Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
(OP)
Not sure this is the best forum but here goes.
We manufacture precision metrology tools, with run rates in the order of 50 or so per year, some slightly more, some a lot less. Historically the life cycles have been fairly long, 10 years or more but that seems to be reducing significantly.
On our latest designs we've been making use of plastic (the drawing I looked up said polyurethane with no grade specified sorry this is a bit vague) to improve the aesthetic appeal of our product. While the individual covers vary in size think of things from the size of a food processor or sewing machine (cause that's what the first product of ours that used plastic covers looks a bit like to me) up to a large cash register or maybe 21" CRT size.
To me a major issue on this is the cost and timescale involved with making the molds for these parts. Our suppliers typically make a temporary silicon mold for the first 10-20 to prove out the design etc and then we go to an Aluminium mold. The silicon molds are typically several thousand $ while the aluminum molds are several tens of thousands. The molds take weeks or even months to get made too which is a problem as we're trying to reduce our development cycle.
In order to reduce cost (at least up front cost) and speed development I wonder if these covers would be a good candidate for some kind of 'rapid manufacturing process' like STEREOLITHOGRAPHY or SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING.
I had a quick search on the web and this site (thread404-10501: 3-D machines for instance) but had trouble separating the relevant information from the various patent claims and minimally informative articles etc.
Any advice on the current 'state of the art', relative costs, potential sources or information or even vendors etc. would be appreciated. I've dealt with stereo lithography parts before but they were far to fragile even for our relatively delicate instruments.
Thanks,
We manufacture precision metrology tools, with run rates in the order of 50 or so per year, some slightly more, some a lot less. Historically the life cycles have been fairly long, 10 years or more but that seems to be reducing significantly.
On our latest designs we've been making use of plastic (the drawing I looked up said polyurethane with no grade specified sorry this is a bit vague) to improve the aesthetic appeal of our product. While the individual covers vary in size think of things from the size of a food processor or sewing machine (cause that's what the first product of ours that used plastic covers looks a bit like to me) up to a large cash register or maybe 21" CRT size.
To me a major issue on this is the cost and timescale involved with making the molds for these parts. Our suppliers typically make a temporary silicon mold for the first 10-20 to prove out the design etc and then we go to an Aluminium mold. The silicon molds are typically several thousand $ while the aluminum molds are several tens of thousands. The molds take weeks or even months to get made too which is a problem as we're trying to reduce our development cycle.
In order to reduce cost (at least up front cost) and speed development I wonder if these covers would be a good candidate for some kind of 'rapid manufacturing process' like STEREOLITHOGRAPHY or SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING.
I had a quick search on the web and this site (thread404-10501: 3-D machines for instance) but had trouble separating the relevant information from the various patent claims and minimally informative articles etc.
Any advice on the current 'state of the art', relative costs, potential sources or information or even vendors etc. would be appreciated. I've dealt with stereo lithography parts before but they were far to fragile even for our relatively delicate instruments.
Thanks,
KENAT,
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Chris DeArmitt
"Knowledge has no value except that which can be gained from its application toward some worthwhile end."
Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Regards
Pat
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Chris DeArmitt
"Knowledge has no value except that which can be gained from its application toward some worthwhile end."
Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Chris DeArmitt
"Knowledge has no value except that which can be gained from its application toward some worthwhile end."
Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
It's a good question, often repeated at companies such as you describe.
Unfortunately, rapid prototyping processes parts still are not acceptable for long term performance on high value added instrumentation.
All these various processes, while very promising and subject to what I think is some spurious marketing claims, have issues that compromise long term performance: usually evidenced by breakage at assembly interface points - stress.
Essentially, all these processes, properly still carry prototype in their name. This is where the spurious marketing comes in, they've dropped it in favour of manufacturing; it's misleading. Of course, there are some success stories of production parts, but I believe these are non demanding performance assembly or stand alone piece part applications.
For companies as you describe, I suggest two methods to address issue. Pressure vacuum forming or reaction injection molding. With some intelligent design, molded parts can be leveraged in future product iterations with specific areas further machined and accesories asembled in place. RIM is ideal for this as the process disregards constant wall section, any wall thickness is possible. Hence, in design, specific areas could be targeted as customizable, and additional details, wall sections, etc, designed into the tool for molded parts to be machined later. RIM tooling is about 10 - 30% of injection mold tooling, for reference.
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Two pot casting resins such as Epoxy, Acrylic, Polyurethane or Polyester can also work.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Your description sounds like you are already using RIM. As everyone else has said look into thermoforming. It can be very low cost and low volume but may have less detail or features. Look at thermofab.com and thermopro.com or www.thermoformingdivision.com for examples.
Fiberglass can be an option for the larger parts.
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
I believe our current vendor is using the RIM method though I'm not totally sure. We have looked at vacuum forming but most of our parts are too complex.
One thing I forgot to add in my OP is that one of the other problems we have with our molded parts is that none of us has much experience designing molded parts. Some of our designers seem to have real trouble with some of the design for manufacture concepts like including draft etc. and I'm not that much better but have got involved where they were having trouble. The design process for the covers on our last product was painfully long, months in fact. I was hoping using stereo lithography or the like would reduce these problems as well as tooling cost & lead time. We tried outsourcing the design of the covers but this was even worse.
I'd found one potential lead for rapid manufacturing www.redeyeondemand.com but based on most of my other reading I'm not overly optimistic as many of you seem to agree.
KENAT,
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Any chance you could post an example picture/sketch/drawing?
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
The left two are new parts on a new product, I'm not sure what the plans for them are at the moment but they were what prompted me to look at this again in more detail. (Looked at it briefly a while back but came to the belief the technology wasn't mature enough.) On the top is about 4" long, on the bottom about 6" long. These are pretty simple compared to some parts.
The top right is a 'cover' that has several parts mounted to it. There are loads on it as some of the parts mounted to it are PCB's with connectors that get pushed on/pulled off. Most of the holes have threaded inserts in them. It's about 15" wide (longest dim). The bottom right is about the largest plastic part I think we have, something like 24" square.
KENAT,
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Have you approached the major resin manufacturers like Bayer, Ticona, DuPont BASF for their design guide litrature.
If you need some good practical designers, I know a few. I expect there are a few who post here as well.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
It looks to me like the two left-hand parts are good candidates for thermoforming, possibly with some tweaks to add draft, and post-forming machining/trimming to get some of the details added.
The right hand two parts...it looks like there are some areas with very thick material, unless we are not seeing the backside is indented. Fat sections are generally a no-no for plastics, except for RIM which (can?) create a foam core...but that causes trouble for threaded inserts which I also see there. 'Twere me, I'd redesign the two right side parts to be multi-part assemblies.
I don't have a lot of experience with plastic injection molding design, but a fair bit for metal castings, powder metal parts, forgings, extrusions, and rubber transfer and compression molds. Oh, and thermoformed plastic parts. Oh, and some experience re-designing plastic injection mold tooling to fix troubles. ALL of the above experience was gained most rapidly by visiting the shop that was doing/going to do the work, and finding out from them first-hand what the limitations of the process were, and where the draft would have to go, etc. I highly recommend such visits for designers, esp. if they are having trouble designing parts that work right the first time. Knowing what your vendors CAN do, helps in designing parts to suit their expertise and methods.
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
Some of the parts, definitely bottom right, were originally multi part designs but our vendor suggested making them one piece to save cost.
Thanks for the feedback.
KENAT,
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
There are some plastics design issues with your parts. Sharp edges, large open areas, unsupported tabs. But, I'm sure they're still in development.
Regarding RIM, Premold in Wisconsin has an excellent design guide http://premoldcorp.com/designguide.php (no, I don't work there)
It can be difficult to comprehend some manufacturing intracacies. Certainly a factory visit to observe both tool construction and molding process can be very helpful.
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
KENAT,
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RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
You should be able to pressure form (a type of thermoforming) the parts.
Those parts might be injection molded by Protomold for the same price (or less) as rim. You can get a quote off their webpage. It also has graphical feedback of the draft and other moldability issues.
With any process some vendors are more competitive in time and development support than others.
Your cad software has some tools that help like draft checking.
All of those holes in the sides of walls and ribs are expensive.
Bayer has a good rim design guide.
RE: Using stereolithography for low rate manufacturing of plastic covers
I completely re-did the bottom right cover but was hamstrung by marketing/aesthetics concerns initially and a colleague who seemed unable to understand the process.
The covers on the left are still in development by completely different person and appear to have been included etc from the start. I wonder if that's a big chunk of the difference. I haven't been able to find the guy for a week or two but did notic he has what appear to be stereo lith parts on his desk already.
KENAT,
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