Ejector Pocket : Options and Results

Access: Open this function from one of the following locations:

Create pockets (holes) for the ejectors in mold plates and inserts in a single step. This allows you to assign a variable clearance depth and a diameter to any number of ejector pins, then use these values to cut holes in the mold plates. The ejector pocket may either be created in Preview mode or in Cut mode.

Note: It is recommended to trim the ejectors and then create a pocket for them.

Required Step 1

Pick ejectors for which pockets are to be created.

Notes:

  • Only ejectors can be picked.

  • An ejector can only be picked once for an ejector pocket operation.

Required Step 2

Define the required pocketing parameters. See Ejector Pocket Automatic Cutting Analysis.

 

Use Active Part as Reference / Use Work Part as Reference

This is a toggle option Use Active Part as Reference / Use Work Part as Reference. This enables you to select either the active part or the work part as a reference for calculating suitable parameter values (L Fit, D Clearance, etc.).

Use Active Part as Reference

Select the active part as a reference for calculating suitable parameter values (L Fit, D Clearance, etc.).

Use Work Part as Reference

Select the work part as a reference for calculating suitable parameter values (L Fit, D Clearance, etc.).

If this option is selected, the L Clearance distance is determined according to the location of first work part / parting surface part face encountered by the ejector along the +Z direction.

Notes:

  • Preferably, when using the Use Work Part as Reference option, the Trim by Split Direction option is used in the next Ejector Trim operation and vice versa.

  • If work part faces are not available for some ejectors to calculate the suitable L Clearance value (pocket dimensions), a message is displayed prompting you to use the active part faces as reference for these pockets instead. The message requires a Yes/No answer:
    "Yes" = the     L Clearance values are determined by the active part faces.
    "No" = the suitable ejectors are no longer marked as selected and no pocket is created for them when you press     OK or Apply in the Feature Guide.

Set the Constant Fit Length

A dropdown list of the types of pocketing options.

Set the Constant Clearance length

Set the Constant Fit length

Set the Minimum Fit length

Fit length through last

None

Notes: For all the option types, other than None:

  • Toggle the parameters expand/collapse button / to hide/show other information lines and the Picture button.
    ExampleExample:

    The parameters are displayed in expanded mode, showing all the information lines and also the Picture button.
    Note that the Collapse toggle is displayed, ready for collapsing.

    The parameters are displayed in collapsed mode. Only the user-changeable parameters are displayed.
    Note that the Expand toggle is displayed, ready for expanding.

  • Press the Picture button to display a picture of the parameters currently being set.

Ejector Pocket Options

The following Ejector Pocket options are available:

Set the Constant Clearance length

Set the Constant Fit length

Set the Minimum Fit length

Fit length through last

None

For each of these options except None, the toggle option Diameter by D Clearance / Diameter from Catalog enables the offset from the ejector in the part of the hole that is loose, to be set either by a user-defined constant offset D Clearance value or by a Catalog-defined value (this would normally be the d1 cut value); see Diameter from Catalog explanation below.

D Clearance Diameter:

 

Catalog Diameter:

 

Diameter by D Clearance

Set a user-defined constant offset D Clearance value.
The D Clearance option is displayed.
D Clearance: Define the ejector clearance diameter. Except along L Fit, the pocket diameter will be the ejector diameter + the clearance value.

Diameter from Catalog

Set a Catalog-defined value (this would normally be the d1 cut value).
The D value option is displayed.
D: The system looks for a catalog dimension called d1 cut, d cut or p cut, depending on the catalog. The search is in this order and is not case sensitive. This allows for standardization of clearances in different molds by using a value that comes from the catalog. It also allows using different clearances for different ejectors based on their diameters.
If none of these dimensions is found, a message is displayed.

Note: The standard catalogs themselves do not contain the d1 value. All Cimatron catalog ejectors have this parameter, but its size is a certain delta above the d size. This feature allows you to define these d1 values so that you can always get a specific d1 size for a specific d size. In order to do that, you will need to edit the catalog ejector according to your preferred sizes.

Set the Constant Clearance length

 

L Clearance: Define the ejector clearance length.

Diameter by D Clearance / Diameter from Catalog: See above.

Note: L Clearance is constant, i.e. in all the selected ejectors, the length of the clear diameter will be the same.

Picture:
Example:Example:
 

Set the Constant Fit length

 

L Fit: Define the ejector accurate guiding length. Along L Fit, the pocket diameter will be the same as the ejector diameter.

Diameter by D Clearance / Diameter from Catalog: See above.

Note: L Fit is constant, i.e. in all the selected ejectors, the length of the accurate pocket will be the same.

Picture:
Example:Example:
 

Set Minimum Fit length

 

L Fit: Define the minimum ejector accurate guiding length. Along L Fit, the pocket diameter will be the same as the ejector diameter.

Diameter by D Clearance / Diameter from Catalog: See above.

L Clearance round off: Round off the values of Min. L Clearance and Max. L Clearance. Whatever these values may be, the L Fit length must be at least the value set above.

Note: L Fit will change to suit the round off value, but can never be less than the defined minimum.

Picture:
Example:Example:
 

Fit length through last

 

L Fit Through Last: The ejector accurate guiding length will equivalent to the thickness of the last part that the ejector passes through.

Diameter by D Clearance / Diameter from Catalog: See above.

Picture:
Example:Example:
 

None

With the None option, none of the other parameters are displayed and the part is cut with the ejector's cutting object.

Optional Step 1

Pick or unpick components to be cut by the Ejector Pocket. This option is only available when creating an Ejector Pocket. When editing an Ejector Pocket, this option is disabled.

Press OK or Apply in the Feature Guide to complete the function.

When completed, the Ejector Pocket feature will appear in the relevant assembly and part Feature Trees. In the assembly Feature Tree example below, the feature appears under the MoldDesign Operations branch.

Note: The Ejector Pocket feature can be edited or deleted from either of these locations. The Edit returns you to the full functionality of the Ejector Pocket function (except the optional step 1 - Pick or unpick components to be cut by the Ejector Pocket).

In each part that is cut by the ejector pocket operation, an ejector pocket feature will appear. You can invert the cutting direction by editing this feature.

Note: Use the Ejector Pocket Preferences to define whether or not to create the complementary faces and a set called Original Ejector Pocket Faces.

Automatic Cutting Analysis and Location of the Pocket Feature

MoldDesign uses two different analyses to recognize which objects to cut by the ejector.

  1. If the ejectors are assigned to the Ejection System sub-assembly or to the Movable Side, all objects except the Fixed Side will be cut. In this case, the pocket feature will be created in the Ejection System sub-assembly.

  2. If the ejectors are not assigned to the Ejection System sub-assembly or to the Movable Side, only objects assigned to the specific assembly will be cut. In this case, the pocket feature will be created in the specific assembly.

Note: In any situation, you can add or remove objects to/from the cutting list.

Working with Ejector Instances

If the picked ejectors are instances (the same component), the pocket that will be created, will be in the same shape but may cut different objects.

If a few ejector instances are picked for different pocket operations, only the first one will be editable. If this first one is changed, all the other instances will also change.

The ejector will be returned to its original shape if you delete all the pocket operations that were done by the same instance.

Ejector instances and other instances which already contain pocket operations, can only be picked separately.

Some functionality may be dependent on the product package. Contact your Reseller if you require a license.