The focus was on innovation at all points in the value chain as companies were honored for overcoming design and manufacturing challenges in categories from medical to recreation and leisure.
There's a lot of credit to be shared when a product launch is deemed a success. Kudos could be in order for everything from creative part design, to precision timing of complex mold sequencing, to skillful execution of specialized molding processes. Even more so when any of these achievements rise to the level of “innovation” on the strength of their positive impact. That was the idea behind the first-ever International Plastics Design Competition (IPDC), held at NPE 2009 in Chicago in June to highlight the achievements of designers and manufacturers of innovative plastic components and finished products.
At the event, the Alliance for Plastics Processors (APP), a unit of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI), presented 15 awards recognizing the achievements of designers, toolmakers, material processors, molders, and OEMs. Entrants included products for use in transportation, medical devices, furniture, packaging, consumer goods, and other end-use sectors.
Among the achievements recognized were specialized molding processes that reduced costs by using strategic combinations of key materials in step-saving operations. Companies were also noted for tool design and selection of materials that achieved key design objectives for part performance, safety, and aesthetics.
Following are summaries of award-winning entries in the Medical, Lawn & Garden /Agriculture, Industrial/Military, Sustainable Part/Component, Recreation & Leisure, and Retail categories, as well as the winner of the Judges' Award.
Medical Award
The Hospira iSecure Syringe, a device that its manufacturer says “exemplifies what the future holds in plastic part design and manufacturing” was named the top entry in the Medical category. A key factor in the win was the unique use of a multi-shot molding process by the molder, All West Plastics, Inc., of Antioch, Illinois. The ISO 9001:2000 Certified, FDA Registered company is reported to have “vastly reduced” the overall manufacturing costs by molding all four components of the device in one injection mold, using three different polymers. Its approach, which also includes the use of non-bonding components, eliminates the need for costly assembly equipment and allows the user to selectively disassemble the device.
Still, the development of the syringe proved to be challenging, especially in the area of manufacturability. Manufacturing the four-component device within one injection mold required the use of three different polymers, which couldn't bond to each other in any combination because the device would fail. The device is molded in three separate positions within the mold; one position molds two of the four components.
The first polymer selected was a copolyester for the “body” of the device. This component needed to be water clear and protective because it encapsulates the sterile drug cartridge that's assembled into the device. The second polymer, a polypropylene (PP) for the “plunger” portion of the device, required stiffness. The third polymer needed to meet a delicate combination of opposing requirements for the “tamper band and cartridge clamp.” A low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was critical to the tamper-evident feature of the syringe because it allowed the “tear band” (or tamper band) to be flexible, yet able to tear. It also met the criteria for the cartridge clamp, which required a living hinge and a strong snap feature.
Moving from part design to manufacturing required the molder to strike a harmonic balance between moldability and function. Challenges included the removal of features, such as slides and cores, which would require actions in the mold. According to the molder, this was painstakingly accomplished by identifying the molding process up front and using the multi-shot technology as a baseline moving forward. The product design was therefore able to conform to multi-shot molding, reportedly exceeding the development team's goals for manufacturing cost with the successful build of the first production mold, which cycled at a rate under 10 seconds.
All West Plastics (www.allwestplasticsinc.com) provides Class 8 clean room molding, both conventional and multi-shot.
Lawn & Garden/Agriculture Award
Steinwall, Inc., Coon Rapids, Minn., took first place in the Lawn & Garden/Agriculture category for a one-piece injection molded agricultural tube that dispenses seeds into the ground. Molded for OEM John Deere, the part looks surprisingly simple, yet is testimony to the fact that a simple part design can involve creativity and a complex mold design. Contour Mold, a specialty custom mold builder located in Elk River, Minnesota, manufactured the mold, and Omni Plastics, of Erie, Pa., supplied the material.
The objective of the project was to design a one-piece molded tube given the existing exterior part geometry. In the prior tube design, clam-shell parting lines were causing the seeds to bounce, resulting in variability in ground placement. The new design was achieved in three steps, beginning with designing the curved core, then designing the cooling, and, finally, determining the sequencing of the mold. Because the design needed to accommodate high annual volumes, the process had to be extremely robust and repeatable.
Step One: The core required a straight section followed by a curved contour. Therefore, a double-acting slide was necessary to allow for the straight portion of the core to eject first, and then a swing arm was required to allow the core to clear the cavity steel when ejecting.
Shutting off the swing-arm core also presented unique design challenges. Because the core moves on an arc, the shut-off point involved dynamic analysis to guarantee proper alignment. Without proper alignment, core damage could result, increasing flash at the end of the tube. This flash was undesirable because it would also cause the seed to bounce.
Step Two: Cooling the curved core that was moving on a double-acting hydraulic slide with a swing arm was reported to be extremely challenging. The challenge was machining ¼-inch water lines into an 18-inch curved core while maintaining steel strength. After several false attempts, the solution was to machine the water lines first in flat stock and then machine the steel into a curved shape.
Step Three: Final sequencing of the tool operation is very involved. The mold-open sequence took the following form: lock pin open; hydraulic slide out; hydraulic swing-arm open; mold open; and ejection forward. The mold-close sequence began with ejection retract and was followed by mold close; hydraulic swing-arm close; hydraulic slide in; and lock pin closed.
The timing of the sequencing above is crucial to producing acceptable parts. Several proximity switches were installed to increase the robustness of the operation, according to the molder.
Steinwall (www.steinwall.com) is a precision custom injection molder that also provides secondary operations and assembly. The company is a certified quality supplier for customers that include Itron, Inc., John Deere, Johnson Outdoors, and Electrolux.
Sustainable Part/Component Award
Industrial/Military Award
Its design of the WaterBrick Container earned FPM Tooling & Automation, of Fremont, Ohio, first place in the Industrial/Military category as well as the Sustainable Part/Component Award. Created by WaterBrick International (Orlando, Fla.), WaterBrick is a patented plastic container capable of delivering water, food, fuel, or medical supplies to disaster zones or developing countries. Once emptied, the interlocking “bricks” can be assembled to build safe and durable housing, schools, medical facilities, or defense positions.
The material used for the container needed to be extremely durable because WaterBrick was designed to be palletized and air-dropped anywhere around the world. Molded by Sturgis, Mich.-based ACM Plastic Products from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin, the industrial container is recyclable and FDA approved. In addition to delivering 12.9 liters (3.4 gallons) of water for daily use, it provides bulk water storage for humanitarian relief agencies. Unlike conventional plastic containers, WaterBrick can be delivered anywhere without the need for ground transportation infrastructure or deepwater ports. Its patented design was created to meet the challenges posed by catastrophic events by palletizing, shrink wrapping, and air-dropping WaterBricks directly to people in need. Other comparable containers, such as steel containers, are said to be either too expensive or do not have the structural integrity required to withstand the kinetic energy released when the water hits the ground.
FPM Tooling & Automation (www.fremontplasticmolds.net) provided design and moldmaking for this project. The company designs and manufactures custom tooling and automation equipment for a variety of markets, including automotive, recreational, industrial packaging, toys, and houseware.
Recreation & Leisure Award
The Aero Oar, manufactured by Durham Boat Co. (www.durhamboat.com), is targeted for use by elite athletes at National, World Championship, and Olympic competition. A key element of the design is a lightweight, high-modulus pre-preg carbon, aerodynamic shaft profile.
According to the company, the aerodynamic profile of the oar shaft and blade results in less air resistance, especially when the oar is out of the water and the oar and boat velocities are in the same direction. The design objective--an aerodynamic, stiff, and lightweight competition oar--dictated the use of high modulus, pre-preg carbon and syntactic foam for the blade and high modulus, pre-preg carbon (compression/bag-molded) for the shaft. The handle is adjustable and removable, with a perfect fit under the oar sleeve.
Retail Award
Bemis Manufacturing Company (www.bemismfg.com), a custom injection molder based in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, garnered top honors in the Retail category for its manufacture of the Target All-Plastic Shopping Cart. The project represents a deviation from the retail industry's historical practice of purchasing shopping carts designed and built by shopping cart manufacturers. By contracting with a custom injection molder for a finished product, Target created challenges for itself and the molder. As it turned out, the challenges were resolved to the advantage of both parties. Target now has a cart with the appearance, functionality, and durability that the company envisioned. Bemis, the molder, also ventured out of its comfort zone by creating and delivering a complex, fully completed and ready-to-use product.
Target retained the industrial design firm Design Continuum, of Boston, to design an exclusive shopping cart specifically for the retailer. The cart is designed to be lightweight, yet strong enough to hold 500 pounds. Materials used include polycarbonate, HDPE, glass-filled nylon, and PC/PBT. The cart utilizes snap-fit construction, gas-assist molding, and in-mold decorating. Component parts are assembled incrementally with the help of robotics until the final molding step, where final assembly is completed. Tooling was designed to aid in the logical, incremental subassembly of components so that final assembly takes no longer than the final component machine cycle.
The shopping carts are built per Target requirements and drop shipped to individual stores, direct from manufacture. A unique custom-designed rail system was developed internally to take advantage of the shipping trailer's height and footprint to minimize shipping costs. Because the cart has no interfering metal components, the contents of the cart can be universally scanned from any direction.
Advantages of the cart include its all-plastic design, which is said to provide aesthetic value as well as better impact forgiveness, long-term appearance, and ease of handling. The manufacturing process eliminates paint and chrome plating, and the opportunity for end-of-life recycling dramatically eases the impact of the cart on the environment. These advantages are obtained without sacrificing the capacity or weight specifications of the cart's metal predecessors.
The cart design virtually eliminates sharp edges, provides a safer and durable child seat, and is significantly less likely to damage in-store facilities and other components such as racking, checkout areas, shelving units, and merchandise. It is also less likely to cause any type of parking lot damage. This is not due entirely to the inherent value of plastics, according to the manufacturer. The lightweight cart is reportedly easier to turn and has better caster design than other carts on the market.
Judges' Award
This “Hot Solutions” Food Service Tray from Service Ideas provides the restaurant industry with a product that reduces the risk of heat transfer from extremely hot skillets onto the server's hands. The food service tray was developed in response to the difficulties and risks of serving a meal that requires a hot, cast iron skillet to be placed on a table in front of a restaurant patron. Presenting a hot fajita, for example, is often accompanied by sizzling sounds, delicious aromas, and the appearance of a rising cloud of steam.
“The heat in the cast iron must be high enough to support the sizzle for several seconds while the food travels from the kitchen to the table,” stated Keith Nybakke (www.nuhill.com), the inventor of the food service tray, dubbed the “fajita solution.” “That amount of heat can be dangerous to people and damaging to tables. When the meal is complete and the service items return to the kitchen, everything must then be sanitized in preparation for the next patron who orders a fajita.” A common solution has been the use of a plywood under-liner for the cast iron skillet. But plywood does very little to hold heat in the cast iron, nor does it adequately protect tabletops from excessive temperature.
To solve “the fajita problem,” Service Ideas came up with its “Hot Solutions” Food Service Tray. A specialized molding process was developed to allow food contact-safe, melamine-free BMC 1000 and the newly developed, thermally insulative BMC 845 to be molded together into a single, food service solution. BMC 845 is said to provide exceptionally low thermal conductivity (0.12 W/m °C, approximately one-eighth that of typical thermoset composites). The material's unique insulative properties are derived from its low molded density. In addition, BMC 845's heat capacity--the amount of heat needed to raise temperature by one degree--is also very low. As a result of both properties, a molded block of BMC 845 material heated to 250°F in an oven reportedly can be picked up bare handed without causing a burn.
Source: The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.
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