A global manufacturer came to Underwood with a need to redesign their modular injection-molded base pans. The customer needed a design that simplified the old design in order to improve efficiencies related to time and labor.
Underwood was able to successfully accomplish the customer’s goals through our experience with wire electrical discharge machining (EDM). With our experience and innovative design expertise, we were able to create a new snap design that reduced costs for assembly of both parts and components.
We built experimental tooling to test and prove that the innovative snap design would function as intended before the design and fabrication of actual production tooling could begin.
The standards to be met were laid out by their product engineers, and we were able to meet tolerances as tight as 0.001 inches. To ensure we remained within these specifications, toolmakers supplied reports on mold dimensional checks, and once the mold was in production, both dimensional and fit and function tests were performed on parts at intervals throughout each production day.
Underwood’s high-production capabilities also provided an ideal timeline to phase out the obsolete base pans and replace them with the new model. We have the capacity to handle volumes of millions of units per year. Our turnaround time for parts is weekly, and we kept the lead time for tooling to 8-10 weeks. By designing, testing, proving and machining molds to create parts featuring innovative snaps, we were able to reduce assembly time and perform comfortably within the client’s budget.
This project is just one example of the expertise Underwood Mold Company possesses and the kind of collaborative work we can complete to meet and exceed our client’s needs and expectations. Since 1969, we have been a trusted provider of quality molded products and injection molds. For more information on what we can do for you, contact us today. We are eager for the opportunity to help you develop new solutions that improve your operation.