Manufacturing Solutions

Midplane Wizard

Midplane Wizard

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Midplane Wizard

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The Midplane Wizard is used to create midplane mesh model data decks for injection molding analysis starting from solids, surfaces enclosing a volume, surfaces representing a midplane or midplane surface mesh. This wizard will guide you to create midsurface, midplane mesh, and assign property cards to the elements.

The Midplane Wizard can be used in four ways:

•Start from clean set of solids to extract and create midplane input data deck
•Start from clean set of surfaces which encloses a volume to extract and create midplane input data deck
•Start from surface which represents the midplane surfaces to complete a midplane input data deck
•Start from mesh which represents the midplane to complete a midplane input data deck

When you click on the Midplane Wizard macro, it opens a separate tab showing all the steps in the Midplane Wizard. You must complete each one of these simple steps, one at a time, for the Midplane Wizard to run successfully. No knowledge of HyperMesh is necessary to complete these steps.

hmtoggle_plus1greySet Project Directory

Specify the appropriate project directory and a suitable project name for the job to begin. Browse the folder by clicking on the folder icon in the window and select the directory.

set_proj_directory

Click OK to save the settings and Cancel to abort the operation without saving.

 
hmtoggle_plus1greySet Length Unit

Select the suitable units using the Set Length Unit dialog. After selecting the units, click OK to save the selection.  This information will be used at the time of export to convert the nodal coordinates to SI units.

set_length_unit
hmtoggle_plus1greySet Model Information

Set Model info opens a new tab where you specify the details of the model. There are three different starting points.

set_model_info_midplane

Volume solids/surfaces

In this case, the model has the part solid as an enclosed volume either made by solids or surfaces.  In order to complete the midplane model, you must extract the midsurface and then mesh it.  In addition to enclosed volumes, you can also have surface pairs (top and bottom surfaces).

Surface(s) representing the Midsurface

In this case, the model already has a midsurface or a surface representing the midsurface. This surface may or may not have embedded thickness data. The wizard can be used under both scenarios.

Midplane Mesh

In this case, the model has a midplane mesh. The wizard creates and assigns the property cards.

The images below shows the interface for each of these options and their right-click context sensitive menu.

set_model_info_midplane2

set_model_info_midplane3

set_model_info_midplane4

 

 
hmtoggle_plus1greyCreate Midsurface

This step extracts the midsurface from the selected solid/surface volumes. Use this only with models that start from volumes. This option will not be highlighted until you complete the next two steps.

 
hmtoggle_plus1greyCorrect/Edit the Midsurface (Optional)

This step opens the Midsurface panel, where you can correct the extracted midsurface. In order use this panel and repair the errors in the created midsurface, you should be familiar with the features in this panel. Read the Midsurface panel online help for more information.

 
hmtoggle_plus1greyAssign Surface Thickness (Optional)

This option is available only when you start with existing midsurfaces. Use this option to specify a thickness for each surface. This step is necessary only when the surface does not have embedded thickness or when you want simplify if it by using an uniform thickness.

assign_surface_thickness
hmtoggle_plus1greyMesh Midsurface

This panel is used to mesh the midsurfaces. Specify a minimum and maximum thickness. The meshing algorithm internally orders all the surface edges based on length and interpolated the edge density based on these values.

surface_mesh_moldflow
hmtoggle_plus1greyCreate Property Cards

This step automatically creates property cards for all the midplane elements and assigns it to them. At the end of this step, it also shows the contour of element thickness.  If you start the model from an existing mesh (on a surface or not on a surface), the following dialog is shown to enable the thickness specification.

extract_assign_element_thickness
hmtoggle_plus1greyCreate the Feed System

In this step, you are guided to create a feed system using beam elements. Solids representing the shape of the beam elements are created solely for visual representation. These solids are not exported with the data deck.

You can either choose to create a generic feed system or a structured feed system. More details about this step can be found in the topic Feed System Wizard. The steps outlined in that section are identical to those in this wizard.

 
hmtoggle_plus1greyExport the model

Use this dialog to export the model and create the .udm file, which can then be imported into Moldflow and solved.

export_data_moldflow_data_files