SimForm Cooling Analysis
Data-Driven Mold Cooling Optimization for Injection Molding
At True Position Plastics, cooling analysis is not an afterthought — it is a critical engineering step used to improve part quality, reduce cycle time, and eliminate costly mold revisions before steel is cut.
We utilize SimForm mold cooling simulation software to evaluate cooling performance early in the design process, enabling informed decisions on cooling channel layout, insert strategy, and overall thermal balance.
Why Cooling Analysis Matters
In injection molding, cooling typically accounts for 60–80% of total cycle time. Poorly designed cooling systems (i.e., waterlines) lead to:
- Long and inconsistent cycle times
- Hot spots and uneven part shrinkage
- Warpage and dimensional instability
- Excessive mold tryout iterations
- Premature tool modifications and added cost
Cooling analysis allows these issues to be identified and corrected before tooling investment, saving both time and money.
Our Cooling Analysis Approach
We can perform transient thermal simulation of waterlines in the mold and part geometry to understand how heat is generated, transferred, and removed during the molding cycle.
Our analysis evaluates:
- Mold and part temperature distribution
- Cooling channel effectiveness
- Hot spot identification
- Thermal balance between cavity and core
- Cooling time behavior and uniformity.
This information is used to optimize cooling layouts and guide mold design decisions with confidence.
What We Analyze
Our cooling analysis services typically include:
- Conventional drilled cooling channels
- Baffles, bubblers, and specialty cooling features
- High-conductivity inserts (copper alloys, hybrid solutions)
- Conformal cooling concepts (where applicable)
- Coolant temperature and flow assumptions
- Comparative studies between multiple cooling strategies
We can evaluate existing mold designs, early-stage concepts, or proposed design changes.
Benefits of Cooling Analysis
By incorporating cooling analysis into the mold design process, our clients gain:
- Reduced cycle time potential
- Improved part quality and consistency
- Lower risk of warpage and cosmetic defects
- Fewer mold tryouts and engineering changes
- Better justification for advanced cooling strategies
- More predictable tooling performance
Cooling analysis provides objective data that supports better technical and business decisions.
When Cooling Analysis Is Most Valuable
Cooling analysis is especially beneficial for:
- Tight-tolerance or cosmetic parts
- Thick or non-uniform wall sections
- Glass-filled or semi-crystalline materials
- High-volume production molds
- Tools with aggressive cycle time targets
- Programs considering conformal or advanced cooling
It is equally valuable for new tooling and existing tools requiring performance improvements.
Integrated Engineering Support
Our cooling analysis is often performed alongside:
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews
- Mold design consulting
- Mold flow and filling analysis*
- Tooling strategy and supplier coordination
Our goal is to ensure cooling design decisions align with the full tooling and production strategy — not just isolated simulation results.
Real World Experience Tied With Advanced Simulation
True Position Plastics owner Justin Church, brings decades of real-world tooling and mold design experience to every analysis.
We understand how cooling systems are actually built, machined, and maintained and we design solutions that are practical, effective, and cost-conscious.
Simulation results are interpreted through the lens of hands-on moldmaking, mold design and tooling engineering experience, not just software output.
If you are developing a new mold, troubleshooting an existing tool, or evaluating cooling improvements, True Position Plastics can help.
Cooling Stage is roughly 80% of total cycle time