Why use CAE?
According to Felim McNeela, Avenue Mould’s managing director, moldmaking is a business with significant risks that are difficult to engineer out. “Traditionally, moldmaking is an inexact science — a black art,” says McNeela. “The effort is prone to human error in both the design and manufacturing process. Customers often lack competence to accurately specify their requirements — the technical aspects of the business are managed by rule of thumb and/or intuition.” He says that this phenomenon leads to confrontational relationships with customers. “The most appropriate business model for moldmakers is to establish long-term relationships with customers that are profitable to both parties,” McNeela adds. “Moldmakers need to identify and reduce risks and manage expectations.” To accomplish these mutually beneficial relationships and reduce costly risks, moldmakers, like Avenue Mould, are increasingly relying on CAE methodologies and software products. “Risk minimization facilitates the bui
