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moldmakingtechnology.com 29 Cimatron product. Notably, the 12 new worksta- tions weren't just off-the-shelf purchases. Here again, the team proved willing to make the effort to push technology to the max. Again, they leveraged the input of Sridharan and, this time, Moldex3D representatives as well. The goal? Building custom- ized computers designed specifi- cally to take advantage of how the software interfaces with the hardware on which it runs. Given two different programs, this required developing two dif- ferent types of computers, but the time and effort paid off. "The rec- ommended hardware configura- tion for Moldex3D isn't even half as fast as the system we built," says Simon Allcock, Unique's R&D; specialist, who spearheaded the effort to develop the custom workstations. "By performing multiple mold-flow simulations in the same time it would take others to do just one, we can make more modifications and arrive more quickly at better designs. This is more cost-effec- tive for us, the hot runner supplier and the customer alike." As for Cimatron, near-instantaneous calculations ensure programmers can spend their time programming rather than waiting for their computers to crunch numbers. Allcock estimates that as recently as five years ago, this might have consumed as much as three hours of a programmer's time on any given workday. He also points out that some of these gains are due not to the customized workstations, but to off- the-shelf technology: the Superbox, a plug-and-play product from Cimatron that's designed just for this purpose. Able to calculate as many as five tool paths simultaneously, the device frees the programmer's own computer to do other work in the meantime. "It's calculation delegation," Street says. Never Satisfied Unique Tool & Gauge continues to coax additional gain from its software and hardware resources. For instance, Allcock says he is busy developing a customized version of the Superbox to push the benefits of parallel processing even further. Mean- while, the team continues to consult regularly with Cimatron about how else the software might be adapted to suit the toolmaker's unique needs. Examples include further enhancing automation in electrode manufacturing and eliminating bill of material (BOM) errors by improving synergy between design and purchasing. Unique Tool & Gauge uses custom-built "supercomputers" to speed calculations not just in Cimatron, but also in Moldex3D mold-fow simulation software, shown here. Running more mold-fow simulations in less time helps the company arrive more quickly at better tool designs. Image courtesy of John Caccese. the risk of error. Moreover, designers can not only direct their attention to the most important aspects of a tool, but also take full advantage of the software's other capabilities, such as simulating the operation of even the most complex molds. "The animation function is a tool that comes with Cimatron, but you have to know how and when to use it," Street explains. "It's not just a button click; you have to set up the parameters and constraints right." Supercomputing Despite the substantial time savings, automated program- ming did nothing to alleviate lengthy calculation times when opening large files, rendering solids and generating complex tool paths, Street says. This was also an issue with larger files in Moldex3D, the mold-flow simulation software Unique pur- chased as a package deal with Cimatron. Dealing with these issues required investing in 12 newer, faster computers, 11 for Cimatron and one for Moldex3D, as well as a Superbox, a LEARN MORE Unique Tool & Gauge has attracted attention for its work with production aluminum tooling. For more on this subject, including an article penned by company President and CEO Darcy King, visit short.moldmakingtechnology.com/unique .