.

Step 2 Place a Work Part in the Layout

While the parting sub-assembly is activated, select the Load Work icon.

From the Cimatron E Explorer select the button.elt file (located in the \\Tutorial Work Files \ Data To
Steel directory).

Select the Open file icon, marked in the red circle in the picture below.

Select Work Part units: mm.

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 Select OK.

Place the part on the layout coordinate system.

This operation also creates a coordinate system in the work file, a Work UCS feature.

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To create the work UCS on a specific point (UCS), you may select it through the reference UCS icon in the Work
UCS dialog. (You may create the reference UCS in the model.)

Step 2a Place a Work Part in the Layout

Click the Edit Work UCS button.

Select Yes to complete the load operation.

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 Note that the system displays the bounding box of the geometry and the centering of the part.

You can edit any of these values or the layout part center at a later stage. This ensures there are plenty of
ways to control the position of the molded part(s).

We will accept the current default and click OK.

Click OK to approve the load work operation.

Split

Step 3 Split

Click the Parting tab to display the Parting Tree.

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 Activate the Button-Work part.

From the Parting Guide on the right of the display, click the Quick Split icon.

Check that the vector is pointing in the Z direction

Select OK .

Regardless of which work part is activated, in cases with more than one workpart, you may split any part. Right
Click the part and select the New Direction option.

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Step 3a Split

Quick split has made two split sets of the part. The Parting Tree easily controls display, color, and other
attributes.

Hide the layout part.

Move the slider to see how the faces are split.

No other split directions are needed, so exit the Quick Split function.

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Step 3b Split

Rename the spilt directions.

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Step 3c Create a Parting Line Preview

The Parting Tree also contains attribute control for general items like the stock and parting curves.

To preview the parting line, Right Click on Parting line preview in the Parting Tree and select the option:
Create Parting line preview.

The preview parting lines are not only for analysis purposes. Once the preview is performed, any curve/surface
created using an edge of the parting line will automatically receive it's parting attributes. The parting line preview
can be updated at any stage i.e. even after changes to the part.

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Parting Face and Attributes

Step 4 Internal Parting Curves and Faces

Create the Internal parting curve.

Note that functions and options in E6 can be accessed via several locations:

The Parting Tree (at the left of the screen)

The Parting Guide (at the right of the screen)

The Parting Menu (at the top of the screen)

The user may choose his/her most comfortable way of working.

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 Select OK.

Step 4a Internal Parting Curves and Faces

Create automatic internal parting faces.

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 Hide the parting line preview features in the Parting Tree. Show how these move both up and down with
each split set i.e. these surfaces "understand" they are parting faces.

The parting face can be also controlled through the Parting Tree.

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Step 4b Create Parting Faces

Hide the blue cavity set.

Create the First Parting Face

Create a composite curve , along open edges.

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 Click OK.

Click the External parting face option.

Set the value to 55 and click OK.

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Step 4c Create Parting Faces

Create Another Parting Face

Create another composite curve.

Create a sweep face in the Y direction, as indicated in the picture below:

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 Return to the Quick Split to ensure that all attributes are assigned.

Note that any curve/surface created using an edge of the parting line will automatically receive it's parting
attributes.

To manually attach attributes, perform the following steps:

1. Pick the face(s) to be given parting attributes and exit (Middle Mouse Button).
2. Pick two faces whose parting attributes you want to apply to the unassigned face.

The face is now assigned the parting attributes of the two faces (and their directions).

Step 5 Create a Stock

Enter the Sketcher, select the face indicated in the picture as the sketcher plane.

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 Create a rectangle.

Exit the Sketcher.

Press the Exit from Sketcher button in the main Sketcher toolbar, or Right Click and select Exit Sketcher.

Create a New Extrude object and use the parameters shown in the picture below:

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 Create rounds and apply a Global Value of 15.

From the menu, select the option Solid/Round.

Step 5a Mark as Stock

To attach stock attributes to the object, Right Click the stock feature in the Parting Tree and select the
option: Mark As Stock.

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 Pick the object and click OK.

Note that you can control the stock through the Parting Tree.

The Stock options are also available through the Parting Guide and the Parting Main menu.

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 Activate the layout part and edit the layout feature so that the cavity can be reoriented.

Add a Z rotation of 90 degrees.

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Step 6 Load the MoldBase

To access the MD guide, select the icon: Switch to MD.

Load the configuration of 9 Plates B (190*246).

This step can also be performed after the Create Active (export) or at any other stage. It is recommended to
load the configuration before the export, to evaluate the correct size of the stock and layout.

Note that when using the Switch to MD icon before creating the active parts, the parts under the parting
assembly are not being suppressed.

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Cimatron E 7.1 Basic Mold Project Tutorial 23
24 Basic Mold Project Tutorial Cimatron E 7.1
Step 6a Load the MoldBase

Note that the Stock does not reach the bottom face of the K20 plate of the movable side.

Measure the distance between the lower face of the K20 plate, and the lower face of the stock.

Note that Delta Z =2.936.

Select the Delta Z value and select CTRL C (to copy the value).

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We will now edit the Layout UCS.

Activate the Layout part and edit the Layout feature.

Change the Delta Z to -2.936 using CTRL V to paste the above value.

Click OK.

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Define and Create Active parts

Step 7 Define Active Parts

Switch to Parting environment.

The parting sub-assembly is now active.

Click the Define Active icon.

This will arrange the sets from Quick split into what we consider to be the cavity and core blocks of the mold.

Select the Cavity set and the Cavity Active Parts. Select the Double arrow (Assign) to assign the split
direction into the Cavity active part.

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The item 1 (Name of the layout UCS) under each split set refers to the cavity instance and the position of this
split. Because there is only one cavity instance, only one location is shown.

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 Assign the Core to the Core Active Parts.

Select the button Save Close.

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Step 8 Create Active parts

The Create Active function comes after the Define Active function.

At this stage the groups of active part surfaces that were previously defined are ready to become new parts that
reside in the assembly structure.

Click the Create Active icon.

In the Create Active Parts dialog the entire Assembly Tree is in the upper section and the Active Parts groups
in the lower section.

In this case it is desired for the cavity to not only belong to the Fixed Side, but within its own sub-assembly within
the Fixed side.

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 Highlight the Fixed Side and click on the icon for creating new sub-assemblies (circled below).

Add a new sub-assembly to the Fixed Side and name it Cavity.

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Step 8a Create Active parts

Select the Cavity Active part and the Cavity assembly part.

Select the double arrow, to assign the cavity to the cavity assembly.

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 Assign the Core Active part to the Movable side.

Step 8b Create Active Parts

Click the Switch to MD icon in the dialog.

Note that after defining the active parts, while changing to MD environment, the parting assembly is suppressed,
and the geometry has been exported.

The parting parts are in suppressed mode and they are temporally disassociated from the exported active parts.
This method of suppressed features used is mainly to lighten memory usage.

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Use the icons below to switch between the Guides and to Suppress/Unsuppress the relevant components:

The Assembly Tree shows the result of the export operation.

A new cavity part is placed under the sub-assembly within the Fixed Side and a new core part is placed
under the Movable Side.

For part changes or for editing of the layout or parting features, the suppression is switched, hiding the cavities
and bringing back the work file.

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Stitch Cut and Remove Geometry

Step 9 Stitch, Cut and Remove Geometry

The cutting the stock block by the parting surfaces will now be performed.

Show only the Core part under the Movable Side and activate it.

Expand the Active Tools in the Guide, and select Parting Stitch.

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 Perform the Cut operation.

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Step 9a Stitch, Cut and Remove geometry

Use the Remove Geometry option to remove the parting face. Click the object filter icon to select the
entire parting face object.

Select OK.

Note that the stock could also be created in the exported part file as well as in the work file.

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Step 9b Stitch, Cut and Remove Geometry

Repeat the same operations for the cavity part.

Cut and Remove geometry.

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 The exercise can now continue with mold creation and other mold design tasks.

The results of the exercise can be seen in the file: basic mold.ctf (located in the \\Tutorial Work Files \ Data
To Steel directory).

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