The CVP offers a wide range of high quality, specialised e-products, so it allows European Plastics Value Chain companies (primarily SMEs) to take advantage of ICT facilities and tools in a simple, functional and cost-effective manner.

The e-products on offer fall into three key categories:

• e-Engineering services: product simulation and design.
• Interactive software: easy-to-use software available directly on the web and requires no downloading/installation. Covers various areas including design and engineering (as above), budgeting, costs and shared KBS - knowledge based system.
• Collaborative environment tools: Web tools which promote interaction between agents and aid management of industrial projects.

Although many of the e-products being offered are already available elsewhere they can prove difficult for Plastics Value Chain companies, particularly SMEs, to find and gain access to. This is where the CVP comes in. By understanding the needs of these companies the CVP can offer them the benefits of relevant, large-scale Information and Communication Technologies. These benefits include:

• Quality and reliability: e-products and platform maintenance meet high standards.
• Choice: Wide range of products on the same site.
• Economy: Lower costs.
• Competitiveness: Reduction of time-to-market, possibilities for co-operation within the CVP community, access to the most up-to-date technology.

The e-SeSME consortium is still working on bringing even more e-products on board to further improve the range of software solutions offered by the CVP. The following are currently available:

• Costmold: The cost of a mould can be calculated based on the manufacturing process and elements used.
• Costpart: The cost of a part can be calculated based on the investment costs, manufacturing costs and technical features of the process and design.
• Definjec: Identification of injection moulding part defects.
• Rapid tooling: Selects the most appropriate rapid tooling technology based on the features of the mould.
• Selmatiip: Selects the most suitable injection machine for the mould and part, based on 15 technical criteria for mould-part adjustment.
• SteelGuide: Moulds and dies steel guide.
• Tiip Cool: The cooling time of a thermoplastics injection mould can be calculated based on the polymer, part geometry and cooling system's dimensions.
• Tiip Flow: Various parameters associated with injection mould filling and the packing-holding process can be calculated based on the polymer, part geometry and the main moulding parameters.
• Xplast: A Case-Based Reasoning System (CBR) that can identify parameters for plastic injection moulding.

All the digital services on CVP will be available in as many European languages as market demands.

To access the e-engineering services, go to SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES and register.

• Rapid Prototyping