Mold Design browser

The Mold Design browser graphically illustrates the steps in the mold design process.

Each browser node contains components and features that are part of each step in the process. The Mold Design browser performs the following functions:

Organizes and manipulates mold design data
Shows and hides selected components
Controls and provides alternate access to functions on the context menu

If you select nodes in the Mold Design browser, the corresponding objects highlight in the graphics window.

You can view a representation in the top of the Mold Design browser to help you set the display modes of mold components.

Mold Design browser nodes

The following example shows nodes in a Mold Design browser hierarchy. The Core Cavity node is expanded in the image.

For a complete list of browser icon definitions, click here.

Status nodes in Mold Design browser

Refresh all

The mold design requires an update. To update the mold design, on the Quick Access Toolbar, click Mold Update.

Update

Node requires an update. To update the node, on the Quick Access Toolbar, click Mold Update

Information

The node contains legacy material or analysis information. Use the Mold Export tool Export Analysis Results to save existing information for further analysis in Moldflow Adviser or Insight. If the information is no longer needed, right-click the node entry and choose Delete.

Sick

The subject corresponding to a node is not functioning properly. The following conditions can create a sick node:

Some inputs are destroyed.
Some of the output is lost.
The location reference is destroyed or lost.
A part of the assembly is lost from the disk.

To cure a sick node, use Edit Feature.

Unresolved

The subject corresponding to a node is unresolved. The following conditions can create an unresolved node:

All the moldable part is lost.
Some of the moldable part is lost.
The pre-condition is lost or becomes unresolved.
Outputs are lost.

You cannot cure an unresolved node by using the Edit Feature function. To delete the subject, on the context menu, click Delete.

Family mold in Mold Design browser

To activate a plastic part in a family mold design:

In the Mold Design browser, double-click the plastic part node.
In the Mold Designbrowser, right-click the plastic part node and then click Edit Core/Cavity.
On the Mold Design ribbon, Mold Layout tab, dClick Core/Cavity.

When a plastic part is active, the Mold Design ribbon switches to the Core/Cavity tab. The active part and its child nodes are in the white zone, and all other nodes are in the gray zone.

Note: Highlighting of plastic parts with a white zone only occurs when the Core/Cavity tab is active. The browser is all white when the Mold Layout tab or the Mold Assembly tab is active.

Only one plastic part can be active in the Mold Design browser. If the current plastic part is deleted from a family mold design, the top plastic part is automatically activated .

Updating browser nodes

You can modify components or features in an environment other than Mold Design, such as Model. When you return from another environment, Inventor normally updates the status of all nodes in the Mold Design browser.

If the process is detected as being too time-consuming, Inventor does not update the status of the nodes automatically. Instead, an update icon displays next to the Mold Design node. You can activate the update manually.

Right-click nodes in the browser to access functions in the context menu. Depending on the type of node, some or all the following options are available:

Edit Feature

Activates the feature dialog box where you can modify properties and parameters.

Alternatively, double-click the browser node to activate the dialog box.

Edit Component

Activates the component in the Model browser.Note: A single Mold Design node can represent multiple Model nodes. In this case, Edit Component activates the first instance of the Mold Design node in the Model browser.

Delete

Removes the selected item from the browser and the graphics window.

Open

Opens the selected component or components in a new graphics window.

Isolate

Turns off the visibility of all components, except the components that you selected.

Undo Isolate

Restores components to the pre-isolation state.

Visibility

Sets the visibility of components on or off.

Expand All Children

Expands all the folders nested under the selected node to display all the contents.

Collapse All Children

Collapses all the folders nested under the selected node so that the contents are not displayed.

Find in Window

Zooms in the graphics window to the selected component.

Help Topics...

Opens the Help topic for the current operation.

Edit Core/Cavity

Activates the Core/Cavity tab.