Integrated mold development approach surpasses point solutionsUGS software permits a new level of automation and better data management, enabling faster delivery ofcomplex molds

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Tooling

Taking the next stepStackTeck is an innovative providerof integrated plastic toolingsolutions for the injection moldingindustry. The company’s molds areused to make a variety of products,including thin-wall food packaging,housewares, consumer goods,medical and pharmaceuticalcontainers, personal care items,cosmetics packaging, cutlery, capsand closures as well as technicaland precision components forelectronics and automotiveapplications. StackTeck’s molds,which are used for high-volumeapplications, have as many as 96 to128 cavities. The company employsmore than 300 tooling professionalsand of those, approximately 30 aremold and part designers.

Over the years, the complexity of StackTeck’s molds has increased. About seven years ago thecompany upgraded from 2D to 3D mold design (using I-deas software) as a way of handling thegreater complexity. This was a definite improvement over the previous 2D process that requireddesigns to be redrawn in 3D by CAM programmers, who were using Camax software at the time.But in recent years, part and mold complexity has continued to increase while customers wantfaster and faster turnaround, requiring StackTeck to make its development process even moreefficient. “We used to buy the best point solutions, but eventually we realized that an integrateddevelopment approach would be better for meeting the business challenges we face,” explainsVince Travaglini, vice president of Engineering at StackTeck.

Reducing mold design timeThat decision led to an evaluation of a number of programs, including NX™, SolidWorks andPro/Engineer software. “For the way we work, and for what we wanted to do with automation,we decided to go with NX, which is one of the best and most robust packages available,”

Business challenges

Develop increasingly complexmolds

Meet customers’ demands forfaster delivery times

Improve throughput

Keys to success

An automated core and cavitydesign process that beginsbefore part design is finished

Master model approach andintegrated downstreamapplications ensure dataaccuracy through entiredevelopment process

Having UGS software boostscustomer confidence and helpswin orders

Results

Mold design time has beensubstantially reduced

One-quarter as much timespent on rework as previously

Overall engineering efficienciesimproved by 20 percent

Less human effort required toensure accuracy of data

S TAC K T E C K

Tooling

Contact UGSAmericas 800 498 5351Europe 44 1276 702000Asia-Pacific 852 2230 3333www.ugs.com

Solutions/Services

NX

Teamcenter

Client’s primary business

StackTeck is an innovativeprovider of integrated plastic

tooling solutions for the injectionmolding industry.

www.stackteck.com

Client location

Toronto, Ontario

Canada

“For the way we work, and forwhat we wanted to do withautomation, we decided to gowith NX, which is one the bestand most robust packagesavailable.”

Vince TravagliniVice President, EngineeringStackTeck

Travaglini adds. The company uses NX software forthe entire mold design process, including part design,mold design, and CAM. StackTeck has instituted thesingle source data model approach where one datamodel is used throughout the development process.

Using NX, StackTeck has automated mold core andcavity design to the point where the design of thecore and cavity now begin before the design ofmolded part is complete. “This gives us a jump startso we are not fully dependent on the part design,”explains Theodor Cretu, mold design team leader.This automation was done using out-of-the-box NX. Using associativity, the software generates thecore and cavity automatically. “This has allowed us to cut out a significant chunk of mold design time,”says Cretu.

Process improvement includes data managementThe upgrade to NX brought other advantages as well. Now that the part design, mold design andCAM applications are integrated, there is no longer a need for data translation. “This process is moreefficient, and it also means that the geometry is correct,” notes Travaglini. “We spent a lot of time inthe past, a lot of human labor, ensuring the accuracy of the data. Now we have confidence it is correct.”

Another way that StackTeck ensures accuracy is through the use of Teamcenter® software for datamanagement. “Revision control was our biggest problem in the past,” Travaglini explains. “When wehad the different departments working with different software, it was very hard to ensure thateveryone was working with up-to-date information. With Teamcenter, we have a tight system ofrevision control. Between that and the single source data model approach, everyone is accessing up-to-date geometry in real time.”

With full control of the 3D model, less time is spent on rework. “We don’t have to send a design backto the customer saying, ‘Please change this dimension, remodel it and send it back.’ We do thatourselves,” says Travaglini. The associativity between part, mold and CAM that NX provides alsoreduces rework, according to Sandro Scarsellone, CAM team leader at StackTeck. “As soon as theApplication Department updates the part, we’re already rolling,” Scarsellone says. “We’re spendingabout one-quarter as much time on rework as we did in the past.”

With the company in the early stages of leveraging NX and Teamcenter, the engineering team has seenoverall efficiency improvements of 20 percent. Another advantage of having UGS software is what itsays to prospective customers. “Our industry is very competitive,” Travaglini adds. “Many OEMs useNX. They see us using it and know we’ve got top-of-the-line technology, and it helps us win business.”

UGS, NX, Teamcenter, Parasolid, Solid Edge, Femap, I-deas, Tecnomatix, UGS Velocity Series and Transforming the process of innovation are registered marksor trademarks of UGS Corp. or its subsidiaries in the US and in other countries. All other logos, trademarks or service marks used herein are the propertyof their respective owners. ©2006 UGS Corp. All rights reserved. 6/06