CIM for Mold Factory Automation

A CIM model of mold manufacturing is designed and developed by identifying the missing links in applying the current computer technologies to mold manufacturing and by integrating them to execute engineering job concurrently. An integrated CAD/CAE system for mold design and evaluation, an advanced surface modeler and NC programming tool for complex sculptured surfaces of molded products, an automated mold surface polishing system with properly designed robotonomic tools, and a high-speed 3-D coordinate measuring machine using pneumatic servo system, are developed to interconnect discrete islands of mold manufacturing. Based on the crosslinked information flow, a plant information system is being developed to optimize the whole mold factory in order to yield more productivity and flexibility. This is a progress report of the second year researches of the three-year national project -“Good Mold Program”.