Missler Software and AutoForm Engineering

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team Oct 9, 2006

TopSolid'Progress is a CAD solution for the design of progressive tools for sheet metal forming.

TopSolid'Progress is a CAD solution for the design of progressive tools for sheet metal forming.

Since 2004 Missler Software has worked closely with AutoForm Engineering, specialist in the die face design and sheet metal forming process simulation software notably for the automobile industry, to create unfolding techniques which are directly accessible in TopSolid.

The first stage of this collaboration was completed with the creation of the module BlankWizard in January 2005.

The second stage happened with the launch of TopSolid'Progress 2006 and the creation of the new module FormingWizard.

Let's take a closer look at TopSolid'Progress, BlankWizard and FormingWizard.

In addition to incorporating all those functions standard to TopSolid, TopSolid'Progress enables the successful blank determination of a sheet metal part and the design of the strip layout in half the time needed by a standard CAD software.

The software manages all cutting, folding and deforming stages of the sheet metal, creation of the die set, addition of standard components together with their machining processes, creation of punches, non-standard matrices and draft creation.

BlankWizard, a module available with TopSolid'Progress since the beginning of 2005, integrates AutoForm Engineering's forming simulation technology to enable the die designer to rapidly define the required blank and design the strip in a completely associative process.

BlankWizard is also available for purchase directly with the module TopSolid'Design.

Companies working with TopSolid'Design will use BlankWizard to obtain the cutting contours of parts which cannot be folded/unstamped using classical methods.

This module is also very useful for calculating the surface of the part and thereby calculating the amount of material needed at the estimate stage, in particular for parts created by stamping or progress tool processes.