Protected: Simoldes ensures reliable automotive mold design with Ansys and ESSS
“With simulation, we can predict errors, therefore we will prevent corrections. We are much more confident in predicting which equipment and components will fail in mass production, and this mitigates a very important risk for our clients.”
Maria João Fernandes, Research and Development, Simoldes
Case summary: Simoldes, a global benchmark in mold manufacturing and thermoplastic injection for the automotive sector, replaced trial and error with a virtual engineering workflow built on Ansys Mechanical, Ansys Fluent and Ansys Speos, backed by continuous training and support from ESSS. The result is anticipating mass production failures directly in the numerical model, without the cost of altering physical tools and with less risk for its automaker clients.
Born in Oliveira de Azeméis, Simoldes has consolidated itself as one of the most important companies in the Portuguese and global market in the manufacturing of molds and thermoplastic injection. With highly challenging projects in scale and complexity, the company is a strategic partner for the global automotive industry.
To respond to the demands of constantly evolving automotive parts and remain technologically up to date, Simoldes adopted Ansys simulation with the continuous support and training of ESSS, ensuring the reliability of its tools and preventing design flaws.
The engineering challenge: uncertainty and the trial-and-error method
Before adopting simulation tools, the Simoldes engineering cycle dealt with the uncertainty inherent in increasingly complex and challenging projects in the automotive sector.
In this scenario, the process depended on trial and error, a dynamic in which the need to correct potential flaws required time and involved high correction costs. Furthermore, there was the challenge of anticipating the behavior of components under mass production conditions, identifying in advance which tools or equipment could fail in continuous operation.
The technical solution: virtual engineering and integrated multiphysics
With the goal of meeting its medium and long-term objectives, Simoldes implemented Ansys solutions alongside the technical support, training, and continuous guidance of the ESSS team.
The journey began with structural simulation using Ansys Mechanical™, the solution that best aligned with the technical requirements of the products developed by the company. The maturity of the virtual workflow led to the expansion of analyses to a multiphysics approach, integrating Ansys Fluent® for the study of circuits and Ansys Speos® for the optical design of automotive light guides.
“We do everything in a numerical model, we change everything we can change, whatever we feel like testing, and without the cost of altering a physical model, obviously,” highlights Cedric Resende, Rheology Team Leader at Simoldes.
Predictability, risk mitigation, and global expansion
The transition to virtual prototyping generated decisive gains: by anticipating anomalies in the numerical model, the company prevents corrections and optimizes the product directly in the design phase, without the cost of reworking physical parts.
This approach benefits both internal manufacturing and client automakers. By having the security to identify components that could fail on the assembly line, Simoldes ensures the delivery of reliable molds, mitigating critical operational risks for the automotive sector.
With processes optimized by simulation, Simoldes sustains its growth trajectory, planning to expand its operations into new business areas and consolidate its international presence, focusing on the Americas.
Frequently asked questions
How does simulation reduce the risk of mold failures in mass production?
By simulating the mold during the design phase, with structural analysis, circuit studies and optical design, the team anticipates which tools and components tend to fail in continuous operation. Corrections happen in the numerical model rather than on physical parts that have already been manufactured.
Which Ansys solutions does Simoldes use?
Ansys Mechanical for structural analysis, Ansys Fluent for circuit studies and Ansys Speos for the optical design of automotive light guides.
Why replace trial and error with virtual engineering in automotive molds?
In the traditional process, failures are corrected after they appear, which takes time and creates high correction costs. In the numerical model, it is possible to change and test whatever is needed without the cost of altering a physical model.
What is ESSS’s role in the project?
ESSS supports Simoldes with technical support, training and continuous guidance of the team, from the initial structural simulation to the expansion into a multiphysics approach.
Want to understand how to boost your company’s results with Ansys tools? Contact us and let’s talk about your next steps in R&D.
About Simoldes
Originating in Oliveira de Azeméis and operating with multiple units in its industrial zone, Simoldes is a global benchmark in the advanced development of parts and the sustainable manufacturing of plastics for the automotive and non-automotive sectors. Relying on a team of 7,000 professionals, the group operates with 36 companies across various continents, totaling 20 Production Units, 3 Engineering Centers, and 4 Customer Support Offices in 12 countries, forging partnerships with global leaders to create increasingly competitive and sustainable innovations.
About ESSS
ESSS has gained international recognition by providing a complete range of numerical simulation solutions to over 1500 companies in sectors such as oil and gas, aerospace, mining, automotive, and energy, accompanied by superior customer support and related engineering services. These capabilities enable customers to take full advantage of the Ansys multiphysics portfolio while exposing simulation to all levels of the engineering organization. ESSS is an Apex Channel Partner and the official representative of Ansys, part of Synopsys, for Latin America, Portugal, Spain, and Italy.
