FaceWorks2008 features SolidWorks with a structured mold design paradigm. It calculates the most optimal mold opening direction and generates automatically splitting surface separating core from cavity. FaceWorks combines the best practices form solid and surfacing modeling concepts offering hybrid and associative mold design for professionals.

Interactive split animation and draft adviser simplify splitting of most complex parts. An easy way to assign separate faces to folders (core, cavity, inserts, etc.) directly from a 3D model gives designer a power tool for final design corrections.

Specialised surface generation algorithms (not available in SolidWorks) are used for automatic generation of parting surfaces. The most complex forms can be created including both 2.5D and 3D surfaces with full extrusion control. Generated surfaces are easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Advanced 3D radiate and sweep functions combined with extrusion parallel to pull direction allow designing most optimal parting surfaces automatically. The design can be completed within minutes vs. hours or days.

The created parting surface can be easily redesigned or modified using guide curve loft to any desirable shape. This technique is used e.g. to remove parting line from the detail for esthetical reasons.

Powerful automatic closing of complex openings and shutoffs saves hours of manual work, while full associativity of all mould parts saves time and money in case of adopting the last minute design changes.

FaceWorks has proven to drastically reduce engineering time in most complex mould designs. The return on investment is guaranteed within 1 - 2 projects.

Read more about FaceWorks technology 

Customer comments

"The combination of SolidWorks, FaceWorks and FormatWorks has been awesome."

"One of my primary products is the design of moulds for the rubber industry. This includes compression, injection and transfer. In addition we produce urethane RIM (reaction injection moulding) moulds. Because rubber moulding is much different from plastic we often have extremely complex shutoffs. SolidWorks does not lend itself to this process. After purchasing SolidWorks I discovered that it was not a lot more efficient than manual creation in the Cam/Cad system we use. It was seldom that I was able to automatically split a mold in SolidWorks with the tools provided with the system.

I had purchased FormatWorks from Capvidia to improve my capabilities in translating iges files. While searching the website for the latest version, I discovered FaceWorks. At the time I had a very complex mould to split and decided to trial it. In addition to a very complex parting line my customer required a 60 degree shutoff. I had contacted SolidWorks to determine if this were possible. I was told the only way to accomplish this was through manual maniputlation and manual construction of individual surfaces. This was a very time consuming process and not very practical. I contacted Capvidia and was given a trial version and any needed technical help. FaceWorks significantly reduced the time required to accomplish the development of the mould. Using the split animation process in FaceWorks makes it easy to determine the surfaces to be on the positive or negative side. This also simplifies the identification of any undercuts. FaceWorks has made it possible for me to develop several very complex moulds in a timely fashion and very efficiently.

Development of Parting Lines is also quicker with FaceWorks than SolidWorks alone. If FaceWorks cannot create an automatic split and mould assembly, it is possible to produce a Parting Surface which can then be used to split the mould block. Creating the sloped surface is also easier and more automated in FaceWorks. I cannot imagine developing the 60 degree shutoff on some of our more complex moulds without FaceWorks."

Louise Willis, Industrial Manufacturing Specialties, Precision Machining