Posted by Ben Harrison on Tue, Jan 17, 2012
The more companies learn about overmolding, the more they want to use this special injection-molding technology to add value to their product lines. Not only does it improve functionality and performance, it lowers total production costs—that’s pretty rare these days.
So, what is overmolding?
Using a one-shot or two-shot process, a thin layer of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) is overshot onto the hard plastic substrate of the product. This exterior layer is what creates the soft-touch grip for so many products, like toothbrushes and tool handles. But it has lots of other properties that also add value to the final product—it can reduce shock and vibration, dampen sound, provide electrical insulation, boost chemical/UV resistance, be an effective barrier against oxygen and moisture, and perhaps most importantly, create a wide range of colorful, stylish exteriors that catch the consumer’s eye.
More consumers are demanding this look and feel for the personal-care products, tools, electronics, sports equipment, medical devices, etc. they purchase. As a result, overmolding applications continue to expand across a wider range of products. The availability of this technology also gives product engineers more creative freedom in designing attractive and functional products that will keep them on the leading design edge of their markets.
Not every injection-molder can overmold, however; it requires specialized equipment, extensive training, and precise control of multiple variables throughout the production run—even the slightest variations can affect quality, so skilled operators are essential.
Overmolding engineers must have a deep knowledge of material chemistry and know how different types of TPE and substrates interact under varying pressure and temperature conditions. This field of knowledge is also rapidly expanding—suppliers are continuously engineering new blends with expanded characteristics such as chemical resistance, UV resistance, hardness, scratch resistance, clarity, heat resistance, and UL standards. Kaysun Corporation has a vast material science database it has accumulated from hundreds of previous projects and our engineers stay on top of the latest developments in new materials.
It can take some time getting overmolding just right, but it’s worth it—this one- or two-step process delivers products of such high quality that the need for some downstream finishing operations is eliminated, which saves time and money and gets products into the marketplace faster.
Of course, this is common knowledge at Kaysun. We have perfected this process through extensive investments in technology and training; this is why top global companies like Rockwell Collins (defense and aerospace) and Smith’s Medical (health care) rely on Kaysun.
Learn more about Kaysun’s overmolding capabilities by downloading our white paper or contacting us. We’re the perfect place to start—and finish—your injection molding project.
Posted by Bobby Desai on Tue, Nov 22, 2011
Along with several Kaysun associates, I recently attended the Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference and Exposition in Minneapolis on November 1-3. Among other insights, I learned there is an increasing demand in the area of medical devices with built-in antimicrobial properties.
There is an ongoing battle between insurance companies and hospitals regarding infections acquired in hospitals. This situation has been linked to prolonged hospital stays, subsequent illnesses, and even death. A significant impetus for new products to combat these infections involves the materials used in medical devices, particularly handhelds.
New plastic resins are now available that are designed to meet the demands for improved microbial resistance. One of these is the Lexan EXL1413B polycarbonate siloxane copolymer that may be injection molded and contains antimicrobial additives. This resin also offers extremely low temperature (-30°C) ductility in combination with medium flow characteristics and excellent processability with opportunities for shorter IM cycle times compared to standard polycarbonates.
Kaysun engineers are available to assess the ever-changing needs for medical devices and select the proper resins and production methods, including clean-room production, to meet this demand. Please contact us to assess and scope your next project. To learn more about Kaysun's capabilities in the Medical Market download our free white paper below.
Posted by Mario Del Real on Tue, Nov 22, 2011
OEMs that are currently using metal parts are not necessarily dissatisfied with the products they produce. Many, however, could benefit from converting these products to a highly engineered plastics solution that will replicate the performance of the metal-based products while providing additional advantages.
Some of the advantages may include:
-
Reduced part weight
-
Eliminating lead issues
-
Lower manufacturing costs
-
Enhanced regulatory compliance
-
Greater flexibility
-
Increased market stability for material cost
A great deal of Kaysun’s business comes from our ability to provide insight and engineering expertise to evaluate converting an existing product or part from metal to plastic. Our engineering team works with the customer’s team to assess the feasibility of converting from metal to plastic and selecting the right material and manufacturing process to meet functional and budget requirements.
We have had great customer successes in this arena, including Gates and Versa-Matic. In the critical defense market, an excellent example of the benefits of metal to plastic conversion is available by viewing “Lightening the Load: Designing Lighter Products and Components for the Warfighter.” This is a Kaysun webinar recorded with IDGA (Institute for Defense and Government Advancement) demonstrating considerations for a challenging defense injection molding project.
Converting an existing product from metal to plastic is generally a cost-effective option with the proper partner to effectively evaluate all the contingencies. Creating a new product via plastic injection molding from scratch provides even greater efficiencies. The earlier you engage a qualified engineering and manufacturing partner the better.
Posted by Bobby Desai on Tue, Nov 22, 2011
Among plastic injection molders, there may be a tradeoff between their ability to custom manufacture parts on an individual basis and the capability to automate the production process for higher-volume cost-efficiency. The reality is that, with the proper vendor, automation and its associated benefits can be within the grasp of companies even if they have smaller production runs.
Quality does have a cost, but the cost of poor quality has an even greater cost over the life cycle of a product. The number-one consideration should be consistent product quality. That is, the manufacturing process turns out the same product every time, minimizing or even eliminating the risk of human error. Should something go wrong, the proper automation process is accountable enough to trace it to its point of origin. Corrections can then be made with little down time.
The ability of a manufacturer to efficiently and effectively automate the production process is key to allowing an OEM to turn out a product at a competitive price point. Production by automation helps retain quality assurance and helps keep work in the United States.
Kaysun has a full array of adaptable automated equipment and the in-house expertise to configure the production process to each manufacturer's individual needs. Having all these resources in one place allows us to control costs for low volumes as well optimize it for high volumes. This allows a small manufacturer to be at the same or similar level as a large player.
The sooner you engage us as a partner for an automated manufacturing processes, the easier it will be to achieve the optimal solution.
Posted by Al Elger on Mon, Nov 21, 2011
For companies that require tight-tolerance, critical-use plastic injection molding capabilities, it should be clear that it is critical to partner with a vendor that can consistently deliver quality products and value-added services to support these solutions. Do you want a vendor that is specialized or diversified?
A supplier may be specialized in one or both of two areas: customer and market. These are both subject to the 80-20 rule. Customer specialization refers to a vendor that has the majority of its business devoted to one or a small number of customers. That is, about 80 percent of a company’s business comes from just 20 percent of its customers. Market specialization is similar and on a broader scale, and suggests the majority of a company’s business comes from within one vertical market.
Both of these scenarios are subject to potential business pitfalls, from both the supplier and customer viewpoint.
Customer specialization is the equivalent to putting all your eggs into one basket. If a vendor loses a major customer, its entire business operation is at risk. Consequently, if you are a customer other than that major customer, you may risk losing a vendor that you have been counting on.
On the market side, a downturn in a specific industry jeopardizes both the vendor and its customers if they concentrate solely or primarily on that industry, even when the number of customers is diversified. An excellent recent example is the automotive industry, which experienced major struggles about three years ago and affected all auto manufacturers and their suppliers.
Conversely, customer and market diversification can be a significant benefit to both entities. Having a well-balanced customer base that includes expertise across different markets stabilizes all businesses involved from both the customer and vendor perspectives. It minimizes the peaks and valleys of the economy and associated swings. In the previous example of the automotive industry, Kaysun’s work in defense and healthcare verticals has flourished despite the auto industry’s struggles. And while the defense business is lessening somewhat, automotive is recovering and there is a positive overall balance.
Furthermore, there are lessons to be learned by dealing in multiple markets. At Kaysun, we have developed solutions in one market that have surfaced and been repurposed as effective solutions in a different market. This includes technology advances in complex injection molding, material selection and development, and applications, and encompasses the design and engineering expertise that goes into such projects.
Overall, utilizing a supplier with a well-balanced customer base and expertise across several industries provides the stability and diversification needed to provide intelligent solutions and consistent results that are consistently and reliably replicated.
Posted by Mario Del Real on Wed, Oct 26, 2011
There is more than one way to build an effective plastic injection-molded part. Is complex tool design the answer, or is it better to utilize machining technologies to complete the task?
Designing a complex tool that inherently molds in the required precision features is the ideal solution. Yet, depending on the situation, turning to machining may be a better choice for optimal cost-efficiency in building a tool. This is particularly true when the cost of building a tool with such precision may be too high to justify the investment for the quantity desired. There is also the possibility of a tolerance issue if the precision required is better managed via machining.
Building more complex tools—those that mold in all the geometric details of a part—requires more engineering, testing, and development than simple tools. This is consequently more expensive, and such investments aren’t always justified. Let’s take the example of defense manufacturing. Production of military devices is almost always low in volume, so it may not be economical to build a highly functional yet expensive mold that will outstrip production needs. An option is building a simple tool and machining in the required geometric features: slots, screw holes, etc. This will reduce total cost of production for a short run.
And then there are potential tolerance issues. Some polymers can’t predictably hold tolerances during molding, or even tighter tolerances—down to ten-thousandths of an inch—than the mold can guarantee. In these cases, features must be handled via machining into the molded part.
How do you determine your company’s best course? Have a highly capable engineering team such as Kaysun offer to do a comprehensive cost analysis of the specific manufacturing situation. We’ll be able to determine the optimal solution that best meets your needs.
Posted by Bobby Desai on Wed, Oct 26, 2011
Product assembly refers to additional operations to meet a manufacturer's specific, unique, needs. As production volumes allow for cost-effectiveness, these operations may be built into the manufacturing process. Potting is a key capability to provide this cost-effective solution.
Potting is a technique used to ensure a proper seal or shock absorption around any feature in the molded part. For example, parts requiring an electrical assembly, a copper contact for a battery, a jack for a microphone or other accessory, or any other point where something meets the plastic part may be handled via potting.
One of Kaysun’s great successes utilizing crucial potting applications is a handheld GPS unit used in military operations. These units must withstand 30 minutes of submersion in meter-deep water, and potting is the only way to achieve that critical seal. This highly precise process calls for applying the potting compound, a special epoxy that adheres to both plastic and metal, with a computer-controlled needle. After this delicate application, the part is heated to cure the compound, leaving the device fully sealed from the elements.
Potting is just one of the value-added services Kaysun provides to maximize functionality and add value to the end product. If you have any special manufacturing needs or challenges, please contact us to discuss your challenge and our capabilities to meet and exceed them.
Posted by Al Elger on Mon, Oct 24, 2011
Molding parts used in exterior, weather-sensitive, and/or high-impact applications requires the ability to undertake and solve significant challenges. Parts that need to function in such environments are prone to warping in the molding process. However, the right engineering partner can plan and account for such potential exigencies in the manufacturing process, before they surface in assembly and usage.
While just about any industry has the potential need for parts that meet the above performance requirements, the automotive sector illustrates particular challenges encompassing all three.
Sunroof deflectors, for example, must be made of especially strong and chemical-resistant material in order to hold their shape at high speed and withstand the elements—no matter the climate in which the vehicle is driven The type of rigid nylon needed for this application, though, presents a challenge: it is high in fiberglass and these fibers warp when the part leaves the mold. So it must actually be molded with precise distortion—planned warping—in the other direction so that it warps into its proper shape after molding.
Kaysun has successfully utilized this planned warping procedure in various critical vehicle parts, including valve controls for air-activated brakes in heavy trucks and idler pulleys used in the engine compartment of most passenger cars. While a flaw in a sunroof deflector could mean part failure or excessive noise, a flaw in a valve control could mean loss of life. We usually use the term “critical use” when referring to our medical and defense projects, but automotive and industrial applications can be just as critical when part failure could result in injury or death.
The expertise of our engineering team allows us to predict the polymers’ behavior not only in terms of planned warping, but also in initial material selection, tool design, assembly/finishing, and other considerations to ensure long-term, reliable performance of these essential parts. Please contact us early in your development process for maximum efficiency and optimum results.
Posted by Mario Del Real on Mon, Oct 24, 2011
Lots of people used to carry mobile phones to make phone calls, GPS’s to find their way around, iPods to listen to music, and laptops for internet access, general document creation, and storage. Then came the smartphone. In the manufacturing sector, we can be smarter as well.
When I used to tote around all these devices, the thought of adding another device initially seemed like overkill to me. Until I realized that the smartphone actually can replace existing devices, and operate more efficiently, I might add. Greater function, fewer devices. Made sense. I got a smartphone and have never looked back.
Let’s look at the manufacturing parallel. Just as I discovered that the smartphone consolidates most of these functions into one revolutionary device, so, too, can manufacturers and marketers enjoy revolutionary savings and efficiencies through consolidating manufacturing vendors.
Companies are looking to reduce their supply base because of high internal costs associated with managing too many vendors. It is not unheard of for companies to have 20+ “devices” [that is to say, vendors] for a specific commodity. Many companies are reluctant to even consider new vendors during a supplier consolidation because it initially feels like they are adding, not reducing, the number of vendors. But, like the smartphone, leading injection molding companies have evolved and become “smarter” in their own ways by providing value-added services and adaptable molding processes that support their partners’ efforts to consolidate vendors. By adding the right new vendor, any number of current vendors can be eliminated for net consolidation.
As long as we’re using the parallel of electronics, consider hand-held devices: What goes into making the part? Does it have a plastic housing, likely requiring both soft and hard materials or two colors? Are there electronics connectors such as USB ports? Does it require a printing connection? Are there visible screws/bolts? What about the inside and what are the components, tolerances, and assemblies required for these? If you are responsible for sourcing all of the components that go into making that device, would you prefer to work with multiple vendors or just one complex injection molder that can do it all?
All you have to do is be open to considering that option, because, with the right vendor, it is certainly doable. And this applies, of course, not just to hand-held electronics but all types of industries. Kaysun has proven to be a valued partner in providing multifaceted, value-added capabilities to cost- and efficiency-minded companies, and would welcome the opportunity to work “smart” with you.
As long as we’re using the parallel of electronics, consider hand-held devices: What goes into making the part? Does it have a plastic housing, likely requiring both soft and hard materials or two colors? Are there electronics connectors such as USB ports? Does it require a printing connection? Are there visible screws/bolts? What about the inside and what are the components, tolerances, and assemblies required for these? If you are responsible for sourcing all of the components that go into making that device, would you prefer to work with multiple vendors or just one complex injection molder that can do it all?
All you have to do is be open to considering that option, because, with the right vendor, it is certainly doable. And this applies, of course, not just to hand-held electronics but all types of industries. Kaysun has proven to be a valued partner in providing multifaceted, value-added capabilities to cost- and efficiency-minded companies, and would welcome the opportunity to work “smart” with you.
Download a Free White Paper discussing Complex Injection Molding
Posted by Al Elger on Mon, Sep 19, 2011
Predictive analysis is an integral step in the product development process for plastic injection molded parts, particularly those that are designed for critical-use, tight-tolerance applications. Most important in this analysis is having confidence that your results are accurate.
The methodology and associated accuracy of predictive analysis tools can mean a difference of weeks or even months in terms of time to market. This, in turn, carries with it the financial impact of additional development work and lost opportunities caused by delays to market.
Both OEMs and suppliers have a variety of analysis tools available to utilize in their product development. Ultimately, it is the accuracy of the analysis that is critical. If the results of your predictive analysis are inaccurate, it will most likely increase your time to market by forcing expensive, inefficient trial and error methods to address shortcomings of the product.
Knowing which types of analyses to run and having the engineering expertise to perform them accurately is tantamount to achieving the results you are looking for.
For example, Kaysun combines a wide variety of tools in our predictive analysis with our FEA (finite element analysis). The FEA is run not simply with homogenous material properties for the resin. Rather, we factor in the results of our mold flow analysis with consideration given to knit lines and potential areas where material strength might prove to be lower than an advertised property from the resin manufacturer, including linear and nonlinear stress, heat transfer, fatigue, drop tolerance, and vibration test.
With greater analysis on the front end, there is less rework, faster development time, and ultimate cost efficiency on the back end.