This article presents study that shows beta testing shapes software to the users’ hands so the product will fit the marketplace. MoldWizard is intended to reduce the time necessary to design complex mold tooling, such as this mold used to manufacture the plastic housings for high-quality nail guns. Depending on the complexity of a mold and its eventual use, the design process can require as many as 50 different steps, including tasks such as importing and cleaning up the CAD model of the part, adjusting its size for shrinkage, separating the core and cavity, generating mold bases, and adding sliders, inserts, and other standard components. Minco Tool & Mold uses Unigraphics to design molds like the one shown in the article for an automobile hubcap. Minco participated in the MoldWizard beta test program. A news group at the website let the test users communicate directly with each other. When beta testers had questions about how to use the program, they posted them in the news group and other testers would respond.
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