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.
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