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Anticipating interactions in multi-component injection moulding

When multiple materials are combined into one part, complex interactions—like thermal and mechanical coupling during filling—are inevitable. These can result in issues like warpage and insert deformation.

If these effects are not considered early on, costly defects can occur. How can they be reliably predicted?

2K & Insert simulates the complex interactions between materials that can occur when working with multiple plastic mould components, particularly when inserts or multiple polymers are involved.

Rather than rectifying unwanted effects after the fact, 2K & Insert enables you to predict and proactively mitigate them.

Benefits

• Enhance part quality by analysing and mitigating shrinkage, warpage, and defects in multi-component moulding
• Accurately predict core shift by detecting insert displacement caused by melt pressure during injection
• Hone the injection process, adjusting gating, pressure, and mould design to minimize deformation
• Combine seamlessly with Fill, Pack, and Warp, other features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, for full-process simulation
• Optimize insert pre-heating and cooling in moulding components

How it works

In injection moulding for multi-component parts, pre-existing inserts or previously moulded components introduce new boundary conditions within the cavity.

These elements, along with their thermal and mechanical behavior, influence cooling and material stresses. They affect the filling, packing, cooling, and deformation of the final product.

To compound the problem, the inserts themselves are exposed to melt pressure and thermal effects, further impacting part quality.

To help you counter problems before they arise, 2K and Insert simulates the above phenomena using a structured process:

1. Modelling injection pressure and thermal effects: The software accurately simulates filling behaviour, melt pressure distribution, and thermal conditions during overmoulding, taking inserts into account.
2. Simulating insert deformation: Advanced finite element methods (FEM) are leveraged to predict how an insert will move, deform or rotate under force.
3. Deformation analysis: Results from the preceding simulation steps inform analysis of a part’s deformation behaviour.
4. Process optimization: You are empowered to adjust mould design, injection pressure, gating strategy, and cooling settings to minimize injection pressure and prevent excessive deformation.

Key functionalities

Core shift and insert deformation analysis

2K & Insert simulates mechanical deformation in the form of insert movement from melt pressure, incorporating information from the stress-strain curve. You are equipped to identify assembly misalignment or insert displacements that could lead to defects.

Multi-material interaction simulation

Tools like FEM structural analysis and the stress-strain curve are leveraged to calculate how different materials (including thermoplastic and metal inserts) will respond to thermal and mechanical loads during overmoulding.

Seamless integration with Warp for shrinkage and warpage simulation

With a single click, results can be fed automatically into Warp, another feature in the Cadmould ecosystem, to support advanced analysis of post-moulding shrinkage and dimensional stability.

Process optimization for 2K & insert moulding

You are empowered to carry out data-driven optimization of gating strategies, packing pressure, and cooling parameters. The result is multi-component parts that are defect-free.

Industry

Cadmould 2K & Insert is an injection moulding simulation software feature for manufacturers working with multi-material or insert moulding processes. It has broad applications across industries, including:

• Automotive & aerospace: Multi-material processes are used to produce precision-moulded hybrid parts, structural reinforcements, and lightweight assemblies.
• Medical & electronics: Insert moulding is required to make metal-plastic connectors, casings, and overmoulded micro-components.
• Consumer goods & industrial equipment: Manufacturers rely on multi-component and insert moulding techniques to produce multi-material housings, overmoulded grips, and reinforced plastic-metal interfaces.

Engineers and simulation specialists use 2K & Insert to simulate multi-material interactions and core shift in plastic injection mould components. Simulation insights help them achieve higher dimensional accuracy, reduced defects, and optimized cycle times.

Integration & compatibility

2K & Insert is a Cadmould feature. It integrates seamlessly with other products in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software to ensure accurate and efficient workflows.

Use it with other Cadmould features including:

2K & Insert is only available in the Flex Enterprise subscription plan or as an add-on.

Trading off between speed and accuracy in injection moulding

Simulation for injection moulding often involves an unwelcome balancing act between speed and accuracy. Traditional midplane models lack volumetric precision, while full 3D volumetric models are slow, inflexible, and require expert-level setup. For parts with complex shapes or variable wall thickness, the former approach falls short in accuracy, while the latter costs valuable time in setup and computation.

The 3D-F algorithm that underpins Cadmould eliminates the balancing act by combining the best of both worlds. It delivers the high-resolution insight of volumetric models with the ease-of-use and speed of midplane approaches. 3D-F achieves this by introducing an intelligent 3D Framework mesh that dynamically adapts resolution based on part geometry and process conditions—all without sacrificing computational speed. It empowers you to carry out ultra-fast, robust, and highly accurate simulation across the vast majority of plastic parts—even the awkward ones.

Benefits

• Enjoy a superior trade-off between speed and accuracy
• Benefit from automatic meshing of complex geometries
• Capture volumetric effects like shrinkage and warpage
• Rely on high robustness for variable wall thicknesses
• Be supported to carry out fast, iterative optimization workflows
• Carry out parametric geometry changes without CAD

How it works

The 3D-F algorithm represents a next-gen category of simulation mesh—a 3D Framework—that eliminates the weaknesses and bottlenecks of ‘traditional’ midplane and volumetric approaches. Instead of meshing the entire part interior with millions of finite elements, as in 3D volumetric models, 3D-F—the simulation algorithm behind Cadmould—starts with a surface mesh and enriches it with a scaffold of internal ‘tubes’. These tubes act as intelligent paths to track material behaviour and forces.

Across every part area, Cadmould dynamically distributes 25 integration points throughout the wall thickness, adjusting their locations in real time to concentrate computational effort where it matters most. Early in the filling stage, resolution is concentrated near the mould wall, where shear is highest. Over the course of the freezing process, maximum resolution continuously shifts to the evolving melt-solid boundary. This dynamic redistribution delivers ultra-high resolution while avoiding the slowdowns of 3D-V models.

Because 3D-F understands wall thickness as a native concept, geometry adjustments (like wall thickness variations) can be defined and optimized directly in Cadmould without needing to return to CAD.

Key functionalities

Dynamic resolution optimization

The 3D-F algorithm adapts the location of its high-resolution zones in real-time, following key process variables like shear rate and temperature gradients. This dynamic approach delivers outstanding accuracy while avoiding unnecessary computations.

Wall-thickness-aware geometry modelling

Unlike traditional 3D-V meshes, 3D-F natively understands wall thickness. You as the user have the opportunity to adjust and optimize wall geometry directly in the simulation—ideal for parameter studies or automated optimization.

Ultra-fast meshing and simulation

With 3D-F, meshing is automated and streamlined, even for complex geometries. What’s more, because 3D-F is lightweight and efficient, it enables multiple simulations to run in parallel on standard hardware—ideal for design of experiments (DoE) and robust optimization.

Industry

3D-F is built to handle the kinds of parts engineers actually work with—not simplified textbook models, but real-world components with non-uniform wall thicknesses, functional features (ribs, domes, and seals) and asymmetric geometries.

As a result, 3D-F has broad use cases across industries including electronics, medical devices, and household goods. Automotive interior design is another key application—where parts like airbag housings or clips often have sharp transitions and variable wall thicknesses that are difficult or inefficient to simulate using midplane or 3D-V models.

The superior accuracy-speed trade-off offered by 3D-F comes into its own not just in single simulations, but also and especially when exploring multiple design and process variants. By combining 3D-F with Varimos, the AI assistant for Cadmould, users can automatically explore wide design spaces and rapidly converge on robust, high-performance solutions.

Integration & compatibility

3D-F was developed for the Cadmould ecosystem. It is natively embedded in Cadmould and as such is provided by default in the Flex Basic, Flex Advanced, Flex Premium, and Flex Enterprise subscription plans. It serves as the default simulation engine for most workflows, including filling, packing, shrinkage, and warpage simulations. 

In addition, 3D-F:

• is fully compatible with Varimos, the Cadmould AI assistant, for automation, DoE, and optimization workflows;
• requires no special hardware and scales well on standard CPU-based systems thanks to efficient architecture;
• supports import of CAD files from common formats and offers automated meshing that minimizes manual intervention; and
• has an internal data structure that integrates seamlessly with post-processing tools for advanced visualization and reporting.

Closing the simulation-to-visualization gap

Surface defects can seriously impact the perceived quality of plastic parts, especially in design-critical industries. At the same time, traditional simulation outputs are often too abstract to enable stakeholders to predict what the surface texture will actually look like. This ‘gap’ can lead to costly changes down the line.

Authentic Surface Graining closes the gap between abstract simulation outputs and real-world appearance. Instead of having to interpret abstract shrinkage plots or deformation vectors, users get a photorealistic rendering of their part—including surface texture and deformations—as it would appear under real lighting.

Benefits

• Realistically simulate part appearance under real-world lighting 
• Identify final part surface defects visually before production begins
• Compare grain options side-by-side to remove the guesswork from trade-off decisions
• Improve communication across teams and with clients thanks to tangible visual outputs that eliminate subjective interpretation
• Reduce the risk of costly mould modification once production begins

How it works

Authentic Surface Graining factors in 3D CAD design plus key technical data—such as material choice, cooling conditions, shrinkage, and packing pressure—and turns them into tangible visual output.

Live results are presented in a dedicated rendering window that allows side-by-side comparison of options. Whether in design reviews, tooling discussions, or customer presentations, users are instantly able to assess a part’s visual quality—no deep simulation knowledge required.

Key functionalities

Visualization of textured simulation results

With photorealistic surface rendering, project managers and decision makers are equipped to make faster, more confident decisions. When you import a part’s 3D CAD design and texture file to Cadmould, Authentic Surface Graining goes beyond traditional calculations to preview the part as it would appear in the real world—including texture, lighting effects and simulated surface deformations like sink marks.

Side-by-side grain comparison

In a dedicated rendering window, Authentic Surface Graining enables the parallel viewing and comparison of grain options for a designed part. With the ability to virtually ‘pick up’, rotate, and inspect the part, you can identify which option will best conceal flaws. 

Freely scalable visualization of deformation

Easy scaling of shrinkage and warpage effects enables a fully informed assessment of deformation impact.

Custom mesh integration

Authentic Surface Graining renders results on user-provided meshes to let you assess exactly how your part’s texture interacts with deformation data.

Industry

From material decisions to virtual design reviews, Authentic Surface Graining enables fast, visual validation that’s clear to all involved—including stakeholders without a technical background.

Roles with use cases for Authentic Surface Graining include:

• Automotive interior designers & simulation engineers: In automotive manufacturing, Authentic Surface Graining can be used to visualize dashboards, door panels, and other high-visibility parts to ensure that grain selection masks potential sink marks.
• Consumer electronics designers: For sleek components like phone backs or wearable housings, designers must be sure that fine-grain textures will not show defects.
• Toolmakers & mould designers: Technical stakeholders can easily show clients how different cooling setups or materials will impact visible surface quality, with no need to interpret cryptic shrinkage plots or heat maps.
• Project managers & decision-makers: Non-technical stakeholders are equipped with the information they need to make fast, informed approvals.

Integration & compatibility

Authentic Surface Graining:

• integrates seamlessly into the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, leveraging numerical simulation data (e.g. cooling simulation results and shrinkage & warpage analysis) to generate its output; 
• works with user-supplied textured meshes and supports multiple mesh variants for comparison;
• provides photorealistic previews in an independent rendering window, enabling parallel workflows; and
• supports common 3D CAD design formats and textures used in automotive and consumer electronics applications.

Authentic Surface Graining is available in the Flex Enterprise subscription plan or as an add-on.

Maximizing efficiency in multi-simulation workflows

Simulation workflows often require multiple test cases with varying parameters. Without automation, these simulations must be executed manually: a process that is time-consuming and prone to errors. 

Batch removes the need for manual intervention by automating your multi-simulation workflow. There’s no need to wait until one simulation is finished before adding the next: its user-friendly interface lets you easily create an automatic queue.

Benefits

• Enjoy seamless task management thanks to the easy queueing and prioritization of injection moulding simulation variants for structured execution
• Increase efficiency through the uninterrupted processing of multiple simulations consecutively, reducing the need for manual intervention
• Minimize errors thanks to the guaranteed accurate execution of all queued simulations
• Improve productivity by freeing up engineers’ time to focus on results analysis and decision making

How it works

Batch lets you easily define multiple simulation scenarios and execute them automatically for maximum efficiency and accuracy.

You as the user prepare injection moulding simulation variants for virtual analysis, then add them to a task list and prioritize the execution order based on project needs. Once the queue is triggered, the system sequentially processes each simulation without interruption—no manual oversight required. While the simulations run in the background, engineers have time and space to focus on core tasks.

Once simulations are completed, results are automatically saved and organized for easy analysis, with outcomes for different simulation variants placed side-by-side to quickly reveal the optimal design and process parameters. Time is saved, the reliability and consistency of simulation workflows is increased, and you are empowered to carry out informed decision-making without the inefficiencies of manual execution.

Key functionalities

Automated multi-simulation execution

Batch automates the sequential execution of multiple injection moulding simulations, eliminating the need for manual oversight. Once added to the task list, simulations are processed according to the pre-defined order. This uninterrupted execution frees up engineers to focus on analysing results and driving innovation.

Intuitive task management

Queueing and prioritization of simulation variants is easy thanks to a user-friendly interface tailored for efficient project execution. The pre-defined execution list reduces the potential for errors and streamlines complex simulation workflows, saving valuable time and resources.

Seamless organization of results

Batch automatically saves and organizes simulation results in one centralized location. By enabling the side-by-side comparison of different simulation variants, it empowers you to quickly identify optimal design and process parameters. Decision-making is accelerated and outcomes are reliable at every stage of the workflow.

Error reduction through automation

By leveraging automated processing, Batch minimizes the errors inherent in manual task execution. The system executes each simulation with precision, guaranteeing consistently high-quality results and improving reliability across workflows.

Industry

Batch is an indispensable tool for optimizing simulation workflows and boosting efficiency across industries, including: 

• automotive manufacturing, where injection moulding is used to produce components such as dashboards and bumper systems;
• aerospace, which relies on high-performance injection-moulded parts turbine housings and structural brackets;
• medical device manufacturing, where the Cadmould simulation ecosystem ensures that precision-moulded parts such as surgical instruments and implant casings meet the highest quality and regulatory standards; and
• electronics and industrial equipment manufacturing, where Batch can be used to evaluate material choices for components ranging from connectors and cooling housings to pump casings and precision gears.

Wherever it’s used, the automation power of Cadmould Batch helps to significantly reduce errors and bring high-quality products to market faster and more efficiently.

Integration & compatibility

Batch seamlessly integrates with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software to facilitate end-to-end simulation. Combined with Fill, Pack and Warp, it enables you to efficiently analyse moulding parameters across various phases by leveraging powerful batch processing capabilities. 

Batch is also compatible with Varimos AI, the AI assistant for the Cadmould ecosystem, which leverages machine learning based on simulation data to find optimal parameter combinations faster. Batch supports parallel execution on multiple processors for enhanced efficiency (multi-core processing).

Batch is available in the Flex Advanced, Flex Premium, and Flex Enterprise subscription plans.

Mastering filling in multi-gated moulds

Multiple gates are opened and closed during cascade injection moulding in hot runner systems. Without simulation software to optimize the opening and closing sequences, defects such as weld lines, pressure drops, air entrapment, and uneven shrinkage can occur.

Cascadic Injection is an advanced feature that comprehensively addresses the challenges of multi-gate moulding. It lets you simulate and optimize gate-switching sequences during the injection process. As a result, filling is more uniform, part quality is improved, and defects are minimized.

Benefits

• Optimize filling for large, multi-gate components
• Minimize defects by ensuring uniform material distribution
• Precisely control the timing of gate openings and adjust sequencing to banish weak weld lines
• Minimize injection pressure & warpage defects from injection moulding and manipulate fiber orientation to reduce zones of mechanical weakness
• Enhanced defect prevention: Identify and correct air entrapment, pressure drops, and flow imbalances
• Faster process optimization: Compare multiple gating strategies quickly and interactively to find the best solution

How it works

Cascadic Injection lets you simulate and optimize gate switching sequences according to a clear and structured workflow. 

• Before: In the setup phase, you as the user define the gate locations and timing strategies for opening and closing. Each gate can be individually controlled based on different events like e.g. time in cycle, flow front position, local pressure.
• During: In the simulation step, Cascadic Injection dynamically models the filling behaviour as different gates open, close and re-open at predetermined moments or triggers. Thanks to the simulation software, you get a clear picture of changes in material flow, weld line formation, pressure distribution, and air entrapment at each stage of the cascade injection moulding process in a hot runner system.
• After: With data from the simulation, you are empowered to refine gate timing and injection parameters for optimal weld line positioning, reduced pressure peaks, and improved cooling balance. Efficient, data-driven adjustments ensure the optimal structural integrity and visual appearance of final parts.

Key functionalities

Precise control of gate opening sequences

Cascadic Injection lets you simulate how different gate opening and closing sequences affect filling patterns, weld line locations, and pressure balancing. You have the data you need to optimize timing and filling parameters and achieve optimal mechanical properties.

Weld line elimination and flow optimization

Fiber orientation is critical for the mechanical strength of weld lines. By understanding how a proposed gate opening sequence will affect fiber orientation, you can increase the mechanical strength of weld lines or even prevent them from forming completely—important ticks on the injection moulding validation checklist.

Integrated analysis of shrinkage, cooling and warpage defects in injection moulding

Seamless integration with Pack and Cool, other features in the Cadmould ecosystem, lets you simulate the impact of gate sequencing on shrinkage, cooling rates, and final part deformation. Insights from the simulation software can be leveraged to reduce warpage and improve dimensional stability during cascade injection moulding in hot runner systems.

Injection pressure optimization

Cascadic Injection predicts the maximum injection pressure required for a gate switching schedule and identifies opportunities to reduce excessive pressure through targeted modifications. The result: Machine wear is minimized and energy consumption reduced.

Visualization of flow behaviour and air entrapment

With Cascadic Injection, you get animated, visualizations of flow fronts, weld lines, air pockets, and pressure zones. This advanced flow simulation capability allows you to detect and solve issues before they occur by refining the venting strategy and preventing short shots.

Industry

Cascadic Injection is a critical process optimization tool for industries where multi-gate injection moulding is required to produce large, complex parts. It helps to ensure high strength, precise dimensions, flawless surface quality and other key requirements on the injection moulding validation checklist.

Industries with use cases for Cascadic Injection include:

• Automotive and aerospace manufacturing: Cascadic Injection helps to produce bumpers, dashboards, and structural components with optimized weld line positions and minimized warpage.
• Medical and electronics manufacturing: Cascadic Injection offers precise control over flow sequencing, ensuring high surface quality and reduced defects in thin-walled precision components.
• Industrial equipment and consumer goods: Optimized sequential valve gating in Cascadic Injection prevents overpacking and minimizes pressure fluctuations. The result is stronger, more durable plastic parts with consistent mechanical properties

Integration & compatibility

Cascadic Injection is a Cadmould feature that integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem.

Use it with:

Cascadic Injection is available in the Flex Basic, Flex Advanced, Flex Premium and Flex Enterprise subscription plans.

Controlling the effects of fibre flow on part quality

Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) exhibits anisotropic behaviour. This means its stiffness and strength depends on the way the fibres align during injection moulding. Sub-optimal alignment can cause uneven or directional shrinkage, which can in turn lead to warpage and poor part quality. How can this be prevented?

Fibre has the answer. It accurately simulates fibre orientation during injection moulding to enable informed, data-driven optimization. By understanding flow behaviour, you can adjust mould design and process settings to enhance part quality and mechanical stability.

Benefits

• Accurately simulate fibre orientation in fibre-reinforced plastic parts to understand anisotropic behaviour
• Use insights from fibre alignment analysis to improve part stability and mechanical properties
• Combine seamlessly with Cadmould Warp to model warpage effects and achieve enhanced warpage control in parts containing anisotropic materials
• Optimize gating strategies to enhance fibre distribution and reduce defects
• Achieve faster design iterations and reduce costly trial-and-error by simulating and refining fibre flow during moulding
• Combine with Fibre Export, an add-on in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, to seamlessly transfer fibre orientation simulation data to structural solvers

How it works

Fibre is a fibre orientation simulation feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software. It predicts how fibres will align during injection moulding based on flow direction and process parameters, considering injection speed, gate locations, and cooling effects to generate a detailed fibre orientation tensor field. This lets you understand how shrinkage and warpage are influenced by flow-induced fibre orientation under a given set of process parameters.

Controlling this fibre-induced shrinkage and warpage is essential for achieving dimensional stability. Since shrinkage in anisotropic materials depends on fiber orientation, Fibre combines seamlessly with Warp, another feature in the Cadmould family, to reflect this dependency. In an integrated approach, Fibre and Warp provide accurate predictions of final part deformation.

These insights empower you to proactively mitigate warpage effects by optimizing process conditions and mould design. Adjustments to gating locations, processing temperatures, and material flow paths can lead to better fibre alignment, reducing the risk of defects such as weak points, stress concentrations, and dimensional inaccuracies. In this way, the quality of the final part is optimized before physical production even begins.

Key functionalities

Accurate simulation of fibre orientation

You enter the gate locations and other moulding parameters; Fibre accurately predicts fibre alignment and distribution for the specified parameter set.

Influence of fibre orientation on mechanical properties

Instead of assuming isotropic behaviour, Fibre enables you to accurately predict the shrinkage, warpage, and structural performance of a part based on actual flow-induced fibre orientation.

Seamless integration with Warp for enhanced warpage simulation

Fibre combines seamlessly with Warp, a sophisticated warpage simulation feature in the Cadmould ecosystem. Warp analyses fibre orientation simulation data from Fibre to determine anisotropic shrinkage effects, improving predictions of dimensional stability.

Optimization of part and mould design based on high-quality data

Fibre equips you with the data you need to refine gating strategies, mould design, and process parameters. Less guesswork; better part quality; fewer defects.

Seamless export of data with Fibre Export

Fibre Export transfers fibre orientation simulation data from Fibre to external structural solvers for advanced FEA analysis. As such, it unlocks seamless integration between Fibre and leading tools such as Abaqus, Ansys, and Nastran.

Please note that this export functionality is not included in Fibre itself. For more information on exporting fiber data, see the Fibre Export page.

Integrated FEM based on fibre orientation data

Fibre can be combined with Part FEM, another feature in the Cadmould ecosystem, to deliver integrated FEM based on simulations of actual fibre orientation behaviour.

Industry

Across industries, fibre orientation plays a crucial role in determining the mechanical behaviour, durability, and dimensional stability of fibre-reinforced injection-moulded components.

As such, the ability to simulate fibre orientation in injection moulding simulation software is critical to diverse high-specification applications. These include:

• Automotive and aerospace manufacturing: Lightweighting strategies require precise control over fibre alignment to ensure optimal strength-to-weight ratios and crash safety performance. 
• Consumer electronics: Designs must be impact-resistant and thin-walled.
• Medical devices: Sterile, high-precision components rely on stable fibre behaviour.
• Industrial equipment and heavy machinery: Components must endure high loads and resist fatigue over extended lifespans.
  
  

Across these sectors and more, Fibre provides engineers and manufacturers with the ability to simulate, optimize, and validate fibre orientation effects, reducing trial-and-error costs and improving the reliability of fibre-reinforced plastic components.

Integration & compatibility

Cadmould Fibre integrates powerful fibre orientation simulation capabilities into the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding software. Use it seamlessly with the following Cadmould features:

Fibre is available in the Flex Basic, Flex Advanced, Flex Premium and Flex Enterprise subscription plans.

High fidelity in structural simulations

Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) exhibits anisotropic behaviour - i.e., its stiffness, strength, and thermal expansion varies with fibre orientation. Despite this, standard structural simulations often assume isotropic properties, leading to inaccuracies in predicting stress distribution, deformation, and failure risks.

This is why Fibre Export exists. Anisotropic behaviour means that structural simulations of FRP parts require accurate - not assumed - fibre orientation data. Seamless transfer of simulated fibre alignment data via Fibre Export enables high fidelity structural simulations.

Benefits

• Carry out precise mechanical simulations based on the realistic behaviour of fibre-based materials 
• Optimize part strength and weight based on informed calculations in FEA tools
• Reduce prototyping costs by validating real-world performance before physical development begins
• Enhance thermal and warpage predictions for better long-term durability of fibre-reinforced parts
• Enjoy seamless integration with common FEA tools (Abaqus, Ansys, Nastran,…) for advanced analysis

How it works

The Fibre Export workflow begins with Fibre, another feature in the Cadmould family, which predicts the flow and orientation of fibres during injection moulding of fibre-reinforced plastics and other anisotropic materials. Fibre analyses how factors like injection speed, gate placement, and material choice combine to determine the overall filling behaviour. This simulated filling behaviour is then used to generate a detailed fibre orientation tensor field.

Once fibre orientation is accurately simulated for the fibre-reinforced moulding component, Fibre Export seamlessly transfers this data to structural solvers. Files can be imported to leading tools either directly (in the case of Ansys and Hypermesh) or with the use of mapping software like Converse (in the case of Nastran and Abaqus). Just as importantly, Fibre Export preserves flow-induced fibre orientation at a granular level, allowing for an accurate representation of material anisotropy across different regions of the part.

In the next step, you use your chosen FEA simulation software to perform accurate structural simulations of how the product will perform in the real world. By integrating local fibre orientation information into the FEA process, the mechanical properties of each element are adjusted individually to reflect their anisotropic behaviour.

Key functionalities

Accurate predictions of fibre-based material behaviour when simulating fibre-reinforced plastic parts

Stop relying on simulations that don’t account for anisotropic material behaviours. Through the export of detailed fibre orientation data, Fibre Export provides FEA simulation software with the information it needs to predict product stress and deformation with accuracy. This allows for more efficient product development based on material load and, ultimately, for fewer prototypes and faster development cycles.

Seamless data export for structural analysis

Fibre Export takes fibre simulation data generated in Cadmould Fibre and creates fibre orientation tensor fields suitable for export to leading structural solvers either directly (Ansys, Hypermesh) or with the use of mapping software like Converse (Nastran, Abaqus).This allows you to integrate accurate data about flow-induced fibre orientation seamlessly into your FEA workflow. The result is faster development of FRP parts.

Optimized part and material design

By using real fibre orientation data, you can fine-tune fibre alignment within a glass or carbon fibre-reinforced part to improve load-bearing performance exactly where it’s needed. This advanced optimization means better-performing parts with minimized material usage.

Improved thermal and warpage predictions

Fiber orientation significantly affects how a part expands or contracts when exposed to heat. As a result, when you incorporate real fiber orientation data into your FEA workflow, you get significantly more accurate predictions of stress distribution under different thermal and mechanical conditions. You have the insights you need to prevent deformation and ensure dimensional stability.

Industry

Fibre Export plays a crucial role in industries that rely on high-performance, fibre-reinforced plastic parts for which precise mechanical and thermal behavior predictions are essential.

Industries with use cases for Fibre Export include:

• Automotive and aerospace: Fibre Export supports the simulation of any injection-moulded part with anisotropic properties, most commonly glass or carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. In this way, it helps to ensure the optimal strength and safety of structural components such as battery housings, crash-reinforced parts, and lightweight load-bearing elements.
• Medical and electronics: Fibre Export enhances the dimensional stability and mechanical reliability of precision-moulded components - essential for functionality and longevity.
• Industrial equipment: Fibre Export helps engineers to design gears, brackets, and reinforced parts that maximize durability and lifespan.

By integrating real-world fibre orientation data into FEA simulations for fibre-reinforced moulding materials, manufacturers enjoy more reliable designs, reduced material costs, and accelerated development cycles. As such, Fibre Export serves as an indispensable tool for advanced structural analysis across multiple high-tech industries.

Integration & compatibility

Fiber Export can be connected to a range of leading FEA and digital mapping tools, including:

• Abaqus
• Ansys
• Hypermesh
• Nastran (for advanced medical analysis)
• Digimat
• Converse

Fiber Export is only available with the Flex Enterprise subscription plan or as an add-on.

Optimizing filling behaviour for part quality

The flow of molten plastic into the mould cavity during injection moulding is key in determining a part’s quality and durability. Failure to analyse and optimize process parameters like position, temperature and pressure can result in short filling, air traps, and poorly located weld lines. Costly rework is the result.

Fill is a powerful filling simulation software feature that accurately predicts mould filling behaviour. Detailed simulation data flags flow-related issues early in the design phase and empowers you to optimize mould design, gate placement and process parameters accordingly. As a result, Fill reduces costly trial-and-error iterations later down the line.

Benefits

• Reduce maximum injection pressure & clamping force, and optimize weld line location, through targeted positioning of the injection point
• Prevent common issues such as air traps, unbalanced filling and short filling in injection moulding
• Optimize gate locations to ensure uniform filling and improved part integrity
• Optimize the balance of hot and cold runner systems
• Accelerate development cycles and reduce costs by minimizing mould corrections and trial-and-error iteration in the physical realm

How it works

Fill analyses the entire filling phase of the injection moulding process, offering detailed insights into how the melt behaves inside the mould. It uses sophisticated fluid flow modelling to predict melt flow dynamics, calculate injection moulding fill time, and identify potential defect areas. 

In particular, Fill provides:

• Mould filling simulation with melt front visualization
• Detailed analysis of pressure, temperature, and shear stress of the material inside the mould
• Automatic gate placement optimization to minimize the length of the maximum flow path
• Simulation of family and multi-cavity moulds to support complex part configurations

These functionalities empower you to resolve potential issues before the first physical mould even exists.

Key functionalities

Analysis of mould filling behaviour

Fill predicts melt front movement and reliably calculates injection moulding fill time, helping you ensure even filling and prevent flow-related defects.

Gate and runner optimization

Gate placement and runner system balance are critical to controlling the flow of molten plastic into mould cavities. Insights from Fill help you optimize gate locations and balance hot and cold runner systems, ensuring uniform filling across single or multi cavity moulds.

Detection of air entrapment, weld lines, and short shots

Common injection moulding issues such as these can compromise part strength and appearance. By simulating the mould fill process, Fill helps you identify problem areas during the design phase.

Process parameter tuning

By simulating mould flow, you can assess variables like temperature and injection speed affect filling behaviour. Equipped with this knowledge, you can optimize process parameters to achieve defect-free moulding—even for complex filling profiles.

Industry

Across industries, achieving consistent, defect-free mould filling is essential for high-quality plastic components.

Industries with use cases for Fill include:

• Automotive & aerospace: Filling simulation improves the filling of lightweight automotive parts.
• Consumer electronics: Understanding filling behaviour ensures the flawless moulding of thin-walled electronic casings.
• Medical device manufacturing: Defection prevention through filling simulation is essential to meet stringent regulatory standards for medical components.

For engineers working with real-world applications, Fill provides the precision needed to refine designs before production. By simulating and optimizing the filling phase, manufacturers can accelerate development, minimize costly mold iterations, and achieve superior product performance across a wide range of applications.

Integration & compatibility

Fill integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software for end-to-end injection moulding simulation.

Use it with:

Fill also supports a range of export options, including:

• VMAP open CAE standard
• TopSolid Mold
• Generation of customizable HTML and PDF reports for streamlined documentation and collaboration
  
  

Fill is available in the Flex Basic, Flex Advanced, Flex Premium, and Flex Enterprise subscription plans.

The unique challenges of foam injection moulding

Gas expansion, density variation, bubble formation and complex flow behaviour can lead to sink marks, warpage and air inclusions in foamed parts. The problem for injection moulders is that standard simulation tools often fail to capture these intricacies.

Foam Processing accurately models chemical and physical foaming processes like MuCell®, Cellmould®, and Optifoam®. It predicts bubble distribution, material density, and defect formation, enabling you to optimize lightweighting, reduce cycle times, and prevent defects before production begins.

Benefits

• Predict density distribution and gas volume fraction variation through precise foam expansion modelling
• Control foam behaviour to optimize lightweighting strategies
• Eliminate sink marks and reduce warpage with the help of gas-assisted expansion
• Improve cycle times by reducing clamping forces and optimizing cooling
• Identify potential defects (such as air inclusions and weld lines) early
• Use in conjunction with multiple foaming techniques, including chemical and physical foaming

How it works

You begin the foam simulation process by defining key process parameters such as foaming agent (chemical or physical), gas content, injection speed, and pressure profiles. Equipped with this information, Foam Processing accurately models the mould filling process. It tracks gas expansion and bubble formation and determines the impact of these on filling behaviour, cooling rates, and shrinkage.

As the simulation progresses, the feature calculates gas volume fractions, cell growth, pressure distribution, and the mechanical effects of gas expansion. It also provides  visualizations of flow patterns, identifying potential defects such as weld lines, air pockets, and uneven density zones.

By analyzing these results, you can fine-tune your parameters to:

• minimize material usage;
• prevent warpage; and
• improve structural integrity, ensuring optimal lightweighting and cost efficiency.

Key functionalities

Accurate simulation of bubble growth and density 

By precisely modelling foam expansion, Foam Processing ensures a clear understanding of density variations and void formation in moulded parts.

Material and process optimization

Foam Processing enables you to fine-tune gas mass fractions, injection profiles, and pressure settings in order to optimize weight reduction, mechanical strength, and cycle efficiency.

Prediction of shrinkage and warpage

By factoring in gas-induced shrinkage compensation, Foam Processing helps you adjust mould designs to prevent unwanted deformation before it occurs. Fewer iterations; better dimensional stability.

Optimization of cycle time and energy efficiency

Foam Processing analyses cooling times and clamping force requirements, empowering you to reduce cycle duration and machine wear while maintaining part quality.

Defect prevention and process reliability

Simulation of foam moulding enables early detection of potential defects such as air pockets, weld lines, and sink marks. You are equipped with the insights you need to eliminate process inconsistencies and improve yield rates.

Industry

Foam injection moulding is essential in industries that require lightweight, high-performance plastic components.

As a result, Foam Processing has broad applications across all industries that rely on foam moulding to create high-quality parts, including:

• Automotive manufacturing: Foam injection moulding simulation helps manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight without compromising structural integrity, making it an indispensable tool for the production of dashboards, bumpers, and under-the-hood components.
• Aerospace: Foam moulding simulation enables the production of durable, lightweight cabin and structural components.
• Consumer goods and packaging: Manufacturers rely on foam moulding simulation to achieve improved insulation, weight savings, and cost-efficient production of foamed products like protective casings.
• Medical and electronics manufacturing: Foam moulding simulation is used to build precision components with controlled density and mechanical properties.

Integration and compatibility

Foam Processing is a Cadmould feature. It integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem to deliver a complete analysis of foamed material behaviour, from injection to the final part at room temperature. 

Use it with other Cadmould features including:

Foam Processing is compatible with a range of thermoplastic and thermoset foaming materials, making it a flexible tool for diverse manufacturing environments.

Foam Processing is only available in the Flex Enterprise subscription plan or as an add-on.

Understanding how compression affects flow and dimensional stability in ICM

In injection compression moulding (ICM), material is injected into a partially open mould. Once the cavity is filled, further compression is applied to ensure uniform polymer flow. To optimize the process, engineers need a way to understand how different design and process parameters affect the flow, cooling, and dimensional stability effects that arise from the compression phase.

Injection Compression simulates every step of the ICM process. Through in-depth analysis of pressure variations, shrinkage effects and stress, it empowers you to optimize the compression moulding process for:

• lower injection pressures,
• reduced residual stress, and
• greater stability of the final part.

Benefits

• Optimize injection compression moulding design by fine-tuning force, stroke and timing
• Minimize injection pressure to preserve material integrity and reduce stress on mould and machinery
• Leverage the full potential of compression for ensuring uniform thickness, minimal sink marks, and improved dimensional accuracy
• Ensure even pressure distribution to reduce warpage & residual stresses and increase long-term durability
• Save on costs through process optimization: minimize cycle times, tool wear, and product defects

How it works

Injection compression moulding versus traditional injection moulding - what’s the difference?

As the name suggests, ICM is a hybrid process that enhances traditional injection moulding by incorporating a controlled compression phase. 

Here, instead of injecting molten polymer into a fully closed mould, the material is injected into a partially open one. Once the cavity is filled, one section of the mould can be opened or closed to direct pressure where it’s needed, redistributing material and ensuring uniform flow. The rest of the mould remains stable. The controlled compression phase minimizes residual stress and produces uniform packing pressure, which allows for a lower clamping force.

Injection Compression is a simulation software feature that models every step of this process. By predicting how key parameters like initial mould gaps, compression timing, force, and speed affect filling pressure, shrinkage effects, and mechanical stress distributions, it empowers you to fine-tune settings before production begins.

The result: Higher-precision parts with lower injection pressures and improved surface quality

Key functionalities

Precise compression stroke simulation

Injection Compression models the timing, force, and speed of mould compression to ensure proper material distribution.

Pressure & temperature optimization

ICM simulation determines the minimum injection pressure required for successful moulding. In doing so, it prevents material degradation and ensures mould longevity and even cooling—including in specialized applications like silicone compression moulding. 

Shrinkage & warpage prediction

Thanks to seamless integration between Injection Compression and Warp, another feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, you get in-depth calculations of post-moulding deformation caused by compression moulding effects.

Structural performance evaluation

Simulation data enables informed adjustment of mould designs, gate locations, and compression parameters before production begins. This comprehensive design and process optimization helps you achieve superior mechanical properties faster. 

Seamless integration with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem

Alongside Warp, Injection Compression works seamlessly with FIll and Pack to perform comprehensive compression moulding calculations.

Industry

Injection compression moulding is particularly valuable for high-precision plastic components in which flow behaviour, shrinkage control, and mechanical properties must be carefully managed. 

Industries that rely on ICM include:

• Automotive: Compression moulding of plastics is widely used to produce headlamp lenses, interior trim panels, and lightweight battery enclosures: components for which dimensional accuracy and minimal residual stress are critical.
• Medical device manufacturing: ICM enables the creation of optical-grade polymer lenses and surgical tools with minimal warpage and superior mechanical strength. 
• Electronics manufacturing: Where traditional moulding would result in sink marks or inconsistent surface finishes, ICM is ideal for producing high-quality thin-walled casings.
• Optical and transparent part production: Engineers rely on ICM to produce display covers, LED lenses, and camera components, where even the smallest defect can compromise clarity and performance.

By providing greater control over polymer distribution, cooling, and shrinkage, Cadmould Injection Compression helps manufacturers in these industries reduce costs, enhance part performance, and eliminate production inefficiencies.

Integration & compatibility

Injection Compression integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software to enable end-to-end optimization.

Use it with:

Injection Compression is only available in the Flex Enterprise subscription plan or as an add-on.

Data policies versus the demand for resources in injection moulding simulation

High-fidelity simulations require significant computing resources, especially in the case of complex meshes and multi-variant optimizations. Traditional workstation setups quickly reach their limits, delaying design iterations.

To compound the problem, companies in sensitive industries like aerospace and medical device manufacturing face strict data policies that prohibit the use of cloud-based solutions and SaaS in their simulation workflow.

On-Premise Server resolves the conflict between data security and the pressing need for computing resources.  

Through the provision of high-performance infrastructure right on your premises, it empowers your teams to run large-scale simulations in parallel, collaborate seamlessly across sites, and accelerate time to market—all while maintaining complete control over data security and compliance.

Benefits

• Benefit from simulations that finish in a fraction of the time—even for complex meshes or large DoEs
• Launch simulations in parallel from different departments or countries—no waiting in line for computing time
• Enjoy the benefits of lightning-fast simulation for regulated industries thanks to guaranteed data sovereignty
• Work uninterrupted while simulations run in the background on the centralized HPC infrastructure
• Centralize investment and maximize ROI per simulation hour with one powerful server that supports many users and simulations

How it works

On-Premise Server delivers high-performance computing for the use of Cadmould simulation software—on-premise, within your own secure IT environment.

Instead of overloading local workstations, simulation jobs are offloaded to a dedicated, centralized server that’s purpose-built for computationally demanding tasks.

The system architecture provides:

• Smooth user workflows thanks to pre- and post-processing on client machines
• Automatic job queuing and parallel execution on the HPC server
• Remote monitoring and real-time reprioritization of simulations
• Seamless access for multiple users, wherever they’re located

This setup is designed to maximize simulation throughput while keeping all of your sensitive design data securely on your premises. Work is uninterrupted, projects move faster, and computer power scales effortlessly across teams.

Key functionalities 

Centralized high-performance simulation

Precision and speed are essential requirements for optimizing injection moulding with the Cadmould ecosystem. With this in mind, On-Premise Server enables you to offload heavy simulation workloads from local machines onto a powerful, dedicated server for massively accelerated runtimes—even when dealing with fine meshes or complicated DoEs. The full potential of Cadmould is unleashed.

Remote job monitoring and control

On-Premise Server lets you monitor, prioritize and adjust simulation jobs from any connected workstation. Distributed engineering teams are empowered to manage multiple servers easily with a centralized, intuitive dashboard—full transparency guaranteed.

Parallel processing for multi-user workflows

With the flexible client-server architecture of On-Premise server, your teams carry out pre- and post-processing on local machines while the server handles the simulations in the background. Design work proceeds uninterrupted and idle time across projects is minimized.

Secure on-premise deployment

With On-Premise Server, your design and simulation data never leaves your organization’s infrastructure. Ensuring compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements is made much simpler than with a cloud solution.

Industry

On-Premise Server equips teams to simulate faster, work smarter, and scale operations without compromising control through cloud-based or SaaS solutions. Read on to find out about just a few of the environments—from multinational enterprises to data-sensitive sectors—where On-Premise Server is already helping teams work better.

• Automotive: In the automotive sector, distributed simulation teams launch studies in parallel across global sites. A team in Germany runs warp simulations while their colleagues in Mexico explore DoEs—all using the same centralized infrastructure.
• Highly regulated industries: In highly regulated spaces like aerospace and medical devices, On-Premise Server ensures full data sovereignty by securely processing simulations within internal systems. For manufacturers tackling complex mould designs, it enables high-volume variant testing at unprecedented speeds. Tasks that previously required days—such as running 80+ simulations—can now be completed overnight.
• Global, collaborative engineering environments: On-Premise Server lets teams across continents seamlessly share access to sophisticated simulation workflows. If so required, pre-processing, calculations, and post-processing can be carried out in three different global locations—streamlined and uninterrupted at every stage.

By bringing simulation capabilities in-house and enabling seamless collaboration, On-Premise Server empowers engineering leaders to shorten development cycles, lower costs, and deliver superior products to market.

Integration and compatibility

The On-Premise Server feature can be added from Flex Advanced for 99 Euro per month/user and is fully integrated into the Cadmould infrastructure.

Tailored for Windows environments, it:

• supports deployment across internal networks and secured internet connections;
• allows users from multiple departments and geographic locations to connect to the centralized HPC infrastructure without altering their local workflows; and
• offers smooth, customizable integration into existing IT infrastructures.

Licensing is hardware-based: up to 16 calculations can be performed in parallel. 

Predicting the effects of packing and cooling on final part quality

Packing and cooling pose critical challenges for injection moulders, since they have the potential to significantly impact part quality, dimensional precision and production efficiency. 

Inadequate packing pressure distribution and poorly controlled cooling can lead to injection moulding defects such as sink marks and warping.

Pack builds on filling phase results from Fill, another feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, to analyse mould packing pressure and cooling of the part.

By modelling pressure distribution, shrinkage, cooling efficiency, and clamping forces, Pack predicts whether or not a final part will have uniform density. Equipped with these insights, you can optimize processing parameters and mould design before production begins, reducing trial-and-error iterations.

Benefits

• Prevent defects like sink marks and excessive shrinkage that compromise part quality
• Balance short cycle durations with material stability and minimized shrinkage potential to determine the optimal cooling time
• Maintain high-quality moulding results while reducing cycle times
• Analyse pressure and temperature distribution to ensure reliable demoulding
• Calculate maximum clamping forces

How it works

Pack is part of the Cadmould simulation ecosystem. It simulates mould packing and cooling by analysing material flow behaviour and the thermal conditions acting on the part.

Use Pack to calculate:

• pressure distribution—to optimize gate positioning and packing efficiency;
• temperature gradients—to predict cooling rates and prevent hot spots;
• the clamping force required to maintain mould stability—to ensure that the machine is able to effectively apply it;
• volume shrinkage and sink mark formation—to minimize visual and functional defects; and
• optimal packing times, cooling times, and shot volume—to enhance cycle efficiency.

By understanding these factors before production, you are empowered to refine moulding strategies and ensure consistent part quality.

Key functionalities

Optimization of packing pressure and packing time for injection-moulded parts

Pack ensures conformal shrinkage compensation throughout the part.

Cooling time and efficiency analysis

By calculating cooling durations that optimally balance key process and design requirements, Pack lets you reduce your cycle times without compromising part integrity.

Sink mark prevention

Sophisticated modelling of flow behaviour and flow conditions predicts where sink marks are likely to appear, empowering you to proactively adjust your mould design.

Clamping force and demoulding safety

Pack evaluates how much force is needed during cooling to prevent mould deflection, ensuring smooth demoulding.

Industry

Packing and cooling effects pose daily challenges for manufacturers. These phases must be precisely controlled in order to produce high-quality, dimensionally stable, and defect-free parts. If they are not, issues such as sink marks, air traps, shrinkage, and warpage can occur, compromising quality and sending production costs off track.

As a simulation-based software feature for precise mould packing and cooling analysis, Pack answers these challenges. It has use cases across industries including:

• automotive manufacturing, where it helps to prevent warpage in structural parts;
• medical device manufacturing, where it is used to develop defect-free biocompatible parts; and
• electronics manufacturing, where it is used to produce high-tolerance enclosures with precise cooling control.

Pack helps manufacturers reduce trial-and-error, improve moulding efficiency, and achieve first-time-right production. Its insights enable the data-driven optimization of packing and cooling conditions for thin-walled precision components, large high-strength parts, and multi-cavity moulds.

Integration and compatibility

Pack is a feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software.

Use it with:

Outside the Cadmould ecosystem, pressure and shrinkage data can be easily exported from Pack for advanced mechanical performance evaluation in FEM structural analysis tools.

Pack is available in the Flex Advanced, Flex Premium and Flex Enterprise subscription plans or as an add-on.

Predicting part performance under real-world conditions

After moulding, plastic components are subject not only to residual stresses but to mechanical and thermal load cases that induce further stresses during real-world use. This is a challenge for high-performance applications in which strength and dimensional stability must be guaranteed.

Part FEM predicts real-world performance by applying accurate finite element analysis (FEA) for moulded parts, considering material properties, fiber orientations, and operational loads. In doing so, it provides engineers with fast, clear insights into mechanical behaviour for safety-critical applications.

Benefits

• Analyse Von Mises stress, strain energy, elongation, and the stress-strain curve with high accuracy
• Simulate real-world loads to predict the mechanical deformation of parts under operational forces
• Factor in fiber orientation effects to accurately assess the mechanical properties of anisotropic materials
• Optimize part design and strength with insights from FEA structural analysis, reducing weak points and ensuring structural integrity
• Integrate seamlessly with other Cadmould features including Fiber, Fill, Pack, and Warp

How it works

Once a moulded part enters its functional life cycle, it must withstand mechanical loads, temperature fluctuations, and external forces. For materials from fiber-reinforced plastics to structural foam, injection moulding simulation is key in evaluating and optimizing real-world performance before the first part leaves the mould.

Part FEM, a feature in the Cadmould system of injection moulding simulation software, provides a streamlined workflow for hands-on structural analysis.

1. You set up the injection moulding simulation. Material data can be selected from the comprehensive Cadmould material database or imported by you.
2. You define the mechanical load cases: the real-world forces and pressure distributions to which the final part will be exposed.
3. Part FEM simulates the part’s structural performance, using FEM-based calculations to predict stress concentration zones and deformation behaviour. The FEM analysis considers the predicted fiber orientations of fiber-reinforced anisotropic materials as well as the variable behaviour of materials like structural foam.
4. Simulation insights drive part optimization and risk mitigation. Using insights from FEA, you are empowered to refine stress concentration zones, deformation behavior, and potential failure points.

Key functionalities

Simulation of mechanical deformation & stress

Using FEM structural analysis, Part FEM evaluates Von Mises Stress, strain energy, part deformation, and the stress-strain curve to predict part durability under real-world loading conditions.

Analysis of fiber orientation influence

Fiber orientation has a crucial influence on the mechanical properties and behaviour of fiber-reinforced plastics. By integrating data from Fiber, another feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, Part FEM is equipped to accurately account for anisotropic material behaviour. You get precise mechanical predictions you can rely on.

Load case definition & customization

Part FEM allows you as the user to define force, momentum, pressure, and local movements for a wide variety of kinematic constraints. These custom load scenarios ensure that parts are fit for demanding industry-specific applications.

Industry

Part FEM is essential for any plastic component whose structure is load-bearing or safety-critical. It is used to optimize the design and manufacturing of parts across industries including:

• Automotive and aerospace: Structural analysis ensures the strength, durability, and proper fit of load-bearing components, brackets, housings, and impact-resistant parts.
• Medical device and electronics manufacturing: Part FEM performs microstructural analysis to ensure the structural integrity, safety, and regulatory compliance of thin-walled casings and other precision-moulded components.
• Industrial equipment: Structural analysis via FEM is used to optimize mechanical load resistance, improve performance, and reduce costs, particularly for structural reinforcements and pressure-resistant plastic components.
  
  

By analysing real-world mechanical stresses, manufacturers can prevent premature failures, improve part designs, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Integration and compatibility

Part FEM integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software. Together, these features deliver holistic analysis of materials from structural foam to fiber-reinforced plastics.

Part FEM is available in the Flex Enterprise subscription plan or as an add-on.

The cooling conundrum

Cooling effects can make or break the efficiency of a mould and the quality of final parts. Without reliable simulation of thermal mould behaviour, you might finalize a design only to later identify cooling inefficiencies, thermal stresses and warpage defects.

Thermal Mould Basic solves this challenge by simulating cooling effects for planned moulds. In doing so, it helps you pinpoint areas with insufficient cooling before physical development begins. You are empowered to adjust designs early on and avoid costly redesigns later.

Benefits

• Automatically generate a simplified mould representation for precise thermal modelling, or use a rapid calculation to quickly preview thermal effects (e.g. marks on the surface) 
• Detect hot spots in cavities early in the design process
• Optimize predictions of injection moulding cooling time to reduce cycle times
• Improve mould temperature control and prevent thermal imbalances that lead to warpage and defects
• Better understand thermal behaviour during the variotherm process and other forms of rapid heat cycle moulding
• Improve cooling efficiency before finalizing the cooling concept

How it works

Thermal Mould Basic is a thermal simulation feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software. It streamlines cooling simulations by automatically creating a simplified mould representation around the part.

By taking predicted thermal properties into account, the simplified mould representation offers improved accuracy compared to calculations that ignore the influence of thermal mould design. 

You have the opportunity to define cooling channel layouts, material properties, and process parameters. By doing so, you equip the software with the information it needs to accurately simulate cooling efficiency, heat transfer during injection moulding, and temperature distribution throughout the cycle.

These preliminary estimates of mould behaviour are ideal for pre-planning temperature control, including in rapid heat cycle moulding. As a result, you avoid costly mould reworks later in the workflow.

Key functionalities

Thermal Mould Basic integrates thermal simulation capabilities into your injection moulding simulation workflow.

Seamless integration with Warp for enhanced warpage and shrinkage prediction

Thermal Mould Basic combines seamlessly with Warp, another feature in the Cadmould simulation ecosystem, to enable the analysis of thermal stresses and warpage based on actual mould temperatures.

Automatic generation of a simplified mould representation

Thermal Mould Basic has the ability to create a mould structure with approximated thermal properties, helping you analyse cooling effects before the final mould design is available.

Accurate simulation of wall temperature 

Instead of relying on assumptions, Thermal Mould Basic lets you calculate temperature distribution across the cavity walls throughout the injection cycle. You are empowered to proactively mitigate hot spots and cooling inefficiencies.

Cooling efficiency analysis

Sophisticated cooling channel analysis provides insights into flow rate, pressure loss, and the temperature gradient in the cooling system, enabling data-driven optimization of channel layouts.

Impact of thermal mould design on cycle time

By simulating heat dissipation and cooling times, Thermal Mould Basic equips you to minimize cycle duration while ensuring uniform part quality.

Industry

Thermal Mould Basic lends itself to applications in automotive, medical devices, electronics, and consumer goods: anywhere where thermal simulation software is required to ensure consistent part quality and reduced production costs.

It’s particularly valuable for plastic part engineers and simulation specialists who need to assess heat transfer and cooling times in injection moulding before the final mould design.

Integration & compatibility

Thermal Mould Basic and Thermal Mould Advanced are a tiered set of thermal simulation features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software. Thermal Mould Basic simulates cooling effects with an automatically generated simplified mould representation around the part, while Advanced offers detailed thermal simulation using real CAD data for the mould assembly.

As such, Basic is best suited to early-stage planning of mould temperature control. Advanced is great for comprehensive optimization of pre-designed moulds and validation of injection moulding cooling systems.

In addition, Thermal Mould Basic seamlessly integrates with other products in the Cadmould simulation ecosystem, including:

Thermal Mould Basic is available in the Flex Advanced, Flex Premium and Flex Enterprise subscription plans or as an add-on.

Predicting the effects of packing and cooling on final part quality

Packing and cooling pose critical challenges for injection moulders, since they have the potential to significantly impact part quality, dimensional precision and production efficiency. Inadequate packing pressure distribution and poorly controlled cooling can lead to injection moulding defects such as sink marks and warping.

Pack builds on filling phase results from Fill, another feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, to analyse mould packing pressure and cooling of the part. By modelling pressure distribution, shrinkage, cooling efficiency, and clamping forces, Pack predicts whether or not a final part will have uniform density. Equipped with these insights, you can optimize processing parameters and mould design before production begins, reducing trial-and-error iterations.

Benefits

• Precisely analyse the thermal properties of existing mould designs based on imported CAD files
• Perform cooling analyses for injection moulding and optimize cooling channel placement
• Reduce cycle times by fine-tuning cooling system parameters
• Analyse the thermal conductivity of mould materials
• Predict heat flow and dissipation to prevent defects before they arise
• Minimize warpage and thermal stresses for improved part quality

How it works

Thermal Mould Advanced is a sophisticated thermal simulation feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software.

It allows you to import pre-designed mould components as CAD files and assign material properties to specific mould parts.

The software then simulates thermal mould design—temperature distribution, heat flow, and cooling performance—across the entire mould, enabling you to identify inefficient heat dissipation, potential hot spots, and areas requiring design improvements.

In contrast to Thermal Mould Basic, which creates an approximated mould structure to estimate mould properties, Thermal Mould Advanced leverages actual tool geometries from the imported CAD models. This, along with the ability to manually assign thermal properties, ensures highly accurate simulations.

Use Thermal Mould Advanced to:

• analyse heat transfer in injection moulding across different mould components;

• predict temperature variations over multiple cycles; and 
• perform cooling analyses for injection moulding processes and optimize cooling layouts before tool production.

Key functionalities

Thermal Mould Advanced integrates powerful thermal simulation capabilities into your injection moulding simulation workflow.

CAD import for mould components

Full CAD-based mould import of pre-designed moulds enables you to assign material properties to specific mould parts, ensuring precise analysis of thermal behaviour.

Full simulation of heat transfer during injection moulding

Comprehensive simulation of heat transfer predicts heat distribution across the entire mould, including highly conductive cores, cavities, runners, sliders, and ejectors.

Cooling channel optimization

By evaluating flow rates, pressure loss, and heat dissipation efficiency, Thermal Mould Advanced empowers you to fine-tune cooling layouts and mould temperature control. Data-driven decisions drive shorter cycle times.

Seamless integration with Cadmould Warp for warpage and shrinkage prediction

Like Thermal Mould Basic, Thermal Mould Advanced integrates with Cadmould Warp, Fill and Pack to analyse thermal stresses and warpage based on real mould temperatures.

Industry

Thermal Mould Advanced has broad applications in the automotive, aerospace, and medical industries, where tight tolerances and consistent cooling performance are critical. It is intended for mould designers, toolmakers, and advanced simulation specialists who require high-precision thermal analysis for pre-designed injection moulds.

Integration & compatibility

Thermal Mould Basic and Thermal Mould Advanced are a tiered set of thermal simulation features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software. Thermal Mould Basic simulates cooling effects with an automatically generated mould sketch, while Advanced offers detailed thermal simulation using mould CAD data.

As such, Basic is best suited to early-stage planning of mould temperature control. Advanced is for the comprehensive analysis of heat transfer in injection moulding and optimization of pre-designed moulds.

In addition, Thermal Mould Advanced integrates seamlessly with the following Cadmould features:

Thermal Mould Advanced is available in the Flex Advanced, Flex Premium, and Flex Enterprise subscription plans or as an add-on. Thermal Mould Advanced requires Thermal Mould Basic.

Predicting curing patterns in thermoset injection moulding

Unlike thermoplastics, which soften again when reheated, thermoset elastomers like rubber—and other thermoset materials—undergo irreversible curing when heat is applied during moulding. As a result, getting it right first time is essential for cost-efficient production. How?

Complex curing behaviour and temperature-dependent flow properties pose unique challenges when moulding rubber and other thermosets. Thermoplastic and Rubber, a Cadmould feature, offers an advanced simulation environment tailored to these challenges. It predicts filling and curing behaviour to enable optimization before production begins.

Benefits

• Predict and prevent thermoset injection moulding defects such as air entrapment or under-curing
• Optimize gate placement and venting to improve flow uniformity and weld line positioning
• Simulate curing dynamics to ensure full cross-linking and dimensional stability
• Reduce cycle times by identifying the most efficient heating strategies
• Use early design validation to minimize material waste and modifications
• Get higher first-time-right rates when injection moulding with rubber, liquid silicone, et al.

How it works

Thermoplastic and Rubber is a simulation software feature for injection moulding of thermoset materials. It simulates the entire injection moulding process for thermoset materials like liquid silicone and rubber, from material flow to post-moulding behaviour.

Using sophisticated heat transfer and reaction kinetics models, it calculates:

• filling patterns and flow behaviour (to predict mould filling efficiency);
• air inclusion risks and venting effectiveness;
• scorch time and cure rate (for precise curing control); and
• temperature gradients inside the part and mould.

By analysing these factors before production, you can fine-tune component designs, mould layouts, heating conditions, and process parameters for the injection moulding of rubber and other thermoset materials before making costly mistakes.

Ultimately, you get: 

• consistent, high-quality parts with fewer trial-and-error iterations; and
• reduced material waste and cycle times through the optimization of venting, heating, and mould design.

Key functionalities

Flow and filling behaviour analysis

Thermoplastic and Rubber predicts how thermoset materials like rubber and liquid silicone fill the mould during injection moulding. This helps you to ensure proper filling, avoid short shots, optimize material distribution, and comply with moulding tolerances.

Curing and cross-linking simulation

Accurate modelling of temperature-dependent curing reactions enables you to control scorch, cure kinetics, and part strength when mould-making with thermoset elastomers like silicone and rubber and other thermoset materials.

Air trap and venting optimization

Thermoplastic and Rubber detects potential air entrapment areas and suggests venting improvements to prevent air traps and other moulding defects.

Cycle time optimization

Insights from Thermoplastic and Rubber help you determine the most efficient heating strategies for injection moulding and injection compression moulding of rubber and other thermoset materials. The result is reduced production time without sacrificing quality.

Industry

Across industries, components made from rubber and other thermoset materials are essential for applications that demand high durability, precise dimensional stability, and resistance to heat and environmental factors. This includes the production of seals, gaskets, vibration dampers, electrical insulation and medical-grade silicone parts.

In particular, Thermoplastic and Rubber is an indispensable tool across industries such as automotive and aerospace manufacturing, medical device manufacturing, and electronics. It empowers engineers to balance flow dynamics, curing behaviour, and shrinkage control during moulding. As a result, manufacturers achieve a competitive edge from better-performing products with lower costs and faster development cycles.

Integration & compatibility

Thermoplastic and Rubber integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould simulation ecosystem to enable the end-to-end optimization of thermoset injection moulding.

Use it with:

Thermoplastic and Rubber is available in the Flex Basic, Flex Advanced, Flex Premium, and Flex Enterprise subscription plans.

Making design and process optimization better and faster

Conventional moulding optimization requires engineers to configure and run multiple simulations manually, one after the other. It’s a tedious trial-and-error process that’s time-consuming, costly and inefficient. In addition, it often fails to explore the full range of possible design solutions.

Varimos AI leverages automation and machine learning to remove this burden. It automatically generates design variants for your defined optimization space, then learns from simulation-generated training data to predict the effects of input variables on part quality.

You discover the most effective configurations with far fewer iterations. Decision-making is faster and defects are reduced.

Benefits

• Take advantage of AI-driven process and design optimization trained on Cadmould simulation data
• Reduce time-to-solution by exploring multiple configurations in parallel
• Know your process fully, enabling you to work against process drift during production and minimize waste and rework
• Balance multiple competing objectives, such as warpage reduction and cycle time optimization
• Better visualize complex relationships between variables thanks to the simple, interactive results display
• Enjoy enhanced collaboration through transparent, data-driven decision-making

How it works

Varimos AI transforms injection moulding optimization by replacing traditional trial-and-error approaches with a structured process built on automation and machine learning:

1. You specify input variables like injection speed, wall thickness, temperature and pressure. You also define the output parameters that are critical for optimization of your part, like measurements, maximum temperatures, or local pressures. Varimos AI defines a corresponding optimization space.
2. Varimos AI automatically creates a robust DOE that efficiently explores the full optimization space—no more laborious manual iteration, as in the traditional workflow.
3. Based on the optimization space and DoE, powerful simulation algorithms in Cadmould generate the training data needed for machine learning.
4. Varimos AI learns from these simulation results to systematically identify the critical relationships between inputs and outcomes, enabling accurate predictions without needing to simulate every combination.
   Through this iterative learning process, engineers receive real-time sensitivity analyses and interactive visualizations that show how each variable impacts part quality.
5. Varimos AI delivers optimized process and geometry recommendations that let you apply adjustments with confidence. Seamless integration with Cadmould means that all insights are directly usable within existing workflows, ensuring a continuous improvement loop from virtual testing to real-world production.

Key functionalities

Cause-and-effect analysis of geometry modifications

Varimos AI analyses how part geometry changes affect quality parameters like shrinkage, warpage, and stability. It helps you understand design trade-offs and optimizes for constraints like material efficiency, warpage, and cycle time. You are empowered to make precise, informed decisions.

AI-guided exploration of the design space

After training on simulation results, VARIMOS AI enables intelligent exploration of the full design space, ensuring that all viable solutions are considered.

Machine learning-driven predictions

By analysing Cadmould-generated training data, Varimos AI continuously improves its accuracy, reducing the number of required simulations.

Parallelized simulations for maximum efficiency

By distributing computational tasks across multiple processor cores, Varimos AI accelerates optimization, providing results in hours instead of days.

Interactive sensitivity analysis

The option to adjust variables dynamically through an intuitive interface lets you see immediately how changes affect key performance indicators.

Multi-objective optimization

Varimos AI simultaneously optimizes for multiple engineering constraints, such as warpage reduction, material efficiency, and cycle time minimization.

Industry

Across industries, achieving high-performing plastic components requires balancing complex and often competing factors such as warpage reduction, cycle time minimization, and material efficiency.

These factors are particularly important when designing components such as:

• thin-walled consumer electronics,
• dimensionally stable automotive components,
• high-performance aerospace structures, and
• medical devices with strict regulatory requirements.

By intelligently automating simulation-driven optimization, Varimos eliminates the need for manual iteration loops. Engineers are empowered to explore a broader range of design possibilities while achieving high-precision, defect-free plastic components cost-effectively and at scale.

Integration & compatibility

Varimos AI analyses how part geometry changes affect quality parameters like shrinkage, warpage, and stability. It helps you understand design trade-offs and optimizes for constraints like material efficiency, warpage, and cycle time. You are empowered to make precise, informed decisions.
Whether optimizing filling behavior, packing pressure, warpage effects, or fiber orientation, Varimos AI enhances your injection moulding simulation workflow by intelligently guiding variant analysis for efficient optimization.

Use it with:

Varimos AI is available in the Flex Advanced, Flex Premium and Flex Enterprise subscription plans. Limitations in the way Varimos AI integrates with other Cadmould features are dependent solely on the user’s subscription plan and the permitted configurations under the plan.

Mastering shrinkage and warpage in injection moulding

Shrinkage and warpage are major challenges for injection moulders. Deformation caused by residual stresses, material anisotropy, and uneven cooling can lead to assembly misalignment and rejected parts. Without simulation, trial-and-error is the only way to correct these issues.

Warp exists to remove the need for costly iterations on the shop floor. By accurately modelling shrinkage and warpage, it enables fast, data-driven optimization of process parameters, material choices, and mould designs to minimize deformation and reduce corrections. 

Benefits

• Accurately predict shrinkage and warpage to enable proactive modification of process and design
• Optimize mould designs with pre-compensated geometry for minimized distortion
• Save on costs thanks to fewer mould corrections and reduced scrap rates
• Achieve faster sampling and a better first-time right rate by refining parameters during the design phase
• Combine seamlessly with metrology and FEM software for enhanced analysis as well as with other features in the Cadmould simulation ecosystem

How it works

Warp is a sophisticated simulation feature in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software. It factors in comprehensive process and design parameters to accurately model shrinkage and warpage.

These include:

• Local material behaviour, including anisotropic shrinkage and fiber orientation effects in fiber-reinforced plastics
• Residual stresses from the cooling and packing phases
• In-mould constraints that influence deformation

Through this sophisticated analysis, Warp lets you combat warpage during the tooling phase by adjusting mould design accordingly. The final moulded part conforms to the intended geometry; costly corrections are avoided.

Key functionalities

Shrinkage and warpage simulation

Warp analyses comprehensive material, mould, and process parameters to provide accurate information about shrinkage and warpage. These insights empower you to minimize shrinkage and warpage from the outset by modifying process and design.

Shrinkage compensation for prevention of defects

The Unwarp mould compensation tool automatically suggests adjustments to CAD geometry in parts and fillers to compensate for shrinkage and warpage. This information can then be exported and implemented to reduce costly mould tuning iterations.

Integration with structural simulation tools

Warp supports the export of warpage data for use in FEA tools like Abaqus, Ansys, and Digimat, giving you peace of mind that all calculations are based on accurate mechanical performance predictions.

Metrology and 3D printing compatibility

Support for high-resolution export of warped part geometries in STL format enables you to use simulation data in measurement software like VGMetrology as well as for reverse engineering and 3D printing.

Industry

Across the automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, medical device, and industrial manufacturing sectors, dimensional accuracy is critical for ensuring high-performance plastic components.

Shrinkage and warpage can lead to misaligned assemblies, compromised product integrity, and costly post-processing adjustments. Warp empowers engineers and injection moulders to anticipate issues early and refine designs, process parameters and cooling strategies accordingly.

Manufacturers achieve a competitive edge through consistently high-precision parts, reduced material waste, and accelerated development cycles.

Integration & compatibility

Warp integrates seamlessly with other features in the Cadmould ecosystem of injection moulding simulation software, including Fill, Pack and Fiber, to ensure holistic moulding simulations.

It also supports integration with a range of external programs, including:

• Structural FEM analysis tools: Warp exports shrinkage and warpage data to Abaqus, Ansys, Converse and many more tools for advanced mechanical assessments.
• Metrology & reverse engineering tools: Warp enables high-resolution export to VGMetrology and other measurement tools.
  
  

Warp is available in the Flex Advanced, Flex Premium and Flex Enterprise subscription plans. or as an add-on.