As a last-gasp attempt to salvage a design prone to warpage, CAE Services has developed a hybrid simulation/real-world methodology to ensure better outcomes for when windage is required. In marksmanship, the dictionary definition of Kentucky windage is “a rough but educated guess to account for factors like wind drift or a consistently misaligned sight.” In injection molding and moldmaking, it refers to an educated guess on warpage in a part and cutting the tool steel in the reverse direction...

In injection molding, complexity is the norm. Designs are more intricate than ever, tolerances are tighter, and customers expect nothing less than perfection. Too often, when problems surface, the blame game begins; designers point to molders, molders to tooling suppliers, manifold sources and delays spiral into costly fixes. The truth is simple: success starts with smart part design. Moldflow analysis is the key to breaking this cycle. Moldflow Isn’t Perfect—But It’s Predictive One of the...

There’s a persistent myth in injection molding that goes something like this: “If the part is warping, just add ribs and it will flatten out.” It sounds logical. Ribs add stiffness, stiffness fights deformation — therefore: flatter part, right? Well… sometimes. But just as the Earth isn’t flat, your part won’t magically become flat just because you threw a rib pattern at it. In many cases, ribs can actually increase warpage if they’re not designed with the material and flow behavior in mind....