Magics Tooling offers a range of integrated CAD/CAM solutions that reflect the complete design process of rapid tooling. As all Materialise software, Magics Tooling works with the same STL format and applies design automation wherever possible. The result is a significant decrease in the time needed to design a tool and prepare it for production. Magics can take you from part analysis and tool quotation, through the design of parting planes, cores, cavities, and inserts, and finally brings it to manufacturing with electrode design and CAM calculations.

The Tooling Expert module handles the first analysis and quotation phase. Possible problems related to surface treatment, drafting and mould filling are also indicated. Using Magics to anticipate manufacturing issues ensures you achieve minimum-cost solutions and short lead-times. The software provides you with an effective means to calculate the costs in a systematic manner, resulting in consistent and reliable price estimation. The enhanced document generation facilities provide you with a well-documented quote complete with images of the different analyses and problem areas.

The unique, automatic freeform surface definition used in the Tooling module enables complex parting planes to be generated automatically in seconds. Undercuts are automatically recognised and separated to create inserts and slides. Draft can automatically be assigned to the complete tool or to individual surfaces in a moment. Placement of vents, pins, locators and cooling channels is done efficiently. For simple parts the complete design can be made in less than 30 minutes.

3-matic’s digital CAD technology allows for more advanced design applications than Magics’ rapid prototyping technology. That’s why Materialise advises to use 3-matic’s tooling technology for more complex tool design. 3-matic’s Tooling functionality for example enables more flexible and complicated parting line design, the possibility to leave undercuts in the mold when desired and advanced design at the STL level, like automated design of 3D cooling channels, runners, slides, inserts, gates or ejector pins. For more info on 3-matic’s Tooling module, click here.