Computer-implemented method for designing a molding process - Patent Application 20070123633

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part (114) is disclosed, the computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part (114) comprising: a) retrieving three-dimensional geometric data (110) describing candidate shapes for a mold cavity (112); b) analyzing said geometric data (110), said analysis comprising the following sub-steps: b1. analyzing the geometry of said mold cavity (112) by automatically scanning said geometric data (110) for a plurality of predetermined criteria; b2. The following: - a computer-implemented simulation of filling said mold cavity (112) with a molten mass of at least one material; - a computer-implemented simulation of the part (114) manufactured using the mold cavity (112); simulating use of the mold cavity (112) by at least one of: and c) automatically interpreting at least one analytical result generated in step b) by matching said analytical result to at least one target specification; d) outputting at least one interpretation result generated in step c), the interpretation result describing at least one quality of one or both of a molding process and a part design using the candidate shape of the mold cavity (112); Includes.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method, design system, computer program, computer program product and computer readable storage medium for designing a moulding process for manufacturing at least one part. Such a method, system and apparatus may be employed generally for technical design or configuration purposes, for example in the development phase of a moulding process. However, further applications are possible. [Background technology]

[0002] Molding methods such as injection molding are common manufacturing methods in modern small and large scale manufacturing. In a typical injection molding method, plastic materials such as thermoplastic, thermosetting, and elastomeric materials are typically melted in a heating process and then injected, for example, under pressure into an empty die. The plastic material is then typically hardened in a cooling or curing process to maintain the shape given by the die, thereby becoming a product. The product formed by the die can thereby be reproduced in large quantities. Because the design and construction of the die is costly, the die cannot be easily modified even if some problems occur during injection molding. Therefore, in order to minimize production costs and waste, the filling process of the die or mold cavity is usually simulated in advance using common simulation methods.

[0003] US2008 / 099569A1 describes a system and method for performing thermal analysis on materials and devices with multiple thermal control zones. Modern devices, such as manifolds, typically have multiple thermal devices that introduce or remove heat at different rates from different areas. Traditional methods of determining thermal profiles require constant guesswork and an unknown number of simulations to arrive at acceptable results. Furthermore, the number of simulations required from the start of operation is unknown for an unknown period of time, which is often frustrating for manufacturing personnel. The disclosed embodiments include the use of FEA (Finite Element Analysis) to assist in the design and / or evaluation of manifold systems. In one embodiment, a finite element analysis is performed to determine the heat flux in a specified control zone caused by thermal devices in other control zones.

[0004] Furthermore, EP1376415A2 describes a method for modeling the injection of a fluid into a mold defining a three-dimensional cavity, the method comprising: providing a three-dimensional computer model defining the cavity; discretizing a solution domain based on the model; specifying boundary conditions; and solving for process variables using mass, momentum and energy conservation for at least a portion of the solution domain. The step of discretizing the solution may comprise the steps of: generating a finite element mesh based on the model by subdividing the model into a plurality of connected elements defined by a plurality of nodes; anisotropically refining the mesh such that there are more nodes in a first direction in which the material properties vary more than in a second direction in which the material properties vary less, the refining comprising at least one of the substeps of: calculating distances from the nodes to the boundaries; and using a node layer numbering system.

[0005] Furthermore, US2018 / 117816A1 describes a method for determining a number of process parameter values ​​in an injection mold during an injection molding process. The method includes the steps of determining geometric data of the injection mold and / or the molded part to be manufactured, determining a virtual part-specific pressure curve of the injection molding process, determining a part-specific event pattern based on the virtual part-specific pressure curve, performing the injection molding process using the injection mold, determining a measured pressure curve during the injection molding process, and determining a measured event pattern based on the measured pressure curve. The process parameter values ​​are derived based on the virtual event pattern and the measured event pattern. The present invention further describes a corresponding process parameter value determination device and an injection mold configuration.

[0006] Furthermore, US5812402A describes an injection molding die design system for correcting the shape of a product to be manufactured into a shape that can be released from a die and designing an injection molding die based on the corrected product shape, the injection molding die design system comprising: a storage means for storing information on the product shape and the die shape; a display means for displaying the product shape or the die shape on a screen based on information read from the storage means; an input means for inputting designation information required for correcting the product shape or the die shape; and a control means for unloading information on lines or surfaces that are obstacles to correcting the product shape and the die shape into the storage means according to the designation information input by the input means, removing the lines or surfaces from the screen, and re-plotting the lines and surfaces on the screen for the unloaded lines and surfaces in the storage means after the correction operation of the product shape or the die shape is completed.

[0007] Furthermore, US2004 / 093104A1 describes a design support device that includes: a flow analysis means for analyzing the flow of thermosetting resin injected into a resin-filled cavity to form a resin molded product made of thermosetting resin using the finite difference method or the finite element method, a residual strain calculation means for calculating the residual strain (or stress) of the thermosetting resin after thermal shrinkage of the thermosetting resin injected into the resin-filled cavity to form the resin molded product, and a strength analysis means for analyzing the strength of the resin molded product using the finite element method. With this configuration, the strength of the resin molded product made of thermosetting resin can be accurately predicted.

[0008] Furthermore, US2018 / 181694A1 describes a method for optimizing a process optimization system of a molding machine, comprising: setting setting data by a user on an actual molding machine; obtaining a first value for at least one descriptive variable of the molding process based on the setting data and / or based on a molding process performed periodically; and obtaining a second value of the at least one descriptive variable based on data from the process optimization system. According to a predetermined differentiation criterion, it is checked whether the first value and the second value are different from each other. If the check shows that the first value and the second value are different from each other, the process optimization system is modified so that, when applied to the molding machine and / or the molding process, the first value of the descriptive variable is substantially the result instead of the second value of the descriptive variable.

[0009] Designing a forming process for manufacturing a part presents several technical challenges. Typically, at every stage of the development process, input from technical experts, e.g., from the fields of mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, process engineering, chemistry, material science or physics, is required, e.g., for constructing and interpreting models, simulations and calculations. Furthermore, such methods and systems require complex and intensive computational performance. Such methods and systems require large data storage and computing power as well as technical expertise that is often unavailable. Thus, the implementation of such methods is typically very time-consuming and complex. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] It is therefore desirable to provide means and methods that address the above-mentioned technical challenges in designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. In particular, methods, systems, computer programs, and articles of manufacture are proposed for improving the way of designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part as compared to methods, systems, and devices known in the art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] This problem is addressed by the methods, systems, computer programs and products of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments which may be realised in an independent manner or in any combination are set out in the dependent claims.

[0012] When used below, the terms "having", "comprises" or "including" or any grammatical variants thereof are used in a non-exclusive manner. Thus, these terms may refer both to the situation where, apart from the features introduced by these terms, no further features are present in the entity described in this context, and to the situation where one or more further features are present. As an example, the expressions "A has B", "A comprises B" and "A includes B" may refer both to the situation where no other elements are present in A apart from B (i.e., A solely and exclusively comprises B) and to the situation where, in addition to B, one or more elements are present in entity A, such as element C, elements C and D, or further elements.

[0013] Furthermore, it should be noted that the terms "at least one," "one or more," or similar language indicating that a feature or element may be present more than one time are typically used only once when introducing each feature or element. It should be noted that in most cases hereinafter, when referring to each feature or element, the language "at least one" or "one or more" will not be repeated, despite the fact that those features or elements may appear more than one time.

[0014] Furthermore, when used hereinafter, the terms "preferably", "more preferably", "particularly", "more particularly", "particularly", "more particularly" or similar terms are used in connection with any feature without limiting the possibility of substitution. Features introduced by these terms are therefore optional features and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way. The invention can be practiced with alternative features, as the skilled artisan will recognize. Similarly, features introduced by "in one embodiment of the invention" or similar expressions are intended to be optional features, without any limitation on alternative embodiments of the invention, without any limitation on the scope of the invention, and without any limitation on the possibility of combining the feature introduced in such a way with other optional or non-optional features of the invention.

[0015] In a first aspect of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part is disclosed. The computer-implemented method may also be referred to as a method, a design method, or a design method. The computer-implemented method includes the following steps, which may be performed in a given order. However, different orders are possible. Furthermore, one, more than one, or all of the method steps may be performed once or repeatedly. Furthermore, the method steps may be performed overlapping in time or in parallel. The method may further include additional method steps not listed.

[0016] The computer-implemented method includes the following steps: a) retrieving three-dimensional geometric data describing candidate shapes for a mold cavity; b) analyzing said geometric data, said analysis comprising the sub-steps of: b1. analyzing said mold cavity geometry by automatically scanning said geometry data for a plurality of predetermined criteria; b2. The following: - a computer implemented simulation of filling a mold cavity with a molten mass of at least one material; - Computer simulation of the part to be manufactured using the mold cavity; simulating use of the mold cavity by at least one of and c) automatically interpreting at least one analytical result generated in step b) by subjecting it to at least one target specification; d) outputting at least one interpretation result generated in step c), the interpretation result describing at least one quality of one or both of a molding process using the candidate mold cavity shape and a part design; Includes.

[0017] The computer-implemented method of designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part may be fully or partially executed over a network, for example on one or more computing devices of the network, for example on a web platform. In particular, as an example, at least steps a), b) and c) of the design method may be executed over the network. As an example, the design method may be configured to be executed completely online, such as over the network.

[0018] The term "computer-implemented" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to a process that is fully or partially performed by using a data processing means, such as, but not limited to, a data processing means including at least one processor. Thus, the term "computer" may generally refer to a device, or a combination or network of devices, having at least one data processing means, such as at least one processor. The computer may further include one or more further components, such as at least one of a data storage device, an electronic interface, or a human-machine interface.

[0019] The term "processor" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, but not limited to, refer to any logic circuitry configured to perform the basic operations of a computer or system, and / or generally, a device configured to perform calculations or logical operations. In particular, a processor may be configured to process basic instructions that run a computer or system. As an example, a processor may include at least one arithmetic logic unit (ALU), at least one floating point unit (FPU), such as a math coprocessor or numeric coprocessor, a number of registers, specifically registers configured to provide operands to the ALU and store the results of the operations, and memory, such as L1 and L2 cache memories. In particular, a processor may be a multi-core processor. In particular, a processor may be or include a central processing unit (CPU). Additionally or alternatively, a processor may be or include a microprocessor, and thus in particular, an element of a processor may be included in an integrated circuit (IC) chip. Additionally or alternatively, the processor may be or include one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and / or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0020] The term "design" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to one of ordinary skill in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to the process of planning and / or specifying an object or process. The design process may include, as an example, developing or defining a molding process.

[0021] The term "molding process" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, without limitation, a process or procedure of molding at least one material into any form or shape. As an example, the molding process may include injection molding. In particular, the form or shape may be transferred to at least one material by a mold.

[0022] The term "mold" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, without limitation, a die or form, such as a form that provides a matrix or a frame. In particular, as used herein, a mold may refer to any die and / or form having at least one cavity, such as at least one form that provides a structure and / or cutout. A mold may be used in a molding process, such as, in particular, injection molding, in which at least one molten mass of a material may be injected into at least one cavity of the mold. For simplicity, in this specification, the terms "mold" and "mold cavity" may be used interchangeably. As an example, a mold having at least one cavity may be used in a molding process to form a material. In particular, the molten mass of a material injected into the mold cavity may be given the negative form and / or geometry of the cavity. Specifically, the mold may be used to manufacture at least one part, and the manufactured part may have the negative form and / or geometry of the mold cavity. For simplicity, the terms "mold" and "mold cavity" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0023] The molding process may be configured to produce at least one part. The term "part" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to any part or element without limitation. In particular, a part may be or comprise a component of any machine or device. A part may, for example, at least partially have a negative shape of a mold or mold cavity used in the molding process to produce the part. Thus, a "molding process to produce at least one part" may be or refer to a shaping procedure to create a part.

[0024] The term "searching" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to a system, specifically a computer system, that generates and / or obtains data from any data source, such as from a data storage, from a network, or from a further computer or computer system, without being limited thereto. The search may specifically be performed through at least one computer interface, such as through a port, such as a serial port or a parallel port. The search may include several substeps, such as the substeps of obtaining one or more items of primary information by utilizing the primary information, such as by applying one or more algorithms to the primary information using a processor, and generating secondary information.

[0025] The term "geometrical data" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, but is not limited to, information about the three-dimensional form or shape of any object or element. In particular, geometrical data, such as information about a three-dimensional shape, may be present in a computer-readable form, such as a computer-compatible data set, in particular a digital data set. As an example, the geometrical data may be or include computer-aided design data (CAD data). In particular, the three-dimensional geometrical data may be or include CAD data describing the form or shape of an object or element. Thus, "geometrical data describing candidate shapes of a mold cavity" may be, in particular, information about possible forms and / or geometries of at least one object or element to be formed by using a mold and / or information about possible forms and / or shapes of a mold cavity. Thus, in particular, the geometric data retrieved in step a) may in particular be or include information relating to the negative form and / or shape of a mould, e.g. a mould used in the moulding process.

[0026] The term "candidate shape" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to any starting form or shape without being limited thereto. In particular, the candidate shape may be or include a starting shape of a mold, specifically a mold used in a molding process. Thus, the candidate shape may be, for example, a starting geometric shape of a mold used in a method of designing a molding process. In particular, the candidate shape may be or include an initial geometric shape and / or shape of a mold cavity. For example, the candidate shape may be or include a geometric shape and / or shape of a mold used in a molding process to manufacture at least one part.

[0027] The term "scanning" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to any process or procedure of inspecting any object or data, without limitation. Thus, scanning geometric data may be or include a process or procedure of inspecting or evaluating geometric data. Scanning may specifically be performed automatically. Scanning may be performed autonomously by a computer or computer network. Thus, the term "automatically" may specifically refer to a computer or computer network performing a process. As a result, the term "automatically scanning" may, for example, be or include a computer performing a scanning process or procedure, for example autonomously. For example, an automatically scanning procedure may be performed without external interference, such as interference or input from a technical expert or user.

[0028] The geometric data may be specifically scanned for a number of predefined criteria. The term "criterion" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, without limitation, a characteristic or specification against which any object or element is judged or evaluated. In particular, the criterion may be or include at least one reference characteristic or property against which a characteristic of the object or element is compared. In particular, the criterion may be a characteristic or specification for the manufacture of a part. Thus, by way of example, the criterion may be or include at least one characteristic, such as a reference characteristic, against which geometric data, such as geometric data describing a candidate shape of a mold, are scanned. The criterion may be used, for example, to determine the manufacturability of the part when using a mold cavity having a form or shape defined by the geometric data.

[0029] A computer-implemented simulation of a part manufactured by use of a mold and / or mold cavity may specifically refer to a computer-implemented simulation of at least one property or characteristic of the part, such as the behavior of the part under the influence of an external force of tension on the part, such as mechanical strength and / or stress analysis, etc. In particular, material behavior due to load, stress, or strain, etc. may be simulated.

[0030] The material, specifically the material used in the molding process, e.g., the manufacture of the part, may be or may include, for example, a plastic material. The term "plastic material" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its normal and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, without limitation, any thermoplastic, thermosetting, or elastomeric material. In particular, the plastic material may be a mixture of substances including monomers and / or polymers. In particular, the plastic material may be or may include a thermoplastic material. Additionally or alternatively, the plastic material may be or may include a thermosetting material. Additionally or alternatively, the plastic material may include an elastomeric material.

[0031] A computer-implemented simulation of filling a mold cavity with a molten mass of at least one material may specifically refer to a computer-implemented simulation of the manufacture of a part. Thus, the material may specifically be in a molten state during the manufacture of the part. Alternatively, in a computer-implemented simulation of a part manufactured by use of a mold, the simulated material may be in a hardened or cured state.

[0032] The analysis of the geometric data in step b) may result in at least one analysis result, such as at least one output of a computer-implemented simulation.

[0033] In step c) the at least one analytical result generated in step b) may be automatically interpreted, such as by use of a computer or a computer network. As an example, in step c) the at least one interpretation result may be automatically identified from the analytical results. In particular, the at least one interpretation result may be generated by matching the analytical results to at least one target specification.

[0034] The term "target specification" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to one of ordinary skill in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, without limitation, a characteristic or property that is targeted to be present in any object or element. A target specification may be or include, for example, at least one characteristic or feature that is targeted for a part to have and / or exhibit this characteristic or feature.

[0035] The term "interpretation result" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, without limitation, any result or conclusion obtained from a calculation and / or investigation. In particular, the interpretation result may refer to the result or conclusion of an interpretation, such as the automatic interpretation in step c). The interpretation result may specifically be or include information in a computer-readable form, such as digital information.

[0036] The term "output" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, but is not limited to, a process that makes information available to another system, data storage, natural person, or legal entity. By way of example, the output may be through one or more interfaces, such as a computer interface or a human-machine interface. By way of example, the output may be in one or more of a computer-readable form, a visual form, or an audible form.

[0037] The method further comprises: e) retrieving at least one material to be used in the molding process; may include.

[0038] In particular, the material, in particular the plastic material, used for the moulding process, e.g. for manufacturing the part, may be retrieved in step e), which may for example be carried out before step b).

[0039] Step e) specifically includes at least the following two sub-steps: e1. Retrieving at least one target characteristic of at least one of: a material; a part; and a manufacturing machine for manufacturing the part; e2. automatically selecting at least one material from the database according to a target property; and Includes.

[0040] Step e), in particular step e2., may for example comprise the use of at least one artificial intelligence process. In particular step e2. may comprise the use of at least one neural network. In this way, the materials to be used in the forming process may be searched for using an artificial intelligence, in particular a neural network. As an example, the neural network may be trained using training data comprising target properties and materials suitable for these target properties. The training data may for example be assembled by technical experts or may be data of previous experience.

[0041] In particular, step b1. may include determining in the geometric data at least one of: undercuts for the intended demolding of the part from the mold; draft angles for the intended demolding of the part from the mold; thin areas; mass accumulation; wall thickness distribution; base wall thickness, ratio of rib wall thickness to base wall thickness; manufacturability of the mold for the intended demolding of the part from the mold, e.g. from a cavity of the mold.

[0042] Specifically, step b1. may include determining at least one measured variable in the geometric shape data. Furthermore, step c) may include, for example, comparing the at least one measured variable with at least one threshold value of the target specification.

[0043] As an example, the at least one measurement variable may be selected from the group consisting of: length, in particular the maximum flow length of the molten mass of at least one material; angle, in particular the angle between the surface of the mold and the intended demolding direction; thickness, in particular the extension length in at least one direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the molten mass of at least one material.

[0044] Furthermore, step c) may specifically comprise identifying critical geometric features of the candidate shapes of the mould, such as, for example, unfavourable undercuts, mass accumulation, etc.

[0045] In particular, step c) may comprise using at least one process of artificial intelligence, in particular at least one neural network, so that the at least one analytical result generated in step b) may be automatically interpreted, for example by means of artificial intelligence, such as a neural network.

[0046] Step b2. may specifically include determining at least one of: weld lines; flow length; thin areas; mass accumulation; shear stress; shrinkage; filling pressure; clamping force required to close the mold; cycle time; filling time; load limits, specifically load limits that lead to elastic deformation of the part, in particular load limits that lead to plastic deformation of the part.

[0047] In particular, step b2. may comprise determining at least one simulated variable. Furthermore, step c) may comprise comparing the at least one simulated variable with at least one simulation threshold variable of the target specification. In particular, the at least one simulated variable may be: a property of the molten mass of at least one material used to fill the mold, in particular the viscosity of the molten mass of the at least one material, the temperature of the molten mass of the at least one material; a property of the mold, in particular the temperature of the mold and the pressure in the mold; a flow path length; a filling time for completely filling the mold with the molten mass of the at least one material; a property of at least one material of the part, in particular a property selected from the group consisting of hardness, robustness, more particularly structural robustness, elasticity and plasticity.

[0048] Further, the method comprises: f) pre-processing the geometric shape data retrieved in step a) by discretizing the geometric shapes into a mesh comprising a finite number of mesh elements; may include.

[0049] Step f) may in particular be performed before performing step b). In particular, step f) may further comprise file repair of defective parts of the geometric data. In this way, defective parts of the geometric data, such as holes in the surface, overlapping or disconnected areas, incomplete volumes, etc., can be repaired in step f).

[0050] In particular, the three-dimensional geometric data may be CAD data. In particular, the three-dimensional geometric data may be CAD data that geometrically describes a candidate shape of the mold.

[0051] The at least one interpretation result generated in step c) may specifically include at least one item of recommendation information. The term "item of recommendation information" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to a person skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to any data including, without limitation, suggestions or suggestions. In particular, the item of information may be or include data or information regarding suggestions or suggestions regarding candidate shapes. Thus, in particular, the item of recommendation information may be or include at least one suggestion or recommendation regarding one or more characteristics of a forming process for manufacturing at least one part. In particular, the at least one item of recommendation information may include at least one recommendation selected from the group consisting of material adaptation, geometric shape adaptation, and manufacturing parameter adaptation.

[0052] The method may further include outputting at least one automated report. In particular, the method may further include outputting at least one automated report including at least one item of recommendation information.

[0053] In particular, step d) may comprise outputting the at least one item of recommendation information in at least one automated report. In particular, step d) may comprise making the at least one item of recommendation information available to another system, data storage, natural or legal person, for example via at least one interface. By way of example, the output of step d) may be or may comprise making available to a user an interpretation result, such as an automated report including the at least one item of recommendation information.

[0054] In particular, the output of the at least one automated report, e.g. in step d), may include providing guidance for one or more of: material adaptation, geometric shape adaptation, and manufacturing parameter adaptation. In particular, the output of the interpretation result, e.g. the recommendation information of the automated report, may be configured to provide guidance, e.g. a learning tool, to the user. Thus, as an example, at least one possible approach and / or solution may be provided in case of potential problems, e.g. difficulties that may negatively affect the manufacturability of the at least one part, when using the mold cavity for manufacturing the at least one part, particularly taking into account the analysis results generated in step b).

[0055] As an example, in step d), at least one item of recommendation information may be provided specifically for the purpose of enabling a user to identify and / or resolve possible defects and / or difficulties in the mold cavity, such as one or more of material-related difficulties, geometry-related difficulties and manufacturing parameter-related difficulties.

[0056] Additionally, the method includes: g) retrieving at least one item of analytical information from the at least one interpretation result generated in step c) and using said at least one item of analytical information in an automated learning process; may include:

[0057] Specifically, the at least one item of analytical information may include information regarding at least one of: a reaction to at least one interpretation result; and a material selected for use in the molding process.

[0058] Further, the method may include using at least one requesting computer and at least one processing computer. In particular, the processing computer is capable of retrieving the three-dimensional geometric shape data from the requesting computer. Further, the processing computer is capable of performing at least steps b)-c) of the method and outputting the interpretation result to the requesting computer in step d).

[0059] Specifically, the requesting computer and the processing computer may communicate through at least one web interface. The term "web interface" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term specifically refers, without limitation, to any item or element forming a boundary configured for transferring information, which information transfer may be addressed via the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Additionally or alternatively, the web interface may be configured to transfer information from the requesting computer to the processing computer and / or vice versa, such as by sending, receiving and / or exchanging information. The web interface may specifically provide a means for transferring or exchanging information. In particular, the web interface may provide an online data transfer connection. The web interface may include at least one web platform. The web platform may be configured, for example, to receive at least one request from the at least one requesting computer.

[0060] As an example, a user may initiate transmission of three-dimensional geometric data from a requesting computer to a processing computer. In particular, three-dimensional geometric data, such as three-dimensional geometric data for candidate shapes of mold cavities and / or shapes of parts to be manufactured using the mold, may be transferred from the requesting computer to the processing computer, for example, via at least one web interface, for example, via at least one web platform.

[0061] The method further comprises the steps of: h) outputting the interpretation results generated in step c) to at least one further computing device; may include.

[0062] In particular, the computing device may be configured to convert the interpretation result into at least one process parameter, which may be, for example, a parameter of a manufacturing process.

[0063] The computing device may be, for example, a computing device of a collaborator or partner. In particular, the computing device may be a computing device of a partner selected from the group consisting of: a tool manufacturer; a mold designer, a mechanical engineer, an injection molder, a material supplier.

[0064] Step h) may further comprise identifying matching collaborators or partners. In particular, matching collaborators or partners may be identified by comparing the interpretation result, in particular the interpretation result generated in step c), with any database or list containing multiple solvers for the problem that may result from or be concluded from the interpretation result. In particular, the database may be or may contain information on multiple collaborators or partners, such as the identity and expertise of multiple companies and / or businesses.

[0065] In a further aspect of the invention, a design system for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part is disclosed, the design system comprising at least one processor configured to execute the steps of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part, such as a design method as described above or in more detail below. Therefore, for most possible definitions of the terms used herein, reference may be made to the description of the design method disclosed in the first aspect of the invention.

[0066] In particular, the design system may include at least one processing computer and at least one requesting computer, and the processing computer may be specifically configured to retrieve three-dimensional geometric shape data from the requesting computer, perform at least steps b) to c) of the design method, and output the interpretation result in step d) of the design method to the requesting computer.

[0067] The design system, in particular the processing computer, may comprise at least one or both of a data storage and / or a memory for storing the database, in particular the material database or the partner database. In particular, the data storage or memory may be selected from the group consisting of: internal data storage, e.g., an internal drive or memory; external data storage, e.g., an external drive and an external data server, such as a cloud server; portable data storage.

[0068] The design system may further comprise at least one web interface for transmitting information from the requesting computer to the processing computer or vice versa, and / or the web interface may include a wireless web interface and / or a wired web interface, such as for communicating with a computer network such as the World Wide Web.

[0069] The design system may specifically be or may include a client-server system. In particular, the client-server system may be configured to divide tasks and / or workloads between at least one server, specifically at least one resource or service provider, and at least one client or client computer requesting at least one service, e.g. at least one service requester. In particular, in this specification, the at least one server may be a processing computer. In particular, the at least one processing computer may be selected from the group consisting of: a server; e.g. a web server configured to provide a web platform. The requesting computer may be a client and / or a client computer. In particular, the requesting computer may be at least one personal computer of a user or a computing device of a user.

[0070] In particular, the design system may comprise a plurality of processing computers, such as servers, which may be or include in part web servers. Thus, as an example, the design system may include a plurality of servers operating at least in part in a cloud or network. The design system may in particular be or include a complex system of one or more processing computers, one or more requesting computers. Thus, the design system may be or include a complex interaction between one or more processing computers, such as at least one back-end server, one or more requesting computers, such as at least one front-end server or computer, in particular a web front-end, and one or more computer-implemented simulations.

[0071] In a further aspect of the invention, a computer program is disclosed, which comprises instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer or a computer system, cause the computer or the computer system to execute a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part, such as a design method as described above or in more detail below. Therefore, for most possible definitions of the terms used herein, reference can be made to the description of the design method disclosed in the first aspect of the invention.

[0072] In particular, the computer program may be stored on a computer-readable data carrier and / or a computer-readable storage medium. The terms "computer-readable data carrier" and "computer-readable storage medium" as used herein may in particular refer to non-transitory data storage means such as a hardware storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon. The computer-readable data carrier or storage medium may in particular be or include a storage medium such as a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM).

[0073] Further disclosed and proposed herein is a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer or a computer system, cause the computer or the computer system to carry out a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part, such as a design method as described above or in more detail below. Therefore, for most possible definitions of the terms used herein, reference may be made to the description of the design method disclosed in the first aspect of the invention.

[0074] In particular, the computer program product may include program code means stored on a computer readable data carrier for executing the design method according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein when the program is executed on a computer or a computer network. As used herein, a computer program product refers to a program as a tradeable product. The product may generally exist in any form, such as a paper medium or a computer readable data carrier. In particular, the computer program product may be distributed over a data network.

[0075] Further disclosed and proposed herein is a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer or a computer system, cause the computer or computer system to execute a computer implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part, such as a design method as described above or in more detail below. Therefore, for most possible definitions of the terms used herein, reference may be made to the description of the design method disclosed in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0076] The method, system and program of the present invention have numerous advantages over methods, systems and programs known in the art. In particular, the method, system and program disclosed herein can improve the design performance of molding processes compared to devices, methods and systems known in the art. In particular, the present invention can significantly reduce processing or design time. Furthermore, the present invention can require less computing power and exhibit and / or have reduced complexity compared to current state-of-the-art design methods, particularly by avoiding inefficiencies in the normal workflow for designing and manufacturing plastic parts.

[0077] In summary, and without excluding further possible embodiments, the following embodiments can be envisaged:

[0078] Embodiment 1: A computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part, the method comprising: a) retrieving three-dimensional geometric data describing candidate shapes for a mold cavity; b) analyzing said geometric data, said analysis comprising the sub-steps of: b1. analyzing said mold cavity geometry by automatically scanning said geometry data for a plurality of predetermined criteria; b2. The following: - a computer implemented simulation of filling said mold cavity with a molten mass of at least one material; - a computer implemented simulation of the part being manufactured using the mold cavity; simulating use of the mold cavity by at least one of and c) automatically interpreting at least one analytical result generated in step b) by matching said analytical result to at least one target specification; d) outputting at least one interpretation result generated in step c), said interpretation result describing at least one quality of one or both of a molding process and a part design using said candidate mold cavity shape; Includes.

[0079] Embodiment 2: The method comprises: e) retrieving at least one material for use in said molding process; The method according to the preceding embodiment, further comprising:

[0080] Embodiment 3: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein step e) is performed before step b).

[0081] Embodiment 4: Step e) comprises the following sub-steps: e1. retrieving at least one target characteristic of at least one of: the material; the part; and a manufacturing machine for manufacturing the part; e2. automatically selecting at least one material from a database according to said target properties; and The method according to any one of the preceding two embodiments, comprising:

[0082] Embodiment 5: The method according to any one of the preceding three embodiments, wherein step e), in particular step e2., comprises using at least one artificial intelligence process, in particular at least one neural network.

[0083] Embodiment 6: A method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein step b1. includes determining in the geometric data at least one of: undercuts for the intended demolding of the part from the mold; draft angles for the intended demolding of the part from the mold; thin areas; mass accumulation; wall thickness distribution; base thickness, ratio of rib thickness to base thickness; manufacturability of the mold for the intended demolding of the part from the mold.

[0084] Embodiment 7: A method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein step b1. comprises determining at least one measurement variable in the geometric shape data, and step c) comprises comparing the at least one measurement variable with at least one threshold value of the target specification.

[0085] Embodiment 8: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one measured variable is selected from the group consisting of: length, in particular the maximum flow length of the molten mass of the at least one material; angle, in particular the angle between the surface of the mold and the intended demolding direction; thickness, in particular the extension length in at least one direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the molten mass of the at least one material.

[0086] Embodiment 9: The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein step c) comprises identifying critical geometric shape characteristics of the candidate shapes of the mold.

[0087] Embodiment 10: The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein step c) comprises using at least one process of artificial intelligence, in particular at least one neural network.

[0088] Embodiment 11: A method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein step b2. comprises determining at least one of: weld lines; flow length; thin areas; mass accumulation; shear stress; shrinkage; packing pressure; clamping force required to close the mold; cycle time; packing time; load limits, in particular load limits that lead to elastic deformation of the part, in particular load limits that lead to plastic deformation of the part.

[0089] Embodiment 12: The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein step b2. comprises determining at least one simulated variable, and step c) comprises comparing the at least one simulated variable with at least one simulation threshold variable of the target specification.

[0090] Embodiment 13: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one simulated variable is: a property of the molten mass of the at least one material used to fill the mold, in particular the viscosity of the molten mass of the at least one material, the temperature of the molten mass of the at least one material; a property of the mold, in particular the temperature of the mold and the pressure within the mold; a flow path length; a filling time for completely filling the mold with the molten mass of the at least one material; a property of at least one material of the part, in particular a property selected from the group consisting of hardness, robustness, more particularly structural robustness, elasticity and plasticity.

[0091] Embodiment 14: The method further comprises: f) pre-processing the geometric shape data retrieved in step a) by discretizing the geometric shapes into a mesh comprising a finite number of mesh elements; 3. The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, further comprising:

[0092] Embodiment 15: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein step f) is performed before performing step b).

[0093] Embodiment 16: The method according to any one of the preceding two embodiments, wherein step f) further comprises file repair of defective portions of the geometric shape data.

[0094] Embodiment 17: A method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the three-dimensional geometric shape data is CAD data that geometrically describes a candidate shape of the mold.

[0095] Embodiment 18: A method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the at least one interpretation result generated in step c) includes at least one item of recommendation information.

[0096] Embodiment 19: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one item of recommendation information includes at least one recommendation selected from the group consisting of material adaptations, geometric shape adaptations, and manufacturing parameter adaptations.

[0097] Embodiment 20: A method according to any one of the preceding two embodiments, wherein the method further comprises outputting at least one automated report, the automated report including at least one item of the recommendation information.

[0098] Embodiment 21: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein step d) includes outputting the at least one automated report.

[0099] Embodiment 22: A method according to any one of the preceding two embodiments, wherein the output of the at least one automated report includes providing guidance for one or more of: material adaptation, geometric shape adaptation, and manufacturing parameter adaptation.

[0100] Embodiment 23: The method comprises: g) retrieving at least one item of analytical information from said at least one interpretation result generated in step c) and using said at least one item of analytical information in an automated learning process; 3. The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, further comprising:

[0101] Embodiment 24: A method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one item of analytical information includes information regarding at least one of: a reaction to the at least one interpretation result; and a material selected for use in the molding process.

[0102] Embodiment 25: A method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the method includes using at least one requesting computer and at least one processing computer, the processing computer retrieving the three-dimensional geometric shape data from the requesting computer, performing at least steps b) to c), and outputting the interpretation result to the requesting computer in step d).

[0103] Embodiment 26: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the requesting computer and the processing computer communicate via at least one web interface.

[0104] Embodiment 27: The method further comprises: h) outputting the interpretation results generated in step c) to at least one further computing device; 3. The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, further comprising:

[0105] Embodiment 28: The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the computing device is configured to convert the interpretation result into at least one process parameter, the process parameter being a parameter of a manufacturing process.

[0106] Embodiment 29: The method according to any one of the preceding two embodiments, wherein the computing device is a computing device of a collaborator or partner, specifically a computing device of a partner selected from the group consisting of tool manufacturers; mold designers, mechanical engineers, injection molders, and material suppliers.

[0107] Embodiment 30: The method according to any one of the preceding three embodiments, wherein step h) further comprises identifying matching collaborators or partners.

[0108] Embodiment 31: A design system for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part, the design system comprising at least one processor configured to perform the steps of the method according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

[0109] Embodiment 32: A design system according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the design system includes at least one processing computer and at least one requesting computer, the processing computer being configured to retrieve three-dimensional geometric shape data from the requesting computer, perform at least steps b) to c), and output the interpretation result in step d) to the requesting computer.

[0110] Embodiment 33: A design system according to any one of the preceding two embodiments, wherein the design system, in particular the processing computer, is provided with at least one or both of data storage or memory for storing a database, in particular a material database or a partner database.

[0111] Embodiment 34: A design system according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the data storage or memory is selected from the group consisting of: internal data storage, e.g., an internal drive or memory; external data storage, e.g., an external drive and an external data server such as a cloud server; and portable data storage.

[0112] Embodiment 35: A design system according to any one of the preceding three embodiments, wherein the design system further comprises at least one web interface for one or both of transmitting information from the requesting computer to the processing computer or vice versa.

[0113] Embodiment 36: A design system according to any one of the preceding five embodiments, wherein the design system is a client-server system and the at least one processing computer is selected from the group consisting of: a server; a web server.

[0114] Embodiment 37: A computer program comprising instructions that, when said program is executed by a computer or a computer system, cause said computer or computer system to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments referring to the method.

[0115] Embodiment 38: A computer program product comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer or computer system, cause said computer or computer system to perform a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments referring to the method.

[0116] Embodiment 39: A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when a program is executed by a computer or computer system, cause said computer or computer system to perform a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments referring to the method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0117] Further optional features and embodiments are disclosed in more detail in the description of the following embodiments, preferably in conjunction with the dependent claims, where each optional feature may be realized in isolation and in any possible combination, as understood by a person skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is not limited by the preferred embodiments. The embodiments are illustrated diagrammatically in the figures, in which identical reference numbers indicate identical or functionally interchangeable elements.

[0118] In the diagram: [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a portion of an embodiment of three-dimensional geometric data describing a candidate shape of a mold cavity and a part to be manufactured using the mold cavity. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a design system. [Diagram 3] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. [Figure 4] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. [Diagram 5] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. [Figure 6] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. [Figure 7] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. [Figure 8] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. [Figure 9] 1 shows a flowchart of a different embodiment of a computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0119] Detailed Description of the Embodiments 1, an embodiment of three-dimensional geometric data 110 is shown, partially in perspective, describing a candidate shape for a mold cavity 112. Additionally, a part 114 manufactured using the mold cavity 112 is shown in FIG.

[0120] An embodiment of a design system 116 for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part 114 is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 2. The design system 116 comprises at least one processor 118 configured to execute a computer-implemented method 120 for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part 114, for example as shown in FIGS. 3-9. The design system 116 may further include at least one processing computer 122 and at least one requesting computer 124. In particular, the processing computer 122 may be configured to retrieve the three-dimensional geometric shape data 110 from the requesting computer 124. Furthermore, the processing computer 122 may be configured to output the interpretation results generated in the computer-implemented method 120 to the requesting computer 124. In particular, the processing computer 122 may comprise a memory 126 for storing a database, such as a material database or a partner database. As an example, the design system 116 may include at least one web interface 128 for transmitting information from the requesting computer 124 to the processing computer 122 or vice versa, or both.

[0121] In particular, the requesting computer 124 of the design system 116 may be or may include at least one front-end or front-end computer, such as at least one client computer. As an example, the requesting computer 124 may be configured to graphically display to a user the interpretation results of step d) of the design method.

[0122] The processing computer 122 of the design system 116 may be or may include at least one back-end or back-end computer, such as at least one server, for example at least one web server, configured for providing a web platform. In particular, the processing computer 122 may be configured to process the three-dimensional geometric data 110. In particular, for processing the three-dimensional geometric data 110, the processing computer 122 may utilize at least one application programming interface (API) for performing steps b) to c) of the design method. In Figs. 3 to 9, flowcharts of different embodiments of a computer-implemented method 120 for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part 114, in particular the design method 120, are shown. The computer-implemented method 120 for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part 114, in particular the design method 120, comprises the following steps, which may be performed in a given order, although different orders are also possible. Also, two or more method steps may be performed in full or in part simultaneously. Furthermore, one, more than one or all method steps may be performed once or repeatedly. The method may further include additional method steps not listed here. The method steps of the design method 120 are as follows: Step a) retrieving three-dimensional geometric shape data 110 describing candidate shapes for a mold cavity 112 (indicated by reference numeral 130); Step b) (indicated by reference numeral 132) analysing said geometric shape data 110, said analysis comprising the following sub-steps: Step b1. Analyzing the geometry of the mold cavity 112 by automatically scanning the geometry data 110 for a number of predefined criteria (indicated by reference numeral 134); Step b2. (indicated by reference number 136) - a computer implemented simulation of filling the mold cavity 112 with a molten mass (denoted by reference numeral 138) of at least one material; - a computer implemented simulation of a part 114 manufactured using the mold cavity 112 (denoted by reference numeral 140); simulating use of the mold cavity 112 by at least one of: c) automatically interpreting at least one analytical result generated in step b) (denoted by reference numeral 142) by fitting said analytical result to at least one target specification; d) outputting at least one interpretation result generated in step c) (indicated by reference numeral 144), said interpretation result describing at least one quality of one or both of the molding process and the part design using the candidate shape of the mold cavity 112.

[0123] As an example, the shape of the mold cavity 112 analyzed in step b1.134 may be or may include at least one geometric shape data of a part, such as a plastic part, for example at least one geometric shape data of the part 114, and the shape of the mold cavity 112 may be or may include a negative shape, such as the inverse shape of the part 114.

[0124] In particular, as shown in Fig. 3, step b2.136 of the design method 120 can include only a first sub-step b2.138 of simulating the use of the mold cavity 112 by a computer-implemented simulation of filling the mold cavity 112 with a molten mass of at least one material. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 4, step b2.136 of the design method 120 can include only a second sub-step b2.140 of simulating the use of the mold cavity 112 by a computer-implemented simulation of a part 114 produced by using the mold cavity 112. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 5, step b2.136 of the design method 120 can include both the first sub-step 138 and the second sub-step 140.

[0125] The design method 120 may further include a step e) (indicated by reference number 146) of retrieving at least one material to be used in the forming process, which may be performed before step b) 132, for example as shown in Figures 6 to 9. In particular, step e) comprises: e1. retrieving at least one target characteristic of at least one of: a material (denoted by reference numeral 148); a part 114; and a manufacturing machine for manufacturing the part 114; e2. (denoted by reference numeral 150) automatically selecting at least one material from the database according to a target characteristic; Includes.

[0126] In particular, step e2.150 may involve using at least one process of artificial intelligence, in particular at least one neuronal network.

[0127] Furthermore, the design method 120 may comprise a step f) (indicated by reference numeral 152) of pre-processing the geometric shape data 110 retrieved in step a) 130 by discretizing the geometric shape data into a mesh comprising a finite number of mesh elements. In particular, step f) may further comprise file repair of defective parts of the geometric shape data 110. In particular, step f) may be performed before performing step b), for example as shown in Fig. 7.

[0128] In particular, the design method 120 may include, as a further step, outputting at least one automated report 154, for example as illustrated in Figures 7 to 9. In particular, the automated report may include at least one item of recommendation information, for example included by the interpretation result generated in step c) 142.

[0129] Furthermore, the design method 120 may include a step g) (indicated by reference numeral 156) of retrieving at least one item of analytical information from the at least one interpretation result generated in step c) 142 and using said at least one item of analytical information in an automated learning process, as may be exemplarily shown in Figures 8 and 9. As an example, the automated learning process may further utilize information regarding the material retrieved in step e) 146, as may be exemplarily shown in Figure 9 by the arrow pointing from step e) 146 to step g) 156.

[0130] In particular, the design method 120 may include using at least one requesting computer 124 and at least one processing computer 122. In particular, the processing computer 122 may retrieve the three-dimensional geometric shape data 110 from the requesting computer 124. Furthermore, the processing computer 122 may perform at least steps b) 132 and c) 142, and may further output the interpretation results in step d) 144 to the requesting computer 124. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the processing computer 122 and the requesting computer 124 may communicate via at least one web interface 128.

[0131] The design method 120 may further include a step h) (indicated by reference number 158) of outputting the interpretation result generated in step c) to at least one further computing device, for example as illustrated in Figs. 7-9. In particular, step h) 158 may further include, as a further sub-step, identifying matching collaborators or partners 160, such as tool manufacturers, mold designers, mechanical engineers, injection molders and material suppliers, for example as illustrated in Fig. 9. As an example, the design method 120 may include performing step h) 158 twice, as illustrated in Fig. 9. In particular, the computing device to which the interpretation result generated in step c) is output may be configured to convert the interpretation result into at least one process parameter. Thus, the design method 120 may include, as an additional step, converting the interpretation result into at least one process parameter 159, as illustrated in Fig. 9. Following the execution of step 159, the design method 120 may further include a transfer step 161, in which the process parameters can be transferred to an appropriate manufacturing machine. Following execution of step 161, the design method 120 may further include evaluating a manufacturing result 163, for example a part.

[0132] As a further step, the design method 120 may include a registration step 162 followed by a login step 164. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, the registration step 162 and the login step 164 may be performed before performing step a). Furthermore, the matching collaborator or partner may also have to register and login, as may be exemplarily shown in Fig. 9 by the arrow pointing from the login step 164 to step h) 158. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] List of Reference Numbers 110 Geometric Shape Data 112 Mold Cavity 114 parts 116 Design System 118 processors 120 Computer-implemented method for designing molding processes 122 Processing Computer 124 Requesting Computer 126 Memory 128 Web Interface 130 Step a) 132 Step b) 134 Step b1. 136 Step b2. 138 b2. First substep 140 b2. Second substep 142 Step c) 144 Step d) 146 Step e) 148 Step e1. 150 Step e2. 152 Step f) 154 Print at least one automatic report. 156 Step g) 158 Step h) 159 Converting the interpretation results into at least one process parameter 160 Identifying matching collaborators or partners 161 Transfer Step 162 Registration Steps 163 Evaluation of manufacturing results 164 Login Steps

Claims

1. 1. A computer-implemented method for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part (114), the method comprising: a) retrieving three-dimensional geometric data (110) describing candidate shapes for a mold cavity (112); b) analyzing said geometric data (110), said analysis comprising the following sub-steps: b1. Analyzing the geometry of the mold cavity (112) by automatically scanning the geometry data (110) for a number of predefined criteria; b2. The following: - a computer implemented simulation of filling said mould cavity (112) with a molten mass of at least one material; - a computer implemented simulation of said part (114) manufactured using said mould cavity (112); simulating use of the mold cavity (112) by at least one of: and c) automatically interpreting at least one analytical result generated in step b) by fitting said analytical result to at least one target specification; d) outputting at least one interpretation result generated in step c), said interpretation result describing at least one quality of one or both of a molding process and a part design using said candidate shape of the mold cavity (112); f) pre-processing the geometric data (110) retrieved in step a) by discretizing the geometric data (110) into a mesh including a finite number of mesh elements, which is performed before performing step b) and further includes file repair of defective portions of the geometric data (110); The method includes:

2. The method comprises: e) retrieving at least one material for use in said molding process; Further comprising: The method of claim 1 , wherein step e) is performed before step b).

3. Step e) comprises the following sub-steps: e1. Retrieving at least one target characteristic of at least one of the material, the part (114), and a manufacturing machine for manufacturing the part (114); e2. Automatically selecting at least one material from a database according to the target property; The method of claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein step b1. comprises determining at least one measurement variable in said geometric shape data (110), and step c) comprises comparing said at least one measurement variable with at least one threshold value of said target specification.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one measurement variable is selected from the group consisting of length, angle, and thickness.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein step c) comprises identifying critical geometric shape characteristics of candidate shapes of the mold cavity (112), and step c) comprises using at least one process of artificial intelligence.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein step b2. comprises determining at least one simulated variable, and step c) comprises comparing said at least one simulated variable with at least one simulation threshold variable of the target specification.

8. The at least one simulated variable is characteristics of a molten mass of the at least one material used to fill the mold; the temperature of the molten mass of said at least one material; The characteristics of the mold, Channel length, a fill time for completely filling the mold with a molten mass of the at least one material; and At least one material characteristic of said component; The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

9. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one interpretation result generated in step c) comprises at least one item of recommendation information, the at least one item of recommendation information comprising at least one recommendation selected from the group consisting of: material adaptation, geometrical shape adaptation, and manufacturing parameter adaptation.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises outputting at least one automated report, the automated report including at least one item of the recommendation information.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein step d) includes outputting the at least one automated report.

12. 12. The method of claim 10 or 11, wherein the output of the at least one automated report includes providing guidance for one or more of: material adaptation, geometry adaptation, and manufacturing parameter adaptation.

13. The method comprises: g) retrieving at least one item of analytical information from said at least one interpretation result generated in step c) and using said at least one item of analytical information in an automated learning process; The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising:

14. 14. The method according to claim 1, comprising using at least one requesting computer (124) and at least one processing computer (122), the processing computer (122) retrieving the three-dimensional geometric shape data (110) from the requesting computer (124), performing at least steps b) to c), and outputting the interpretation results to the requesting computer (124) in step d), the requesting computer (124) and the processing computer (122) communicating via at least one web interface (128).

15. The method comprises: h) outputting the interpretation results generated in step c) to at least one further computing device; The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising:

16. A design system (116) for designing a molding process for manufacturing at least one part (114), comprising at least one processor (118) configured to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. 17. The design system of claim 16, wherein the design system (116) includes at least one processing computer (122) and at least one requesting computer (124), the processing computer (122) configured to retrieve three-dimensional geometric shape data (110) from the requesting computer (124), perform at least steps b) to c), and output an interpretation result in step d) to the requesting computer (124).

18. 20. The design system of claim 17, wherein the design system (116) further comprises at least one web interface (128) for transmitting information from the requesting computer (124) to the processing computer (122) or vice versa, or both.

19. The design system of any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the design system is a client-server system and the at least one processing computer (122) is selected from the group consisting of a server and at least one web server.

Images