RTM-Worx User Manual - Quick start

If You Are In a Hurry

You may want to start RTM-Worx right away, without having to read this manual. Here are some directions that will get you started quickly.

Install RTM-Worx by inserting the CD with the Auto Run feature enabled and follow the instructions on-screen.
Start RTM-Worx for the first time and contact us with the Site Code. We will supply a registration code to make RTM-Worx functional for the duration of your license. Restart RTM-Worx after you entered the Registration code.
A Step by step checklist that describes the steps you need to take to create a model and run the simulation, is provided in section 1.4.1. Summarized, the steps are:
1. Define the geometry of the part. Define keypoints, connect them by curves and create surfaces from closed loops of curves.
2. Add and verify runner and surface properties: diameter/thickness and lay-up.
3. Define injection and, optionally, venting ports.
4. Optimze the mesh. Optional, but a full remesh is always a good idea.
5. Enter resin viscosity and change calculation parameters if desired.
6. Run the simulation: shortcuts are F9 to continue and Ctrl+F9 to restart.
7. View results: shaded, contour line and vector plots.
Now you are ready to try out alternative injection strategies and to vary properties to get a feeling for the robustness of the process. Repeat steps 6 and 7.
Section 1.4.2 highlights some features that are not obvious to everyone, like the built in calculator available in a lot of edit fields for numerical values.
Read section 1.4.3 that explains the way RTM-Worx stores your data in files. It is important to understand this if you want to keep track of your work.
The structure of a model in RTM-Worx is explained in section 3.1.1. Creating objects and editing is not particularly difficult if you have experience with FEM modeling, so you may skip the remainder of this chapter.
Use the online-help system: pressing Shift+F1 turns the arrow cursor in an arrow with a question mark. You can now click any part of the window and a brief explanation will pop up. You can close the popup window with Esc, or click a link in the pop up window to get more detailed information.
The online-help contains a 'How to' section where the steps are detailed you need to take to perform common tasks.
Archive your project when you reach milestones. Create some more archives during the creation of the model. You can always delete some archives afterwards.
Examine the examples. The examples are installed in your WORX directory and you may find additional files on CD. Always copy files to a hard disk (or network disk where you have write access) first before you load any project.
Do some simulations on products that have already been produced and are well documented to get a feeling for RTM-Worx. Try to explain any observations, compare predicted with actual filling time etc. If the permeability of the lay-up is unknown, vary the permeability until the filling time matches. Now you can use this permeability for other cases where the same lay-up is used.

If you did all of the above, you are now an experienced RTM-Worx user!