3D MOLD MESH for a COOL (FEM) analisys (MoldlFlow 2012) problem in mesh creator

[Anonymous]

I am using the newer version of Moldflow 2012 in a Cool (FEM) analisys, but I couldn´t run the analisys.

I did the following steps:

- I created a mold boundary using the "Mold Surface Wizard"

- then run the "Create a Mold Mesh" with default values

but a error is showed:

** Error 1900304 ** Failed to generate mold surface mesh. Please check the model.

What I have to do to create a mold mesh in Cool (FEM) analisys?

Thanks for any help

[nordhb]

Hi,
this procedure can be used:
- first you have the 3D tetra meshed cavity model
- create the cooling circuits, and mesh to have beams
- set analysis sequence to Cool FEM, and create mold surfaces by wizard.
The cooling beam elements should pass the mold surface regions.
The surface regions are not meshed at this stage.

Layer turned on:
- cavity tetra mesh
- cooling channels
- mold surface regions
(Others to be turned off.)

Create mold mesh...
Meshing is done in two steps.
This is seen in mesh log:
"A mold surface mesh has been created. Please check the mesh.
A 3D mold mesh can be generated by double-clicking Create 3D Mold Mesh again."

After first step, mold surface mesh has been created, you can check if there are any
mesh quality issues before progressing and generate the 3D mold mesh.
There are two layers created for mold surface mesh:
Mold Internal Triangles
Mold External Triangles

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Berndt

[Anonymous]

Hello!

I have a problem with 3d mold mesh and cooling channel connectivity. i've read through the topics but I couldn't find info about this. (Moldflow 2013 Insight)

So the problem is that the beam elements of the cooling channels are crossing the mold mesh, there's no connectivity between them. (see attached picture).

According to this I get this warning messeage from the solver:

**WARNING 312065 ** Beam [Bxxxxx] does not touch any mold elements.

Okay, I understand the problem but I couldn't find any help or info how can I connect them. Please excuse me, might be a dumb question.

My method to build up the modell was the following:

- Importing the assembly

- creating the cooling channels (beam elements and baffles)

- creating the 3d part mesh

- creating the hot runner system (beam elements)

- creating the 3d mold mesh

BR:

András

[nordhb]

Hi,

the mold need to be of property Mold surface (is automatically if using Mold Surface Wizard), or Mold block (3D) if a cad body.

When meshing mold block for Cool FEM, the layer(s) with beams and center lines/curves as to be on/visible.

From the picture supplied, I believe the cooling channel center lines/curves was hidden when meshing.

Remesh mold with Layers turned on:
- cavity tetra mesh
- cooling channels with beams and center lines/curves
- runners with beams and center lines/curves
- mold surface regions
(Others to be turned off.)

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Berndt

[Anonymous]

Hello!

Thanks for your answer! Unfortunately I still have the error. I tried several times but it stays the same.

I also checked the box at the mold mesh generator tab "Mesh on assembly: precise match".

I attached a picture about the model with the selected layers just before generating the mesh.

The layers are:

- New Body tetras 1 and 2 are the tetras of the parts to be injected.

- IGES curves: I imported the cooling channel curves in IGES

- COOLING and RUNNER layers are for these beams

- CAD Body xx are the parts of the Mold Block.

All other layers are empty.

Any hints are welcome!

BR,

András

[Anonymous]

Hello!

I think, I've found the mistake.

Is it a must to have the cooling channels in the imported mold CAD parts? I've imported simplified models without any hole for cooling channel.

BR,

András

[nordhb · Accepted solution]

Hi,

yes, this might be the reason.

Looking at the picture provied in an earlier post, it looks as there are no cut outs in mold block for cooling channels and hot runners.

The mold block cad body must have cut outs for channels (cooling and runners), inserts and cavity.

Also, as you do by creating lines/curves center curves in CAD system for channels (cooling and runners), and export in iges format and import to Synergy, and then change the properties of lines/curves, and mesh to beams is a good workflow.

Further, from the picture provied in an earlier post is seems as hot runner system is not fully in a mold block.
If so, you will get the warning " **WARNING 312065 ** Beam [Bxxxxx] does not touch any mold elements.", as those hot runner beam elements does not touch any mold elements as well.

Regards,

Berndt

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for your answers, the problem was the lack of the holes of the cooling channel!

BR

András

[Anonymous]

Hello!

I'm using MF 2014 and I tried to run a Cool(FEM) analysis, but I can't mesh my mold. I've a model with 2 parts, sprue, runners and 2 cavities, one with conventional and one with conformal cooling. (see the picture attached)

My method to build up the model was the following:

1, I imported the step file from CAD,

2, meshed it with precise match on the contact faces,

3, set the properties to mold insert and channel(3D), so I had 2 channels, 4 mold inserts and a part,

4, built the mold surface,

5, mesh the mold surface, in the mesh log I read that MF doesn't recognized the channels, but the surface mesh run through, after that the 3D mesh failed, but in the mesh log there wasn't any errors showed.

After this I tried to mesh the part and the channels separated (the channels with 3D channel mesh wizard), but with this method the channels intersect the mesh of the cores.

Could you help me with my problem?

Best regards,

Béla

[Anonymous]

Hi,

In the 7th message of this post were described some solutions to the problems you wrote above.

Did you set a property to the  channels (cooling and runners)? I think MF read all the parts of CAD model as a mold...

Maybe, as an alternative, you can create lines and curves in your CAD system for channels (cooling and runners - the curves will be in the center of the channels), and export them in IGES format and import them to MF. Then change the properties of lines/curves, and mesh to beams. (message 7 of this post).

[Anonymous]

Hi!

Yes, I set the property of the cooling channels to channel(3D) after the meshing. After the import the bodies are set to part property by MF, I meshed it first for the proper connection between the channels and the cores/cavities, then I set the properties. The runner and the sprue are also modeled in CAD, I didn't changed that properties. Can this lead to any failures? It is important to have a 3D mesh for the cooling channels, because I need proper results, so I can't use beams. I tried to import iges instead of step, but this doesn't either work, because the mesh didn't meshed one of the cooling channels. I also don't understand why the mesh log doesn't give any reason after the 3D mesh for the mold block is interrupted at 55%.

Regards,

Bela

[Anonymous]

in fact I never used 3D mesh for runners and cooling lines.

The property I am talking about is to set a property to that part. It is like to say to MF that part is a cooling channels and the other is the runner system.
I guess it need to be done BEFORE meshing. Bu I am not sure.

When I create channels with beams I drew the lines and set them to be a cooling channel (set a property - right click on the line). I dont know with its the same with a 3D mesh channel.

I had some identical problems with meshing as you mentioned. In my case, the mesh wasnt ok and I needed to repair it.
Did you you tried the mesh diagnosis?

[Anonymous]

Hi!

The problem was, that I didn't use the stitch contact interfaces command befor the mesh, this resolved every problem. Thank you for your help!

Regards,

Bela

[Anonymous]

Hi friends

I got two issue with 3d mold meshing.

Problem 1:

prepared my model, everything in 3D and including cooling channel. creatred mold surface with wizzard defauld options. the internal and external surfaces where following my parts and cooling channel.

when I meshed the mold block, this error came, I decided to make the cooling channel as iges curve with beam elements.

Total number of regions: 1

Percent 52 done ....

Percent 55 done ....

Boundary face intersected: [N78981 N79443 N80076]

** ERROR 1900128 ** 3D meshing has failed for this component due to surface defects.

　

** ERROR 1900136 ** 3D mold meshing not completed due to surface errors. Please do the following steps:

(1) If meshing starts from CAD or STL models, click checkbox "Stop after surface mesh generation" on General tab

and generate surface mesh first. Then check surface mesh defects by mesh diagnostic tools and fix them manually.

Typical defects can be free edges, non-manifolding edges or intersections.

(2) If input model contains multiple bodies, such as inserts/cores/overmolding, stitch contact interfaces

before mold surface mesh generation by clicking Mesh tab > Mesh panel > Stitch Contact Interfaces.

(3) Once mold surface mesh is ready, launch meshing again to generate mold 3D meshes.

Problem 2:

So, now I have made the 3D model, 3D cold runner, 3D heaters and beam cooling channel. and I am creating mold surface mesh

I made the mold surface and I got seried of this warning

Warning: Solid volumes associated with curve 86 and curve 102 intersect.

...

...

...

The mold mesh completed but some parts of the cooling channel surface were not picked by mold internal surface.

and at the end it does not let me run analysis (analysis button is deactivated)

I am wondering what the reasons are and the remedy.

to me, meshing is moldflow always seems to be a headache.

[xusho]

Hi Mike,

RE: problem 1

When you see this message:

Boundary face intersected: [N78981 N79443 N80076],

it means a triangle with those 3 nodes is being intersected. You can find those 3 nodes by "Query Entities"

                           

Then those 3 nodes will be on a new layer called Diagnostic results.

Hide all other layers, you will see those 3 nodes only. Zoom and turn on a layer called Mold internal triangles.

Check triangle near those 3 nodes. Fix intersection. Then run 3D meshing agin.

[xusho]

RE: problem 2

Solid volumes associated with curve 86 and curve 102 intersect

Use "Query Entities" to isolate the 2 curves:  C86 C102.

Check the place where they meet.

Most likely, the curve endpoints are not on right position.

If yes, delete the wrong curve and re-generate.

[Anonymous]

i have actually same problem which you mention on thah comment. I have conforming cooling channels which is added cad data on MF. before everything is meshed i also imported the mold insert which is through the part as mold component. After everthing has imported, i did mesh part and channel iges files then MF made cooling beam and part tetras after that i put hot gate and runner beams to the part. After all meshed process i put the cooling inlet-outlet and injection locations. so now i should go to the step of doing mold. while the part tetras and each of the component which are coolant, insert and hot gate-runner, i press put mold wizard. everything is okay here. after all these step what should i do for meshing mold insert and exactly mold. please help

[Anonymous]

A CAD model for the mold block will be created by the Mold Wizard.

Then double click 'Create Mold 3D Mesh' on the study tree (above 'Process Settings') to generate mold mesh. Then you can click 'Start Analysis'

[Anonymous]

thank you i did probably something wrong by choosing correct layer to do mold tetras. after meshing generated mold surface, i should  selected only the internal and external layer for mold then mold mesh would work well.

[xmabi1]

Hi everyone,

I have recently started using Moldflow Insight, and I am struggling to find the correct workflow for a specific issue I am facing.

I am analyzing a mold for a cylindrical part. The central core of the part is in contact with two concentric mold inserts (as shown in the attached image). Additionally, there is a bubbler (fontana) located at the center of the innermost insert. My goal is to evaluate the impact of using different materials for these two inserts on the total cycle time.

I understand that I need to use the COOL(FEM) solver and generate the mold mesh by following the standard two-step procedure discussed in previous threads. However, I am unsure about how to properly manage the CAD components and their mesh generation.

Here is what I have tried so far:

I imported the .step files for each component (the part, mold insert 1, and mold insert 2) and meshed them individually as 3D elements.

I then intended to assembly them, model the cooling circuits using 1D beam elements, and finally generate the 3D Mold Mesh.

Unfortunately, with this approach, the final mold mesh generation fails. I suspect the issue is related to the intersection between the bubbler (beam) and the 3D insert.

As a workaround, I tried keeping the central insert as a Dual Domain (DD) mesh. In this case, the mesh generation succeeds, but the solver stops during the analysis, throwing an error due to the intersection between the cooling circuit (beam) and the insert elements.

Should I modify the CAD file of the central insert to include a physical hole for the cooling channel before exporting it to .step, rather than exporting it as a solid block? Or is there a different, more effective workflow I should follow in Insight to handle this setup?

Thank you very much in advance for your help!