Understanding

VISI Flow Lite

VISI Flow Lite 20

 INTRODUCTION

This document is intended to provide basic information on how to get started using the
VISI Flow Lite analysis packages.

All the documentation is available as a guided on-line help that can also be printed.
This context sensitive on-line help, that covers all major working sections, can be
invoked through the F1 key.

Pre-requisite
During this exercise, it is assumed that the user has a basic knowledge of the VISI
software.

Object
The following example will detail the VISI Flow Lite interface and highlight some of
the required techniques to run a filling analysis.

SUMMARY
(CTRL + click on each line to go to the relevant guide section)

1. Analyzing a Component
Mesh model creation & preparation
Define moulding conditions for a filling analysis
Run the calculation
View the results
Generate Reports

2. Appendixes
Modelling considerations and tips
Mesh checks and repair tools
Calculation Strategy and tips

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 1. Analyzing a Component

Mesh Model Creation & Preparation

Run VISI

File > Open Select the file named “CoverJap.wkf”

located in \Visi18\Workf\Sample\Flow\Lite

The geometry should look as below:

Before setting up any analysis it is important to check that the part is a valid solid
component with no corruptions or errors. It is important to have a good quality solid,
because any corruptions may effect the analysis calculations.

Please ask the instructor for assistance or an explanation of what checks to make
before creating the mesh for analysis. For example, it is always worthwhile to Simplify
Bodies (Operation menu).

A Solid/Surface model is not used for creating analysis within VISI Flow Lite, so a
triangularization mesh needs to be created from the cad data.

VISI Flow Lite uses a special surface triangularization mesh created inside VISI from
a solid or surface model. While it looks similar to a STL file used for creating rapid
prototype parts its main difference is the regularity of the shape of the triangles
created. The triangles that are created need to be as uniform as possible, and as
close to equilateral as possible to achieve the best analysis results.

Before creating a triangularization mesh you should ensure that you have a solid
model or a united sheet body.

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Flow > Lite

Starting from any solid model or mesh, a step-by-step wizard allows a fast modelling
of the cavity. In case of problem, basic checks and mesh repair tools are provided
through the Mesh menu. For a deeper explanation of the various options please refer
to the “Mesh checks and repair tools” section of the Appendix.

Understanding the interface:

1 3 5 7 9

2 4 6 8

1. Flow Analysis Browser

6. Create a New Study
2. Create Mesh
7. Run Calculation
3. Thickness Calculation
8. Overall Quality
4. Assign Thickness
9. Create Report
5. Format for the Analyses

Select the Create Mesh icon to start preparing the model.

After clicking on the part, the following window appears to choose the desired
element size.

Suggested element
dimension

Visualize the results of

the mesh discretization

The element size is automatically suggested depending on the dimensions of the

model.

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When selecting a triangle size make use of the Preview button to visualize the results
and judge if the triangle dimension selected will deform the components shape or
create an excessive number of triangles. Consider that a level of deformation of the
components shape will not influence the results.

It maybe necessary to make compromises

when choosing a triangle dimension to best
define critical feature of a component and
minimise part distortion.

For example, the boss detail shown,

instead of the suggested size of 2.87 mm it
has been worthwhile using an element size
of 2 mm (1/16”).

Run the Thickness Calculation.

When this computation is complete, the thickness distribution is display. The indicated
range comes from the calculated values.

Thickness is computed using the Maximum Sphere

method. The value at any point is defined by the largest
sphere that can be placed at that point, in the direction of
facet normal, without intersecting other facets. Because we
are fitting a sphere, this method gives a much better
measure of thickness in 3 dimensions when compared to
other methods.

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You should now have a mesh model with all the elements assigned a thickness, this is
normally adequate to give a good representation of the model. Slight distortion of the
model data, accepted when the mesh has been generated, may produce a scattered
thickness distribution or elements with a reduced or increased value on some areas.
Reducing the mesh size can improve the results, but this will lead to longer calculation
times. The variation of element thickness in these area’s will not substantially diminish
the quality of the results.

If the case, select the Assign Thickness icon to improve the thickness distribution.

A new dialog box will be presented:

To introduce the
thickness or
select an element
with the required
value

To specify a thickness Range (first of all, check the box) by

introducing the minimum and maximum values to work with

To make practise, let’s refine the area indicated in the picture. Select the elements to
be edited, enter the Thickness of 2 mm (or pick any element that already has a 2 mm
thickness assigned to it), and confirm your choice with the OK button.
You will get this result:
Thickness values that could be modified

When selecting individual elements that need the thickness value changing, to save
picking a large number of elements one at a time VISI Flow Lite offers the possibility
to select triangles by angular deviation (very useful in many occasions), by
connectivity or by visibility.

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See also the Selection Icons help for further details. Ask your instructor for other
methods of selecting triangles for changing there thickness values.

Select only Visible Elements

Select Triangles by Angular Deviation

Select Connected Triangles

Once the thickness assignment has been completed, it is possible to Format the
Model for the analysis.

The window that is displayed will allow you to automatically conduct all the verification
checks on the model. This important aspect of the part preparation is forced to alert the
user of wrong model description and avoid calculation errors due to incorrect models.

In case of error messages, return to the appropriate phase of the modelling process or
check and repair the mesh through the tools available in the Mesh menu. For a
deeper explanation of the various options please refer to the “Mesh checks and repair
tools” section of the Appendix.

Since a small number of unconnected elements is acceptable when creating a filling

analysis, you may answer YES to the error message and continue formatting the
model. If you like to ensure the model has 100% connectivity, give a negative answer
to the question and go back to the Mesh menu to conduct the mesh suitability checks.

If no messages are displayed after the verification of the part, the program starts
formatting your model. This operation will create the super-structure and the
hexahedral mesh used by the calculation modules.

Note that this triangular surface mesh, saved in the “.WKF” file, is not used by the
analysis calculations. VISI Flow Lite creates an internal adaptive super-structure for the
analysis process, a technique that is unique to VISI Flow. The triangular mesh is only
used for displaying the calculation results. The super-structure (saved in the “.MDF” file)
is generated during the formatting process that is performed after some mesh suitability
checks and the computation of local thicknesses.

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At the end of this operation the Create New Study window is automatically open.

The following steps will guide you through the preparation procedure for setting up an
injection moulding analysis. Many of the relevant parameters will be explained during
the preparation process.

Define the Moulding Conditions

Fill in the dialog box as shown below:

Enter a name for the Filling results
name

Introduce a Description for

this calculation

Name – The file name in which the results of the calculation will be recorded. If a
name that has been previously used is entered, the program will give a warning, since
the existing results will be over written. Experience has proved that, while not
essential, a good practice in assigning meaningful names to the files of the various
steps of the analyses can be of great help for any further access to them.

Confirm your choices with the OK button.

The Moulding data section will be activated:

Define the melt entry point(s)

Select the
appropriate material

Accept the suggested values for

melt and mould temperatures

Grade – Material used for the analysis. Click the Material Manager icon to display
the list of available grades. Material properties, such as the rheological and thermal
characterizations, are recorded for each Grade. The Supplier, Code and Description
fields assist in identifying the specific grade to be selected.

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VISI Flow Lite includes only the Plast material database which is an exhaustive list of
polymer families and it does not refer to the commercial names of the grades.

Right click on a grade to review information

about its properties including MFR data
(historical Melt Flow Rate index), typical linear
shrinkages, and tensile modulus.

Select the M100_01 ABS general purpose

low viscosity grade.

Confirm your material selection with the OK

button.

Now click the icon to add an Injection point from which the molten material will
enter the cavity. An injection element can be any node of the component.

Multiple melt entry points can be selected An injection element will be identified by an
arrow in the model space. Use the Pick button to quickly create a list of injection
elements.

Select the injection point on the node at the positions shown in the figure.

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At this time all the information required to run an analysis are available.

Accept all of the other default values.

Injection Time – The time interval in seconds to complete the filling of the cavity
using a uniform flow rate. The program suggests a reasonable injection time
depending on material, part volume and gates.

The next two input values are suggested by the software to provide a good initial
starting point for users who are not familiar with specific material grades. This typical
data can be changed if required by the analysis.

Melt Temperature – The temperature of resin entering the injection elements. In

reality it is the temperature of the material leaving the moulding machine nozzle. The
melt temperature value entered must be within the typical range of values.

Mould Temperature – The temperature of the cavity surface that is applied to all the
elements.

Pressure at End Filling – This input allows you to specify the pressure in the
injection element at the end of the filling phase.

This moment, marked as V/P Change, controls the percentage value of material entering
the cavity under volumetric control (flow rate). When the percentage value is met – 95%
which is typically used in practical moulding conditions due to the fact that the volumetric
controlled filling phase must be terminated to avoid extremely high pressures – the final
filling phase changes to pressure control.

In the following two examples, the calculation will

adjust the flow rate to stay within the maximum set
filling pressure. To achieve this, the software will
adjust the injection time.

 if a value of 0 is entered, filling switches at V/P

Change to a pressure equal to the 75% of the one
reached at that moment;
 if a value greater than 0 is entered, filling
continues with a linear pressure interpolation to
the set value.

The typical holding pressure (see grade properties

through the Material Manager) for the subsequent
packing phase can be used. Considerations about
mould design and machine clamping force can
dictate different value.

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If the part geometry and gate location is such that the pressure required to fill the
cavity after reaching the V/P Change is higher than the value set, the warning
message “Unable To Stay In Specified Conditions” will be displayed. This does not
mean that something is wrong during the calculation and you will still get a result. To
eliminate the problem you might accept the pressures indicted by the program or
make a new calculation setting a defined pressure value.

Pressure Limit – During the injection phase controlled by volume (flow rate), the flow
rate will be altered by the system so the pressure does not exceed the specified
pressure limit value. The default value 0 means that no limit is set.

Run the Calculation

Select the desired moulding condition from the Studies window:

and simply click the Run icon to start the calculation.

The Calculation Manager opens by showing the running analysis.

When a calculation is started key information about the progress of the calculation is
displayed on the screen, such as the percent of Volume filled at that time.

The calculation module can be Paused or Stopped by pressing the relevant

buttons at the bottom of the page.

The result_filename.fb file contains the name and date of the used calculation modules,
the names of the result and mould files and, in some cases, program messages that
alert you to unusual conditions. The message may include errors encountered during

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the calculation and/or a list of elements that have frozen before the mould finished
filling.

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 The file is rewritten every time a calculation is started. If error messages appear during
a calculation, please report the problem and where within the software (name of the
specific module) the error occurs. These errors are not dependent on the calculation,
moulding conditions, etc. The program handles all the possible errors in this area, by
writing a message to the result_filename.fb file and closing the result file appropriately.
These are infrequent errors related to hardware problems.

If the “Automatic closing when last process terminates” is unchecked, when the
calculation is complete a message is displayed and you may close the Calculation
Manager.

By default, when the calculation is complete, the results are automatically displayed
on the screen.

View the Results

All the Bottom icons are available:

1 2 3 4 5 6

2. Draw Mesh 2. Welding Lines

2. Thickness 2. Air Traps
2. Triangle Result 2. Draw Chart

and the Result Analysis section will be activated:

Evolution of the filling

Variable’s animation phase

Variable’s quality

Field variables

We will now start to analyse our filling calculation.

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Click the Quality icon to get an indication of the overall quality of your part coming
from the results obtained for the filling Pressure, flow front Temperature, and Shear
Stress under a given set of moulding conditions.
The indicated variables, linked to the
requested quality, can be evaluated
separately since their improvement
produce an overall better quality.
The aim is to optimise the processing
window available to the moulding
technicians.
When reviewing the results of the filling
analysis, try to take a global look at the
result variables. For example, you can
accept some how high stress levels if
the temperatures are high.

The visualization for most of the field variables during the filling phase can be
animated. This provides a striking illustration of the dynamic changes of these
variables during cavity filling and packing.

Just click the Play button to start the animation.

The following gives a description of the variable results in the pull down list.

Isochrones – To display the development of the filling phase to understand the

advancing flow front pattern. Used to accurately track the formation of weld lines and
the potential of air traps (see also relevant icons at the bottom of the window).

The Time Step slide bar lets you select a short shot, which is basically a save created
during the analysis calculation at a number of set intervals. You can control the
progress of the melt front also specifying a time step to animate the filling with the
desired pace.
Temperature

Welding line

By moving the sliding cursor to focus in the area of your interest or by setting the
Minimum and the Maximum values of this variable, you can examine the details of the
weld line formation. An enlargement of the area, will provide a good understanding of
where the melt fronts come in contact so producing areas of potential weld lines and/or

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air trapping (see also the Temperatures in each element in relation to the material
characteristics).

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Providing that you can evacuate the air, the quality of the weld lines is determined by
the temperature of the flow front. Higher temperatures will mean better welding.
Click the relevant bottom icon to get a global overview about weld lines and air traps.
The first function highlights the potential formation of weld lines. Their real
influence on part quality is to be evaluated reading the previous described variables.
The prediction of potential of air traps can be simply weighed up through its
option.
Note that the graphics indicating both weld and traps is saved on the active layer.

Welding Lines – The best approach regarding weld lines is to choose a gate location
so weld lines are created in non critical area’s of a component to reduce there effect
on mechanical properties or surface appearance. If this is not feasible, then an
alternative approach is to have the weld lines formed as early as possible during the
filling phase, this will assure the best melt temperature to form the strongest possible
weld line. The angle between the meeting of material flows also plays a role in weld
line quality with particular reference to the surface appearance. A distinction between
a head to head weld line and a merging situation where the two material flows come in
contact at an almost parallel direction. Angles of 50 degrees or more are considered
acceptable situations to avoid an appearance of surface defects. The quality of the
surface near a weld line is related to the specific grade and colour of the material and
only practical experience with the same material can give the real answer. It is
worthwhile to remember that the quality of the surface also depends on the mould
temperature and on the amount of frozen skin in the flow front.

Temperature – Average temperature of the material across the thickness in each

element. It can be obtained at different time intervals and at the end of filling. To
obtain high quality mouldings, the temperature difference in all elements describing
the part should be within a narrow range. It requires that the heat lost by conduction
due to the cold mould surface be compensated for by the heat generated by friction.

The maximum allowable difference depends on the plastic. A rule of thumb is the
following: at the end of flow, the material should not cool down more than 15 to 20°C
when compared with its typical average value. In very difficult filling situations, one
can even accept heating the material by 10 to 15°C due to friction in the part near the
gate.

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This quality evaluation can be done, for typical situations, clicking the Quality .

The quality of the moulding can be easily evaluated by the highlighting of the elements
with variable values outside the category limits. Practical considerations, coming from
long term Vero experience, will be used during the display of the variable for which those
elements with a value higher or lower than the set category limits will be shown in
different colours.

An expert technologist may then determine the best moulding conditions by examining
these results. For example, if the material Temperature goes below the minimum
value the technologist might try to reduce the injection time. In situations where the
maximum value of the shear stress is too high as well, he may decide that the best
solution will be to increase the melt or the mould temperature.

Pressure – Pressure distribution in any element at each specific time during filling.
The values clearly indicate areas of over packing that can cause differential shrinkage
and consequent warpage.

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The program performs the calculation of the initial holding phase for all flow paths
already filled.

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Click the Chart bottom icon to display a graph showing the filling Pressure vs. the
Time. The injection pressure increases during the filling phase until it reaches the V/P
Change and then drops down to a pressure equal to the 75% of the one reached at
that moment.

The maximum injection pressure should non exceed the moulding machine capability
with a “safety margin” usually about 20%, also because a typical injection moulding
machine is rated on hydraulic pressure, multiplied by the so called intensification
factor which represents the surface ratio between the oil cylinder and the plastic barrel
(usually in the order of 10–15 times).

Consider the extra pressure which will be required for runners and gates that are not
included in the model (see variable’s Quality ).

There are various ways to reduce excessive pressure drops. One, that should be used
as the very last option, is to increase the mould temperature. With excellent moulding
conditions (short filling times) the influence on the pressure is not great, but it will
contribute to increased cooling times. Another alternative, that’s not so detrimental to
the cooling time is when the mould cooling system is very efficient, this can be found
in an increase in the melt temperature.

The Chart data section, activated through the Chart bottom icon, permits to setup
and display variable graphs from the evolution of main computed variables.

Many fields are available to customize your graph:

By clicking the two boxes at right of each variable the graph will be automatically
displayed accordingly to the selected range of values and the colour as well.

Any time you click one of the boxes a new diagram is created.

Flow Rate – The maximum flow rate value is obtained from the volume of the cold
cavity and the entered filling time. A skilled moulder can judge flow rates suitability
compared with the capability of the moulding machine to be used (to fill the part with
this “velocity”). In case of selection of a specific moulding machine, the maximum flow
rate value is limited according to its specifications.

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The Orange line (default) indicates the Flow Rate of the material entering the cavity.
In the next example the material flow stays constant until it again reaches the V/P
Change where it then starts to drop to achieve the set pressure requirements.

Concerning the moulding machine capability, never forget that it is not just the max
pressure that can limit the moulding conditions with a given moulding machine. In
addition to the mould dimensions, you must ensure that the required injection volume
can be achieved by the moulding machine being used, normally in a range of 20–70%
to avoid high melt residence times (which can degrade the polymer) at the lower limit
or provide a poor melt (non homogenous) in the upper limit. You must also verify that
the max flow rate used in the analysis fits with the injection rate of the machine with an
adequate margin, especially if the moulded part requires high pressures.

An increase of filling time (lower flow rate), providing to not generate an excessive
cooling of the melt flowing into the cold cavity, will reduce the pressure. Using the option
to limit the cavity pressure, the program
will take care of lowering the flow rate
when the set value is reached. When
using this option care must be taken to
verify the actual filling time which may
result in longer than expected times,
causing undesired excessive cooling.
We have noticed that, due to machine
limitations, some commercial parts are
filled during packing without the moulder
appreciating it!

Looking at the above graph, at about

2.3 seconds of the filling time, the pressure reaches a maximum value, the software
then slows the velocity to stay inside the limit (identical behaviour of the moulding
machine). The abscissa values tell you the total filling time as well.

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By clicking the Opening Force icon at the bottom of the Chart data section the
relative graph will be automatically displayed accordingly to the selected colour.

Opening Force – Force acting on the mould that needs to be opposed by moulding
machine clamping force. It is generated by the filling pressure acting on the projected
area of the model. It can be determined at various instants during the injection time. In
cases where the Pressure for the subsequent holding phase, specified in the filling
calculation inputs as Pressure at the End of Filling, is higher than the pressure
required for filling, the final stage must be evaluated carefully. In fact, during the pre-
holding phase after the V/P Change the final pressure distribution might not be
equalized in the whole part and give an under estimation of the clamping force
required in the packing phase. It is recommended that an holding analysis be done in
all cases where the clamping force during the holding phase is a critical requirement.
In these situations it is safe to assume an opening force during holding phase equal to
the projected area multiplied by the considered pressure.

Note that for semi-crystalline materials, easy to flow but requiring high holding
pressure to maintain low shrinkage, the clamping force requirements may come from
the holding instead of the filling phase.

The considered Projected Area is the projection of the model on the XY plane of the
screen, so take care to orient the model correctly. This option calculates projected
area and opening force of the part oriented as in the displayed view. To orient the
model correctly, it is convenient to bring it to its Front view and then, with rotational
commands, put the model in the desired orientation and finally call the Opening Force
option.

As explained above, the value of the opening force during the filling phase is
evaluated at the V/P changeover (95% of the cavity volume to take care of the
moulding machine inertia: this value is quite reasonable for most moulding machines).
The opening force value in this situation is the maximum required for the filling phase.

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In fact the part is quite completed with the correct “filling” pressure distribution in the
whole part.

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In the case you set a pressure after the V/P changeover (Pressure at the End of Filling
field), the value of the last short shot (100% of the final view) gives an idea of the
opening force requirements due to the holding phase. Therefore, an accurate
determination of the maximum opening force requires to verify the value at the V/P
change (if pressure was higher at that time) and at the beginning of the packing phase
where polymer is still hot and pressure evenly distributed. Of course, in the case you
profile the holding pressure values with the time you have to apply the opportune
considerations. If you do not make the holding calculation and plan to increase the
pressure during it, you can estimate the maximum value by multiplying the holding
pressure value by the projected area.

To recapitulate, the opening force requirements for filling are estimated at the 95%
(V/P changeover) where:
 the part is quite completely filled, the pressure distribution ranges from a min
value on the flow front (zero) to the maximum in the gate, the real process
switches to pressure control.
The program also makes an estimation of the opening force requirements at the 100%
(final view) where:
 the pressure distribution is quite homogeneous in the whole part (at the set
value, if specified, to have a good packing,) as in the real process to avoid
pressure peaks at the end of filling.

Shear Stress – Ratio between the shear force which drives the flow and the area
resistant to flow. It is a function of the material viscosity and the flow rate. The stress
displayed is the maximum across the thickness of the element at various instants
during filling and serves to gauge the quality of the part. During cooling, part of the
stress at the end of the filling relaxes, but a residual stress remains frozen in and will
be one of the causes tending to distort the part. The shear stress should not go above
a specific limit that is a function of the type of plastic. Typically, in the part, it should
not exceed 0.3 to 0.7 MPa (see variable’s Quality ).

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The shear stress variable is linked to the Temperature values. High stresses can be
found in situations of high velocity and hot material or low velocity and cool material.
The latter occurs due to high material viscosity.
The moulded part quality is effected by the level of shear stress that is frozen into the
part during material cooling. In the case of high velocity and hot material much higher
stress values can be accepted due to the material having more time to relax thanks to
the higher material temperature compared to low velocity and cool material.

The highest shear stress values are

normally seen near the gate during the
filling phase. Increasing the melt
temperature can reduce this. High shear
stress at the end of filling is very common,
this is due to the reduction in the flow front.
Programming the flow rate or reducing the
pressure after the V/P changeover can
solve the problem. Parts with high frozen in
stresses are subject to crazing and/or
stress cracking. Acceptable stress levels
can be established experimentally by
correlating computed values for stress with
observed levels of crazing. An indication of
the maximum critical shear stress value is
given in the Plast database for each resin.

T. Cooling Time – The visualization of the cooling time with “Technical” values
(experimental ejecting conditions that are acceptable in practice even if the complete
solidification of the thickness section has not been yet reached) is used as a practical
reference to set the cooling time.

Generate Reports

The Create Report main icon greatly simplifies the preparation of the analysis
documentation by organizing, in an automatic but controlled way, a document in .xml
format. This can easily be viewed with Internet Explorer browser.

In the upper part of the introduction window, the general information for the report
being created can be specified.

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Chose, from the list of the completed analyses (the relevant moulding conditions are
indicated in the window at right), the one to be
added to the report. Right click and select “Add
default images”.

The list of Default images to be automatically

added to the report can be easily modified by
unckecking the variables not to be saved into the
report.

The lower window allow you to specify the

Purpose of the study or insert comments for
individual images or write down the Conclusion
that will be attached to the beginning and end of the report respectively. To modify or
delete any of these three types of annotations just uncheck the pertinent box.

To attach to the current report a desired image select the appropriate analysis and
click the Load Result icon. The Result Analysis section will be activated so to
allow to display the desired image on the screen. For a deeper explanation of the
various options please refer to the “View the Results” section.

When ready, click the ''Add to report'' button to attach the desired picture.

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To edit the report just drag analyses and images in the tree.

After clicking the Create report button, a \report folder will be generated under the
directory containing the analyses under evaluation. This folder will contain the report
itself with the associated images. Each image is saved with an extended name that
allows easy recognition of the image name, type of analysis, and considered field
variable.

The visualization of field variables can be animated through the option available in
the Result Analysis section. This provides a striking illustration of the dynamic
changes of these variables during cavity filling. When satisfied click to store the
movies under the specified name. The animations can then be used on a Web site or
in a presentation.

In addition, to print the analysis results displayed on the screen, the graphic image
can be Copied to the clipboard with the option available in the Window menu and later
saved to disk. The image can then be saved in any desired format, edited and/or
printed with all major image processing programs (e.g. Windows Paintbrush).

It is also possible to printout the numeric reports of the analysis such as the Filling
Summary (*.fbr) files. These files can be printed with any text editor. To maintain the
alignment of numbers, the word processor should use a non-proportional font (e.g.
Courier).

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 2. Appendixes

Modelling considerations and tips

What is the maximum allowable number of triangles for a mesh model?

The maximum allowable number of triangles is 300.000. Note that the program has
the capability to reduce the total number of elements by eliminating those elements
with poor shape factors. For very large and complex parts it is possible to import up to
600.000 triangles (then reduce the exceeding elements with cleaning options such as
merging of nodes, removing of zero area elements, etc).

Is it possible to use STL files?

The VISI Flow Lite package uses a special surface triangularization prepared by the
Create Mesh feature. While it looks similar to a STL file used for the creation of stereo
lithographic prototype component’s it sensibly differs from it. The main differences
can be found in the regularity of the triangles and in the optimisation of their number.
The triangular elements that will be generated are also used to display results and
calculate material thickness values to create the calculations super-structures.

The surface triangularization for a typical STL file creates a minimum number of
triangles to reproduce all the details of the model (very few elements in a flat surface
and many elements to reproduce fillets). Because of this irregular triangle size it is not
suitable for displaying the calculation results from an analysis. For this reason you
must remesh it with the Create Mesh feature. If not satisfied by the result you might
run Create Mesh once again to get the proper “spider web” like mesh.

Do elements have to be equilateral triangles?

The triangles should be as uniform as possible, and as close to equilateral as
possible. The best results are obtained with these kind of elements. A small
percentage of elements with poor aspect ratio can be tolerated. One should avoid
having such elements in a critical area. These can be identified near the gate and
near changes of section thickness.

What about the level of accuracy of the model?

The Preview of the triangularization available with Create Mesh will help in defining
the best triangle size to use, so not to exaggerate the number of elements or deform
the shape of the part. When deciding to reduce the number of elements because they
seem excessive, consider that a reasonable level of deformation of the parts shape
will not influencing the results.

As an additional guideline for the convenient number of triangles note that:

 complex models, with side dimensions of 150–300 mm (6” to 12”) and
several fillets, are normally described with 30.000–90.000 triangles;
 with larger parts, for example with side dimensions of 300–500 mm (12” - 20”),
the number of triangles, which depends on the total number of surfaces (e.g.
many ribs) included in the model, can be of a few hundred thousands. Minor
details are often not considered in the analysis if they do not represent a critical
region regarding weld line location, etc. (e.g. small ribs).

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For the following simple part (size 50x30x80 mm) the appropriate number of triangles
(about 4.800) of the central figure was obtained with a maximum edge length of 3
millimetres. At left look at an unacceptable result with too few and distorted – not
equilateral – triangles while at right the model has too many triangles obtained with
mesh size of 1 mm.

The triangle size can also depend on the size of critical details of the model being
analysed. So it maybe necessary to make compromises when choosing a triangle size
to best define critical feature of a component and
minimise part distortion. For the hinge at right it might be
also necessary to make manual refinements to the
thickness values to perfectly describe the details of the
part.

Does the calculation use the triangularized model?

Actually, the calculation does not work on this
triangular surface mesh but it uses an internal mesh
composed by adaptive super-structures which distinguish the VISI Flow package. The
outside triangles covering all the surfaces are just used to display the results. The
super-structure is generated during the calculation process.

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Why simplify the model?
To help reduce calculation times and improve the quality of the triangularization mesh
it is recommended that minor features such as text or small ribs be removed from the
model. These features should only be removed if they do not effect critical regions of
the part being analysed.

In this example we will remove the material identification from the model.

How to use the Mesh menu?

This menu provides the ability to perform various types of operations on triangle
meshes.

Mesh > Cleanup

Select this command to perform various operations on meshes to remove different

types of abnormalities associated with triangles' connectivity, holes, gaps, etc.

The Generic Toolbar encompassing two tabs of this dialogue contains icons to
perform generic operations such as, load factory default values, set current default
values, load current default values, undo all, undo immediate and redo.

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 Cleanup toolbar in the Operations tab of this dialogue provides various icons to
perform respective operations on meshes. Operations are performed on meshes only
when respective icons on this toolbar are clicked. Clicking OK on the bottom of the
dialogue box will only confirm the actions performed through the toolbar. Clicking
Cancel on the contrary undoes the operations performed so far.

Fix all
Generic toolbar
Orient normals

Optimize mesh

Operations on
mesh
Check it only if
you experience
calculation
problems

Default value of 0.01

is commonly used for
To check for any meshes
unconnected triangles
after performing all
cleanup operations

Click the Fix all icon to perform all the selected operations from Options. This section
provides facilities to fix geometry of mesh triangles. Various operations in this are:
 Fix vertex edge disjoints: Check this to automatically search whole mesh for any
vertex-edge disjoint pairs and fix them automatically. This operation works on a gap
tolerance, which means the distance between the vertex and the edge. Default
value is 0.1 (mm) which should automatically fix usually occurring anomalies.
 Fill simple holes: Check this to automatically fill any planar holes present in the
mesh.
 Fix degenerate triangles: Check this to delete any degenerate triangles found in
the mesh. When this check box is ticked the relevant edit box will be enabled to
provide minimum area below which triangles are considered degenerate. Default
value for this is 0.01 (mm2).
 Fix overlapping triangles: Check this to delete any overlapping triangles present in
the mesh.

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 Fix overhang triangles: Check this to delete any triangles that are overhanging
from the rest of the mesh. Overhanging means triangles with two of its edges
unconnected/unshared with the rest of the mesh.
 Fix aspect ratio of triangles: Check this to relax mesh from triangles with huge
aspect ratio. Triangles with aspect ratio above given value (by default 20) will be
removed and mesh is adjusted accordingly so as not to create any holes or
connectivity issues. Triangles positioned at 90 degrees respect to other (border
elements) will not be removed. When this check box is ticked the field at right will
be enabled to provide with a threshold value for aspect ratio. This operation also
takes into consideration the value specified to check for any degenerate triangles
while removing triangles with aspect ratio above given value.

Aspect ratio is defined as the ratio of longest edge length and shortest altitude inside
triangle. By checking it we can detect and remove geometrically or mathematically
convoluted elements that simply will not work or, in the worst case, will not allow the
completion of the analysis calculation. It is suggested to run this command only if all
the elements are connected so to keep there connectivity. By adjusting the aspect
ratio, overlapping and zero area elements may be generated. These unsuitable
elements will need to be corrected before we progress any further.
Typically, it is not necessary to remove elements with a wrong shape factor.

Options in the Parameters section allow to:

 Mesh tolerance: The default value of 0.01 is the most commonly used for meshes
but this parameter could be modified based on source and nature of data and
application. The modified value will be
applicable only for the operations performed
through this dialogue. Mesh tolerance is an
important value for triangle meshes which jigs
up vertices and there by edges and triangles of
a mesh so as to remove any duplicate vertices.
 Use default tolerance: If this check box is ticked
the default tolerance value is used for all the
operations performed otherwise the tolerance
value specified in Mesh tolerance will be used.
 Check: Check this box if, after performing all
cleanup operations on meshes, mesh has to be
checked for any unconnected triangles. The
resultant number of unconnected triangles are
displayed in the message area below all
parameters.
The Results tab displays number of degenerate,
overlapping and non-manifold triangles, elements
above given aspect ratio, simple holes and vertex-
edge disjoint pairs fixed as a result of operations
performed on meshes.

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Click the Orient Normals icon to orient all triangles in a consistent direction.
In fact, all the mesh triangles have a positive and negative vector. After executing this
command all normals should be consistently oriented outwards (positive vector), except in
very limited cases where some partially overlapping triangles are present or in cases where
there are multiple patches of triangles which are unconnected to each other. In cases like
this mesh has to be cleaned up to achieve proper orientation for those triangles.
As an alternative, elements with a negative vector can be inverted by the Reverse
Normals command.

Before progressing, your mesh data needs to be consistently coloured. The colour will
be in agreement with the face normal direction.
Optimize Mesh is an important operation whenever meshes have any vertices or
edges which share same coordinates within a specific tolerance value. For example,
vertices or edges which share same coordinates to a tolerance value such as 0.01
and the Mesh tolerance used is 0.001 then these vertices/edges will appear duplicate
in the mesh. In this situation if the Mesh tolerance is varied to 0.01 and this icon is
clicked then these vertices and thereby corresponding edges will be made unique,
removing unconnected triangles.

In case the mesh will need to be further refined, additional mesh tools are available:

Collapse Triangle Merge Vertices

Orient Normals Delete/detach Triangles

Cleanup Change Attributes

Fill Holes

Check Triangle Attributes

Reverse Normals Add Triangles

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The Check command controls the mesh for any unconnected triangles.

A dialogue will pop up on demand if the icon

to the left is clicked. This optional dialog

will provide the facility to change colours of
unconnected triangles and their surrounding
triangles along with displaying number of
unconnected triangles. It also provides facility
to reset triangle attributes of the mesh. If this
optional dialog is not opened a simple
message is displayed with number of
unconnected triangles and all unconnected
triangles in the mesh are highlighted in red
colour.
When colours of unconnected triangles and their surrounding triangles are modified
using the optional dialog to the right, display of those triangles can be filtered using
the second tab (Element/Colour/Style) by switching on/off different colours as used for
triangles in the mesh.
Nodes of triangles can be connected in several
ways.
With Merge vertices the program
condenses two nodes into a single vertex. The
first selected node is moved toward the second
one and mesh is adjusted accordingly. To
select the vertices it is advisable to activate the
Enhanced Pick. As an alternative you may
also Add triangles to a mesh manually: just
pick the vertices to add elements. A triangle is added for each trio of points picked.

With these simple commands you can connect all the elements. Note that it could be
necessary to reset the triangle colour through the (Element/Colour/Style) tab. The
correct joining together is achieved when the appropriate message is displayed after
reissuing the verify connectivity command.

What is the significance of the connectivity check?

Connectivity refers to how the triangles within the model are joined together.
To ensure the correct element connection, it is recommended that you use the
Check tool available in the Mesh menu.
Note that a small number of unconnected elements is acceptable.
Any elements that are not connected, along with their surrounding triangles, will be
highlighted whenever the icon to the left is clicked.

Remember to check the elements connectivity of the new elements and assign them
the thickness of those deleted.

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Databases
with the
polymer
family name

How to judge and complete the thickness values assigned by VISI Flow Lite?
It is important to verify the thickness distribution that is assigned to the mesh by the
automatic calculation.

Use the Assign Thickness tool to modify the areas of the part where you judge that
the calculated thickness is incorrect.

Calculation strategy and tips

What is the standard approach to analyzing the moulding process?

The first step is to determine the best flow conditions with the assumption the part has
a uniform mould surface temperature. Use melt entry points to create preliminary
analysis to evaluate the best gate position. Fine tune the analysis to obtain the best
overall part Quality possible:

 this means achieving uniformity of the melt temperature (typically not more than
10°C heating and 10-15°C cooling);
 acceptable shear stress (generally in the range of 0.5-0.7 MPa);
 considerations should be made about moulding machine capabilities, such as
maximum pressure and clamping force.

The moulding conditions may require updating, requiring a number of analysis to be

conducted. In extreme cases, changes maybe required to gate layouts, and possible
part modifications (e.g. flow leaders added).

How to run several analyses in sequence?

Whenever the Calculation Manager is running you may Add any calculation to
the queue . First of all select the type of analysis and then load the calculation
settings from the appropriate folder.

To remove a calculation from the list just select it and then click the button.

What to do if the calculation stops before the cavity is completed?

In the case of you encountering an error during a calculation, please provide to the
VISI Flow Support Team ([email protected]) with a screen shot of the error
message.
Then generate a compressed archive with the WKF file to help identify the source of
potential problems that may be encountered with imperfect models. Please also
include the result_name.FES file containing the moulding conditions of the filling
analysis. This file contains all the necessary information to duplicate the incomplete
analysis and allow the VISI Flow Support Team investigate the problem.

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