Pack Results PropertyManager

After running a Pack analysis, you can view results of several key parameters at the end of packing.

To open the Pack Results PropertyManager, do one of the following:

  • In the PlasticsManager tree, expand Results, and double-click Pack Results.
  • In the SOLIDWORKS Plastics CommandManager, click Pack Results.

Available Results

Pressure at End of Packing Plots the pressure at various part locations at the end of the packing phase. At the end of packing, most of the part is expected to have near zero pressure because of the solidification process of the injected polymer.
The presence of zero pressure combined with locations with small pressure range (min/max value) is a good indicator of an effective packing stage.
Temperature at End of Packing Provides a snapshot of the temperature across the part at the end of the packing phase. The outside region (skin) has a much cooler temperature (blue color), as it is in contact with the cooler mold surface.
Use the clipping plane to look for high temperature regions through the thickness (red color).
Central Temperature at End of Packing

Plots the temperature in the core layer of the part at the end of the packing phase.

Available for Shell Mesh.
Average Temperature at End of Packing Plots the average temperature across the wall thickness at the end of packing phase.

Available for Shell Mesh.

Temperature at Post-Filling End

Provides a snapshot of the temperature across the part at the end of the cooling phase (post-filling) just before the part ejection. The software calculates these temperature values at the time when 90% of the part volume is below the polymer material ejection temperature, which is generally the heat deflection temperature under load (HDTUL).

The outer region of the part (the skin) has a much cooler temperature shown in blue, as it is in contact with the cooler mold surface. Use the clipping plane to look for high temperature regions through the thickness of the part shown in red.

If there is a large temperature differential in thicker regions of the part, several defects may occur such as: sink marks, internal voids, or extreme warpage. To reduce such defects, try designing the part with a uniform wall thickness.

Available for Solid Mesh.

Central Temperature at Post-filling End Plots the temperature in the core layer of the part just before part ejection.

Available for Shell Mesh.

Average Temperature at Post-filling End Plots the average temperature across the wall thickness just before the part ejection.

Available for Shell Mesh.

Bulk Temperature at End of Packing The bulk temperature plot indicates where material has cooled down to the mold temperature (blue), and where material is still molten (red or yellow). The software calculates the changes in melt temperature during the packing stage from parameters such as time, mold temperature, and part wall thickness.
Density at End of Packing The Density at End of Packing plot can determine how effectively a part has been packed. Variations in density lead to potential problems in nonuniform shrinkage and warpage. Areas with low density are also susceptible to void formation.
Shear Stress at End of Packing Shear stress is a measure of the shear force the plastic material is undergoing within the cavity. Certain materials are very shear-sensitive, and therefore simulation can be useful to gauge whether the shear stress exceeds the material’s recommended maximum shear stress (look up this value in the material properties).
Excessive shear stress can degrade the material and cause visual defects, which are undesirable especially for aesthetic parts.
Shear Rate at End of Packing Similar to shear rate, this result can be used to gauge whether the shear rate for your design exceeds the material’s maximum shear rate.
Volumetric Shrinkage at End of Packing Plastic materials experience shrinkage in volume as they go through a phase change from liquid (filling stage) to solid (packing/cooling stages). High rates of shrinkage occur in areas of the plastic part that do not undergo sufficient packing stage. Uniform shrinkage throughout the part is desirable.
If the range of the volumetric shrinkage is relatively high for your design, try to optimize the part design (uniform thicknesses are desirable) and mold design (packing pressure/time, gate size, number of gates, and gate proximity to high shrinkage areas).
Freezing Time at Post-Filling End The Freezing Time plot indicates the time it takes for the plastic material to cool down to its transition temperature. The freezing time depends on the temperature differential between the melt temperature and the mold temperature, and on the thermal conductivity between the melt and mold.
For solid meshes, use the Clipping Plane mode to view the freezing time of elements at the interior.
Residual Stress at Post-Filling End During the injection molding process, the polymer is exposed to thermal and physical stresses. Residual stresses are forces locked within the polymer as it cools from the molten state through the glass transition temperature. The residual stresses are a result of the nonuniform cooling and pressure variations that occur in the viscoelastic polymer material during molding.
A part with high levels of residual stresses might fracture, or it might undergo other physical changes after molding such as warpage.
Skin Material Fraction at Post-Filling End Plots the fraction of the first injected material when Co-Injection or Gas-assisted injection is used.

Available for Solid Mesh.

Curing Time at Post-Filling End Indicates the time it takes for the thermoset material to react. The curing time depends on the curing kinetics of the material (see Material Database > Polymer-Material Parameter).
Material Reaction Conversion at Post-Filling End Plots the degree of conversion (reaction) of the thermoset material just before the part ejection.
Frozen Area at Post-Filling End The green areas of the plot represent areas that have frozen solid (temperature is below the material’s glass transition temperature). The red areas of the plot are still above the glass transition temperature at the end of the post-filling (just when the part is ready to be ejected from the mold.)
Ideally, there should be none to very small areas of red color. Use the Isosurface Mode (Minimum: 0.9 / Maximum: 1) to display the regions that are not frozen.
Available for Solid Mesh.
Frozen Layer Fraction at Post-filling End Plots the fraction of wall thickness that is solidified just before the part ejection. Available for Shell Mesh.

Clipping Options

  Clipping Plane Mode Available for Solid Mesh.

Allows for visualization of results inside the part. Creates a section view of the selected contour plot.

Select a plane or a planar face of the model to create a clipping plane parallel to the selected entity. Select a curved face of the model to create a clipping plane tangential to the selected entity. You can adjust the position of a clipping plane by dragging the arrow symbol.

Clipping Plane

You can switch between existing clipping planes.

If you have not explicitly created any new clipping planes, the default clipping plane New Clipping Plane is available. The orientation of the default New Clipping Plane is parallel to the Y-Z plane, and is positioned in the middle of the X-axis.

You can change the orientation of each plane in Display Setup > Clipping Plane Settings (PlasticsManager tree).

Flip Normal

Flips the direction of the vector normal to the clipping plane.

Offset Distance

Creates a clipping plane at the offset distance from the selected entity.

Save

Saves the current clipping plane, and keeps it available for the active study.

Create

Creates a new clipping plane.

  Isosurface Mode

Plots the regions of plastic material where results fall within the range of min and max values.

For example, you can view in an isosurface mode the material of the cavity with temperature at end of fill less than 100 Celsius.

Available for Solid Mesh.

You can edit the number and spacing of the isosurfaces in Display Setup > Isosurface Manager (PlasticsManager tree).
  Isoline Mode Plots the regions of plastic material where results fall within the range of min and max values.

Available for Shell Mesh.

Max Specifies the maximum value of the results shown on the active plot.
Min Specifies the minimum value of the results shown on the active plot.

Report Options

  X-Y plot

Creates a graph of analysis results at selected mesh nodes.

Use Measure (SOLIDWORKS Plastics CommandManager) to pick nodes on the part at locations of interest.

The selected nodes are listed under Node List. Node numbers are assigned in the order of selection.

The graph in the right window displays the result value at each node. Select any of the available results to update the graph at the selected nodes.

  Results Adviser Activates the Results Adviser panel.

The top window provides a brief interpretation of the simulation results, including any defects such as short shots that may have occurred during filling. It also provides recommendations for geometry and process parameters changes to improve the product quality.

At the top of the panel, an icon of a traffic light indicates the likelihood of the part filling successfully, based on the value of the injection pressure relative to the injection pressure limit.
  • Green: The injection pressure is 66% or less of the specified machine injection pressure limit.
  • Yellow: The injection pressure is 66% to 90% of the specified machine injection pressure limit.
  • Red: The injection pressure is 90% or more of the specified machine injection pressure limit.

The lower window describes the active result quantity.

  Export to eDrawings Exports the result plot to an eDrawings file format (*.EPRT).