the polymer pages

European Resin Suppliers Leading the Way to Improved Simulation Success

By Marcia Swan, Moldflow Corporation

Key to the successful use of MPI and MPA software is the availability of accurate and complete material data on today's resins. In a dramatic show of support for Moldflow users, resin suppliers in Europe have worked diligently to update and improve material properties data to be available in the upcoming MPI 4.0 release.

In today's marketplace, resin lines are added to, altered, renamed, sold or discontinued at a dizzying pace. Ensuring that Moldflow plastics CAE users have up-to-date and relevant material data takes significant support and effort on the part of resin suppliers and compounders. Clearly leading in this effort are European suppliers, who have submitted nearly 400 improvements and over 300 new resin listings since the release of MPI 3.0.

To further support the efforts of such suppliers, Moldflow released MPL/Data Fitting 1.0 in May 2002. This software tool is provided free to resin suppliers to aid them in easily assembling, fitting and formatting complete and secure data sets for MPI and MPA products. The tool also allows resin suppliers to submit final data sets automatically via the Internet for inclusion in the next Moldflow release. (Refer to "Web Connection Helps Material Suppliers Provide Data to More Customers, More Efficiently" in this issue to learn more about this new tool.)

Accurate and complete measured data on the specific grade is fundamental for successful use of plastics CAE simulations. Moldflow remains committed to continuous update and revision of our material properties database. Resin suppliers and compounders are encouraged to help maintain the listings of their resins in Moldflow software.

For more information, email Moldflow Plastics Labs at datafitting@moldflow.com or visit their Web site at www.moldflow.com