Cimatron CAD/CAM Software Enables the Design and Manufacture of More Complex Molds

3D Systems announced that three leading mold-making shops—Allegiance Mold, Liberty Molds, Inc. and Synergy MouldWorks, Inc.—have targeted more complex injection mold tooling through the deployment of 3D Systems' Cimatron integrated CAD/CAM software. Cimatron software enables users to move straight from design to the shop floor, allowing for improved mold design time and time to delivery by up to 50% and 20%, respectively. This integrated CAD/CAM software helps mold-making firms optimize their shop floors and end-to-end manufacturing workflows, 3D Systems says.

Allegiance Mold, LLC is an injection mold manufacturer that specializes in delivering prototype and production tooling with short lead times. Based in Portage, Michigan, Allegiance Mold has established a niche in the mold-making market for building high-quality, complex injection molds about 50% faster than the competition by implementing Cimatron integrated and dedicated CAD/CAM software for tooling.

“The biggest benefit that I see is that we're using the same software to design the tool in the office as we are using to machine the tool in the shop,” says Dave VanDeLaare, senior mold designer, Allegiance Mold. “We use Cimatron for designing and machining because there's no translation errors. It goes from my office right out to the shop floor and the guys can start programming within minutes of me putting it out there.”

Synergy MouldWorks, Inc. is an injection mold maker and custom machining shop that specializes in higher-complexity, tighter-tolerance tooling for medical, automotive, and consumer goods including cap and closure, food packaging and cosmetics. Located in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, it reduced its mold delivery time by up to 20% and improved its customer service by offering close, up-front collaboration for better tooling design when it implemented Cimatron integrated CAD/CAM software.

“We've got mold design, product design, and NC all in one software product. It's one-stop shopping,” says Cory Robertson, president, Synergy MouldWorks. “Transitioning to Cimatron allowed us to create a new specialty at the shop and be nimbler and more flexible in how we accommodate part changes without extending the overall delivery time.”

Cimatron software by 3D Systems is a dedicated solution for tooling and addresses the entire tool-making process—from quoting, to design, to applying engineering changes, to NC programming. The access to CAD and CAM capabilities with the latest simulation tools in one software platform allows mold makers to reduce design and delivery time and become more productive.

Liberty Molds, Inc. is a custom injection mold shop located in Portage, MI, that uses Cimatron software by 3D Systems to design and manufacture complex, high-tolerance, custom prototype and production tooling. Liberty Molds simplified its stable of software products by replacing three software solutions with Cimatron integrated CAD/CAM software. 

“Cimatron makes it too easy for us to do a good job—right from the design into programming,” says Brian Scott, president, Liberty Molds.  “In many cases, we've improved our build time by four weeks because translation errors are no longer holding us back.”

Cimatron integrated CAD/CAM software delivers expert toolsets for conformal cooling designs plus interactive simulations to determine areas of the design where conformal cooling can assist, the company says. These tools validate the design for cooling efficiency, injection-molded part quality, and overall injection cycle time reduction. Cimatron by 3D Systems provides mold makers with the automation, and dedicated tools for their respective needs.

“Mold makers have undergone a significant transformation and come out successfully on the other side powered by our engineering software portfolio, which is focused on improving customer productivity and creating new revenue streams,” says Radhika Krishnan, senior vice president, software and healthcare solutions, 3D Systems. “We're constantly looking for new ways to innovate at 3D Systems and our Cimatron software provides our customers with the time savings to generate a competitive edge and the confidence to take on any tooling challenge their customers present to them.”  

3D Systems' Cimatron integrated CAD/CAM solution provides a full range of NC technologies from simple 2.5 axis milling and drilling to complex five-axis machining and micro milling. Cimatron is designed to address the entire tool making process—from quoting to design, applying engineering changes and NC programming. This enables tool and mold makers to deliver higher quality tools at lower cost with shorter cycle times.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.

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