The use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) technologies for analyzing critical plastic parts has increased tremendously within the plastic industry and Xerox. During the last three years, significant advancements have been made in both polymer melt flow analysis (Moldflow, FA, TM Series) and heat transfer analysis (Polycool, Moldcool) programs to aid in the design of plastic parts and molds. (Moldflow is a registered trademark of Moldflow Australia Pty. Ltd., FA, and TM are a registered trademark of Plastics and Computer Co. Polycool is a registered trademark of General Electric Co. Moldcool is a registered trademark of AEC Corp.) These computer simulation techniques optimize material flow, processing, and cooling parameters as well as providing the ability to balance multicavity tools. However, the utilization of these simulation techniques may be both time consuming and expensive. This paper describes a step-by-step procedure for selecting plastic parts for CAE analysis.