Moldflow Plastics Insight Helps Jada Plastics Eliminate Scrap Rate for a Major Tier One Automotive Supplier

WAYLAND, Mass.--Dec. 10, 2002--Jada Plastics, a custom molder and Moldflow Corporation (NASD:MFLO) customer successfully reduced a plastic scrap rate from 35 percent to zero for a tier one automotive supplier using the Moldflow Plastics Insight(TM)(MPI(TM)) suite of software. This automotive parts supplier approached Jada Plastics with a troublesome part, a decorative component for an automotive wiper system, which contained an inherent air trap, causing the scrap rate.

Dr. David Crispino, Jada Plastics president and mechanical engineer, says the high scrap rate and subsequent secondary quality assurance sorts resulted in significantly higher costs and shipping delays for its customer. "We were approached to solve the problem," says Crispino. "To understand the quality issues, we used Moldflow software to create the air trap within the existing component model. We made modifications to the wall thicknesses and gate locations. Finally, we performed a plastic flow analysis. We presented our customer with a design that eliminates the air trap. The analysis using MPI was a powerful tool to persuade our customer that the latter design change was meaningful and should be adopted. The customer agreed and today, the parts are being manufactured at a near zero scrap rate."

Typically, the Jada engineer who handles the computer-aided design (CAD) system creates a stereolithography (STL) file of the CAD model. It is sent to Crispino, who, using MPI, quickly meshes the model. "Usually within less than 30 minutes," says Crispino, "we have a flow analysis." With this information, Crispino and his team can quickly react to customer needs.

Jada Plastic engineers use Moldflow software to evaluate and determine gate locations to make sure weld lines will not appear in critical part areas, to eliminate the possibilities of air traps, and to establish accurate pressure fill with regard to gate locations. The software helps eliminate guesswork, typical of traditional methodologies that can often lead to costly mistakes.

Ken Welch, Moldflow executive vice-president of marketing and field services, adds, "Small and medium sized molders like Jada Plastic are often asked to reduce costs while ensuring top quality parts. That's no small feat in today's economy. In addition, their customers demand product on time with no defects. Companies like Jada understand that investing in Moldflow's products pays off big dividends in terms of saving time, money, and materials. Jada's investment in Moldflow software has paid for itself many times over."

About Moldflow Corporation

Moldflow (NASDAQ: MFLO) is the world's leading provider of software products and services that help increase the speed, efficiency, quality and drive down the cost of the design and manufacture of injection molded plastic products. Companies use Moldflow's complete suite of products to address plastic part design issues at the earliest possible stage as well as to maximize productivity and profitability on the manufacturing floor. Our collaboration with academia, industry and customers around the world has led to a reputation for constant innovation in the complete design-to-manufacture process. Headquartered in Wayland, Massachusetts, Moldflow has offices and research and development centers in the United States, Europe, Australia and the Asia Pacific region. 

www.moldflow.com

About Jada Plastics

Based in Rochester, NY, Jada Plastics is a custom injection molding operation running 28 machines ranging in size from 60-390 tons. Its 70 employees work around the clock five days per week. The company typically molds small to medium sized, tightly toleranced, mechanical components for the automotive and office equipment industries.

 

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