Key facts
Mold flow analysis before tooling: fill, pack, warp and cooling simulation that predicts defects, optimizes gates and de-risks part design - free DFM review from Shiny Mold.
Mold flow analysis simulates how melted resin fills your cavity – before any steel is cut. For complex or cosmetic parts, it is the cheapest insurance you can buy in a molding program.
What Simulation Predicts
- Fill: flow fronts, fill time and pressure – catches short shots and hesitation
- Weld and meld lines: where flows meet – relocated gates can move seams off cosmetic faces
- Air traps and burns: where venting must be added
- Pack and sink: volumetric shrinkage – predicts sink over ribs and bosses
- Warp: differential shrinkage – fiber orientation and cooling imbalance made visible
- Cooling: temperature distribution – where cycle time hides
When to Run It
We recommend simulation for cosmetic housings, tight-tolerance parts, glass-filled resins, large parts and anything with long, thin flow paths. For simple brackets and low-cosmetic parts, a careful DFM review usually covers the risk.
How We Deliver It
Every Shiny Mold quote includes a free DFM review; full mold flow simulation is quoted as a line item and the report is yours to keep – with gate options, predicted defects and our recommended tooling strategy in plain language.
What we need from you to simulate accurately
Simulation quality tracks input quality. The 3D model must be the molded geometry – not the assembly CAD with threads and logos that never mold. The resin grade matters more than the resin family: two PC grades with the same name can differ 20 percent in viscosity, and the simulation will faithfully predict the wrong fill. If the exact grade is undecided, we simulate with two candidates and compare, which usually settles the material decision as a bonus.
- Molded-geometry 3D file (STEP/STP) with uniform wall sections confirmed
- Exact resin grade, or top two candidates
- Proposed gate location if you have a preference, or leave it open
- Mold temperature class and cosmetic surface spec
Turnaround is typically 2-4 working days for fill analysis, 3-5 with cooling and warpage. Results come as a written recommendation, not just colored pictures – see the defects each finding prevents.
A short word on cost: full fill plus cooling simulation typically adds 3-5 percent to tooling cost and one week to the schedule. On a program with tight cosmetic class or glass-filled resin, it is the cheapest insurance in the whole project – one prevented steel rework pays for it several times over. On simple, non-cosmetic parts at modest volumes, we will tell you honestly when simulation is not worth it, and the design review alone will do.