T-ForM approach

Our approach

Main practical improvements in comparison with the current approach is that due to:

• guidelines for optimized product design: Product design+ (A)
• the developed T-ForM module (B1) and
• the connection to the dedicated Production Simulation software T-SIM (B2),

adjustments only will be made in one step of the process (B) and not during all steps.

These adjustments will be based on the outcome of production simulation results and not on real-life test thus saving a considerable amount of time and budget. The simulation (B2) is based on simulating the production process by using the 3D designed mould geometry generated by the Knowledge Based T-ForM module (B1). After this iterative optimalization:

• an optimal 3D mould geometry will be available for mould manufacturing (C) enabling the connection to modern CAD/CAM-CNC machining technology and
• the optimal thermoforming parameter settings will be available (generated by the T-ForM module (B1)) for optimized thermoforming for fine tuning (D) enabling first time right production after that (E).
  
  

Product design (A)

Guidelines will be available for engineers. These guidelines will enable the engineer to decide on the right:

• selection of materials and
• geometrical features (thicknesses, details, depth of draw ratio, pre-stretching value, release angle etc.) for optimal thermoforming. During the project 3D CAD design will be introduced enabling further downstream use of the product design data for Mould design (B1) and production simulation (B2).

Mould design (B1)

An easy to use (knowledge based) predictive mould design software tool for thermoforming (T-ForM module / (B1)) will be available.
This software tool:

• will generate a 3D digitally described ideal thermoforming mould for further downstream processing in Mould Manufacturing (C) and
• will output the optimized thermoforming parameter setting for thermoforming the first series for fine tuning (D) and the following production (E)

Both will be the result of the integration of know-how in the predictive mould design software tool (B1) and the interactive use of this software tool in combination with the verification in the Production Simulation software (B2)

Mould manufacturing (C)

Due to the by the T-ForM module (B1) generated 3D digitally described ideal thermoforming mould a unique representation of this mould is available for further downstream CAD/CAM-CNC processes using commercial available 3D CAD/CAM software. The interpretation mistakes are history just like the "mould-maker-dependency" due to this single interpretable representation. To prevent translation mistakes and inefficiency, the outputted format of the T-ForM module (B1) will be a safe and appropriate format. The majority of the commercial software packages can process this file format in an easy and foremost fast and reliable way.

Thermoforming (D)

Due to the by the T-ForM module (B1) generated optimized thermoforming parameter settings, the thermoforming of the first series for fine tuning (D) can be followed-up by production (E) very quickly. Only some locally (machine) dependant parameters have to be fine tuned before production can start

Production (E)

Due to the fact the T-ForM module (B1) has taken in to consideration the geometrical distortions during and after the process in the description of the mould and the parameter settings, the production of the thermoformed parts will be first time right and optimized.

Production Simulation (B2)

Production Simulation will be performed with the T-SIM technology from Core SME partner Accuform. This technology uses the by the T-ForM module generated 3D digitally described ideal thermoforming mould and thermoforming parameter settings to simulate whether production will be successful or not. The simulation results will lead to improvements resulting in a better 3D digitally described ideal thermoforming mould and /or thermoforming parameter settings. This optimization/adjustment step can be performed until the optimized result is obtained.