MPA 8.0 – Known Issues & Workarounds

1. MPA 8.0 – Known Issues & Workarounds By Yannick Moret QA Manager, Paris

2. Agenda • Installation & Licensing • Graphical User interface • Post Processing • Solvers • Miscellaneous

3. Objectives of this Presentation • Help you with support • Explain the known limitations and issues • Lots of new feature in MPA 8.0 • Well received by Beta customers • Good bits will be in Marketing document, read them !

4. Installation & Licensing

5. Installation CD • MPA 8.0 • MPS 2.4 (PC only) • Release notes • What’s new book • Installation guide

6. Installation • MoldflowWorks is replaced by Solidworks integration • CAD sytems supported • SW 2006/2007 • Inventor 11 • ProE Wildfire 3.0 • Solid edge V18/V19 • Vista is not officialy supported • Should run anyway • Better place license server on another machine • If hangs, log once with remote desktop connection

7. File Association Issue • MPA projects have extension *.mpa • *.mpa is associated with Windows Media Player or Part adviser 7.3 • To correct this - associate *.mpa with MPA program • RMB -> Open With -> Choose program… • Select, MPA from the list • Turn ON the option

8. License Related • MPA 7.3 licenses work with 8.0 • MPA/3D requires new key • Re-register before requesting new keys • Changes in new keys issued: • Mold Adviser (MDA) key is now displayed MPA in MPS 2.4 • Part Adviser customers can purchase Performance Adviser without upgrading to Mold Adviser • MFPSHOST is now setup in mps.ini • No need anymore of environement variable

9. License Keys • Token name : • PTA for part adviser user GUI (8.0) • MPA for mold adviser GUI (8.1) • Can run part adviser GUI also • MPA_CORE : meshing, basics solver • MPA_FLOW : pack • MPA_WARP : warp • MPA_3D : 3D option

10. Licensing • Standalone : MPA_MF • STL files • Udm, sdy • CAD Integration :MPA_SW, MPA_SLDE, etc… • Import CAD files from CAD interface only • Udm, sdy • Auto-update check wrong license (MDA) • Will have to download from MCC if there is a rev 1

11. The Graphical User interface

12. Model Import Wizard • Purpose • Ensure model can be meshed in 3D • Attempt to fix model when required • Offer preview in the browsing • Add step to the 7.3 workflow • But add functionalities

13. Import Wizard • Browse as thumbnails should display preview • Only for STL • No preview display if 7.3 is open at the same time

14. Import Wizard • Include : • STL diagnostic • Clean-up (optional) • + STL diagnostic after cleanup • Suitability (optional) • 3D solution available only • if no errors in STL (or cleanup managed to fix it) • 3D license

15. Model Suitability • Can hang when assessing suitability • May happen on 1-2% of the models • Workaround - Reimport model with suitability check turned OFF • Follow suggestions of suitability for DD/3D • Note that models with square sections like arms can give better results in 3D

16. CAD Integrated Versions • Annoyance: • You can not import models into an existing project • Always, have to create new project • If error « No entities imported from CAD model » • Recommend to have TEMP variable setup to c:\TEMP (no spaces)

17. Import udm/sdy • Geometry only, no process setting/BC/material • From MPA 7.3 • Not recommended ! • Import the current mesh as STL, so will be remeshed=>huge number of elements • From MPI • Will import only the STL file included in the sdy file • « No entities to import » if no STL present in the study

18. 3D Pre-processing • Automatic refinement of surface mesh in small thickness area • 6 layers by default • Should be robust on 0 defect model • « Near collapsed » areas like thin ribs may not be detected by defect checker and cause 3D mesh to fail • New surface mesher for 3D will keep surfaces feature intact • Remove lettering and fillets before importing

19. 3D Pre-processing • Can move/collapse injection points when simulating a fan gate • Model it in 3D ! After analysis Before analysis

20. Model display/manipulation tools • Double-click or edit properties to move the part • No real usage in part adviser • Don’t select part+injection cone to rotate part • Injection cone will be rotated independently • Rotation loss options compared to 7.3 • Around center of part • Plane creation

21. Job manager • Allow solvers to run with GUI close • Doesn’t allow pre-processing(meshing) to run with GUI close • Localhost only • No batch mode • start /wait adviser -execute ProjectName.mpa Studyname.sdy • Get out file and udm from job manager temp directory and read them in MPI to see the screen output

22. Adviser (GUI) • Workspace • Visual issues in classic mode, advanced is preferred • Single/Double click setting in preferences • Icons are greyed out • Restart the application • Speed performance decreased compare to 7.3 for plot display

23. Report generation • HTML is robust • Loss of images if using keyboard during report generation • Word and PPT report • No animation • Images missing (sometimes!) • Not robust

24. Export • Change for 7.3 customers, 1 file to many • Export project as zip file • No need to compact, no restart files • UDM export • Only mesh and BC

25. Post-processing

26. Plot properties • Some of the plot properties advanced option may cause issue (like with 3 colors plot) • VTK error message when using inappropriate options • selecting contour plot for weld lines • Weld lines and air traps button doesn’t work on 3D model

27. Molding window • Material Selection- add possibility to edit the list of selected material (process settings)- Icons are not user friendly- can't delete the 1st material, you need to edit it to change it (or double click)

28. Molding Window • - Choose the reference parameter for the molding window (was limited to Mold temperature in 7.3)

29. Adviser • Not so user friendly • Changed from MPA 7.3 usage • In MPA 8.0 • Click adviser • Click Query results • Right Click on the part with Right mouse button • Default tab in adviser is not linked to the results displayed

30. Warp post processing • Anchor plane and best fit Usage is a bit clumsy when modifying point • Select point in the table • Modify coordinates • Click Modify • Best fit is using global Z axis for color plot

31. Warp post processing – Anchor plane • Anchor plane behavior • A,B, C, are 3 nodes on original part • A’,B’,C’ are 3 nodes on deformed part • Deformed part is moved as : • 1 point selected • A and A’ will have same coordinates • 2 points selected • A=A’, then rotated so AB have same direction as A’B’ • 3 points selected • A=A’, AB= A’B’ and ABC and A’B’C’ have the same normal

32. Solvers

33. Solvers • Validation report on MCC • Time to solution may be > 7.3 • Preprocessing and solver time similar • Import is taking more time (doing more!) • Poor error wording • “Contact Moldflow support” • Use error number and look for it in MPI help • Or failed but don’t display error

34. DD solvers • Flow changes (same as MPI, only 8 layers) • Heat compressibility • HTC • Expect lower pressure • Cool quality • HTC changes • Sink Mark • Updated thickness calculation and sink location • Should give fewer false and more reliable numbers • Warp • Based on generic shrinkage for 3D and DD (no change)

35. 3D solvers • Flow, cool quality, warp • True 3D • Flow is without gravity, inertia • Warp is with aggregation • Cases where aggregation was not activated • Geometry adviser, gate location, molding window, sink mark • Based on surface mesh stripped from 3D mesh

36. 3D Issues in MPA 8.0 • NOTE 3D solver is generally very good but issues have been noticed. So Will Highlight some problems found :- • Result Mapping • Volumetric shrinkage • Cooling Quality • Mesh related

37. 3D Result Mapping • Result Mapping • is where you will NOT see values through the part but the values have been placed on the outside of the part (like Dual domain) • Easier to post-process rather than digging inside • MPA 3D is using Mapping Technology to show all results plots with the exception of the Fill time Plot. • Issues found with this method are as follows

38. Mapping - Volumetric shrinkage Please notice external And internal box corners Have unrealistic Volumetric Shrinkage differences in similar Areas This is really a display problem in that the mapping routine. Where it is not mapping or displaying the correct values in the corners. Warp does not use these mapped results, but the true values through the parts internal elements so will still give good results

39. Mapping Issue – Average temperature Another instance of A mapping problem Please notice the Average temperature Appears to be some 40 degrees lower in A small region than The surrounding area These Mapping issues are being looked at. Hopefully they will be improved in the next release

40. Volumetric Shrinkage • It has been noticed the 3D and Dual Domain Volumetric shrinkage result values can differ for the same part 3D Result Dual Domain Result Please note how the 3D results appear higher. Could be a potential support issue When customer compare results!! Not a mapping related issue here.

41. 3D Cooling Quality Have noticed that the cool quality plot can show potential problems were there are none Please notice the problems shown At the end of the bosses Advice states due to “Time to Freeze Is much lower than the average” But look at temperature range only 5 degrees Again this is being looked at ie if temperature range is small don’t mark as low

42. 3D Mesh related Have noticed issues in the 3D results on investigation can be due to meshing If we scale the result we can see That the problem appears in a Thick region of the part But looking At the mesh we have a very fine mesh Area which is causing the problem Temperature range shows cold spot If we look into this highlighted area

43. Warp • Warp DD and Warp 3D • Based on generic shrinkage model only • Warp 3D has no diagnostic plot • No 64 bits solvers • May cause issue with big 3D models

44. Miscellaneous

45. MSA support? • It is possible to make it work today, but not officially supported • Need to change the default.udm file • Should be done in next MSA

46. Potential crashes • UI has mostly been found stable • When there is no license server • Get message offering to log to the web • When it close adviser, sometimes get a crash • Disconnect from the network with floating license server • Analysis will die silently • Post processing of 3D getting memory usage >2 Gb

47. Features Lost from 7.3 to 8.0 • Import legacy models (*.ADV files) • Interface to Simalink • Interface to Moldflow Structural Alliance (MSA) • Origin axis display, bounding box display • Connect to Consultant • Advanced shading options • Plastic colors

48. Features Lost from 7.3 to 8.0 • Ability to read a prepaired mesh imported directly in MPA • Lost possibility to add results to gate location • Demo mode (replaced by portable mode) • Doesn’t allow performance results vizualisation • Company/Project database • Feature edge display on Glass/Solid model • Display option in the preferences (wireframe rotation, etc…)

49. Features Missing from MPA 8.0 • 64-Bit solver : • Can limit the size of models MPA/3D can analyze • Tip: Simplify geometry (fillets) to reduce model complexity • Export results to Communicator • Restart files • Academic license • … Good News: These features are planned for MPA 8.1

50. Some of the good bits • Who has open my project ? • Summary • All process conditions on summary tab • Hyperlink to help • Compare studies • By drag and drop on each other • Compare material • Screen capture option • « Close All documents » under Windows menu • ….