Project Scandium for Autodesk Simulation Moldflow 2013 Now Available

[scott-sheppard-autodesk]

The Project Scandium technology preview has returned:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/scandium 

It is compatible with Autodesk Simulation Moldflow 2013. I have made the 64-bit download available on the Autodesk Labs site. I have the 32-bit version if anyone wants it, but my guess is that most early adopters are using 64-bit.

Capabilities in this technology preview beyond the commercial release:

• New capability to analyze molds with conformal cooling channels. (video)
• New Thermoplastics Bi-injection Molding process for Midplane analysis technology
• New injection-compression (video) and pure compression molding (video) process simulation capabilities for 3D analysis technology
• New mechanical property prediction for long fiber-filled thermoplastics composites.
• New Buckling analysis option for 3D analysis technology
• Various Solver enhancements address accuracy and speed.
1. New Crystallization analysis result displays final average crystal size distribution
2. Midplane and Dual Domain Warp solver accounts for viscoelastic mechanical properties of thermoplastics
3. Improved time to solution for Microcellular Injection Molding analyze
4. Cartridge heater enhancements for 3D elements
5. Wall slip option added to 3D flow solver parameters
6. 3D Gas-assisted Injection Molding analysis supports multiple gas cylinders
7. New results produced by the 3D flow solver
8. Large deflection stress analysis parameters enabled for 3D Microchip Encapsulation analysis
9. New 3D result mapping method improves time to solution
• FBX export capability increases visualization options among Autodesk products.

The Simulus technology preview requries Autodesk Simulation Moldflow Synergy and Insight 2013 licenses, and the technology preview will expire on January 1st 2013.

We are looking forward to your feedback.

[Anonymous]

Hey Scott, 

the new features sound great. 

When is the Scandium Release ready for download? I can`t find the download button.

[yannick.moret]

Just tried now (8th of August, middle of the day in EMEA) and there is a download button on the top right.

See picture.

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, it's available and I found it now. 

[Anonymous]

Hi Scott,

Are the servers OK? I tried downloading 4 times, and with 100% downloaded I was getting "Unknown Network Error" and the downloaded file - instead of being closed and saved - was deleted 😞

I'm using Google Chrome; perhaps should be using IE?

Thanks,

Piotr

[Anonymous]

OK - just for everyone to know - IE downloads it OK 🙂

[Anonymous]

What do we use for product keys for licensing?

[scott-sheppard-autodesk]

As I understand it, you use your existing Moldflow license information.

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile, my IT person used the proper product codes and it worked fine. Thank  you

[Anonymous]

Hi Scott,

I have just started to use Scandium to simulate polymer flow at the microscale by choosing the "slip" option. I have a few questions. I assume this is proprietary, but I have to ask since it would benefit my research greatly. Without giving too much away, do you know what model is used for the wall-slip condition? Another property a the microscale is size dependent viscosity. Are you guys considering tackling that issue at any time in the near future? Thanks, Scott!

-John Rodgers (Research Assistant at Lehigh University)

[scott-sheppard-autodesk]

I don't think the team is too keen on sharing their algorithms Sorry.

[franco.costa]

Hi John,

The current implementation of the wall slip feature is a free slip model (no friction). Slip occurs at a node if the local pressure is below the specified pressure threshold or the local temperature is above the specified temperature threshold. Otherwise, the normal no-slip boundary condition is imposed. Admittedly this is a very simple model. In the future we hope to add a friction coefficient for the slip condition.

[Anonymous]

Dear AMI engineers,

Could you tell me what  'pure compression molding' is?

what is difference between 'injection-compression' and  'pure compression'?

Thanks in advance,

Noritaka Inoue@denso

[yannick.moret]

Hello,

Pure compression, you open your mold, you place your material (as it is thermosets, you put a block of solid material), and then you start to close the mold.

Injection compression, you start the process with a mold not fully close, you inject liquid polymer in it, and you finish your process by closing the mold(compression phase).

If you look on the Autodesk labs site, you can see 2 movies which shows what is happening in the software.

Best regards

Yannick

[Anonymous]

Dear Yannick,

Thank you for your quick reply:)

Best regards,

Noritaka Inoue@Denso

[Anonymous]

Hi Franco,

Thank you very much for the information and I apologize for not responding sooner. Also, you mentioned that if the pressure is below a certain amount, slip is permitted to occur. Conceptually, I would think that if MORE pressure was present, the molecules along the surface would tend to slip more. Would you mind explaining why it is that lower pressures support slip? Thank you for your continued help, Franco!

-John

[franco.costa]

Hello John,

I think it is necessary to be clear whether we are talking about hydrostatic pressure or pressure drop (or pressure gradient).

When I said that slip occurs below a certain pressure, I was refering to the local hydrostatic pressure. More exactly, we should be talking about the normal stress at the wall. That is, the force which is pushing the polymer onto the cavity wall. I think you can understand that if the normal stress (hydrostatic pressure) is higher, then the adhesion to the wall will be stronger. If there is almost no pressure, then the material can slip easily along the wall.

When you mention pressure, I think you are actually referring to the injection pressure, or the amount of pressure drop from the injection point to the flow front (where the pressure is zero). This pressure drop can also be related as the presssure gradient over the flow length. It is the pressure gradient which determines the wall shear stress and this is what determines the degree of molecular alignment. You are right to mention this, and a friction model with a friction coefficient would multiply the friction coefficient by the wall shear stress to get the traction force at the wall.

The slip model we have implemented so far in Scandium is much simpler that this. It is just a free slip model, which means that we assume zero traction force while slip is occuring (that is a friction coefficient of zero) and it assumes an infinite traction force (no slip) when the conditions for no slip are met. The conditions for no slip are that the local (hydrostatic) pressure is above the pressure threshold, or that the local temperautre is below a temperature thresold. (That is, if the pressure is so high that the polymer is pushed hard onto the cavity wall, or the temperature is so low that the polymer has solidified).

We hope at some stage to add a friction coefficient to the wall slip model in Scandium.

Thanks for the question.

regards

Franco

[Anonymous]

Respected Dr Costa,

I have an question based on you are reply

(That is, if the pressure is so high that the polymer is pushed hard onto the cavity wall, or the temperature is so low that the polymer has solidified)

how to decide the pressure threshold and Temp. threshold values in Free silp assumption?  

For the venting analysis how exactly is the air pressure calcuted is it included in the equations during flow and pack solver? may be in furture versions will it be possible to watch where exactly the traped air is going or it is traped inside the cavity?

[franco.costa]

Hello Sadashiv,

we are still learning what are appropriate threshold values as we gain experience with this technology preview of wall slip. Threshold values which I have found some success with are to set the pressure threshold to 0.1 MPa while the temperature threshold to value much higher than the melt temperature. These setting mean that slip will occur whereever the local pressure is below 0.1 MPa - while no slip occurs whereever the pressure is higher than 0.1 MPa. (Irrespective of temperature).

Regarding venting. Yes, the calculated air pressure acts is included in the calculation of polymer pressure and movement. The air pressure calculation includes the air flow through the vent - and so depends on the size and length of the vent as well as its position. If a pocket of air is trapped with no access to a vent, then the air pressure will continue to rise. If the vent is too small, the air pressure can also rise.

[Anonymous]

sir, can I use it for doing baffle cooling,,,,, and one more thing were can i find 32 bit version