Case studies

The customer had been producing this unit using proprietary products resulting in both high labour and component costs. NTD were approached to redesign the part with cost reduction, incorporation of new features and improved styling being the brief.

The result featured reduced the assembly time by eliminating fixing screws, sealants and adhesives.

The unit is comprised of two sections, a Lens and a Battery Case secured by two integrally formed spring clips.

The Lens has been very successful in allowing light emissions to be monitored from all directions. Material selection for this component took into account both optical and impact requirements.

The fitting of the PCB is now a very simple exercise using integrally formed moulding clips and support ribs, all part of the lens moulding.

A mounting post and sensor clip are moulded in polycarbonate allowing the unit to be easily attached to a post and the sensor to be easily attached to a fence wire.

A Moldflow analysis confirmed that the Lens could be edge gated successfully, this allowed the post support and the wire clip to be produced in the lens tool, reducing the tool cost.

Tooling was completed in under 8 weeks and first production followed impact testing, assembly and performance tests.

The product was delivered on time in full for the season and end user feedback has only been positive.

NTD competed successfully against offshore manufacturers in all respects on this project.

The customer had some basic sketches of a new larger Dispensing unit that would utilize some existing components. NTD designed the new enclosure based on the brief and at the same time researched the material in consultation with the customer. Due to the long flow path the Moldflow analysis was of great importance, this resulted in very good parts at first tool trial. The filling pattern in practice was accurately predicted by the Moldflow.

The PCB is located on pillars and screwed in place, batteries are held down both sides of the unit with integrally moulded clips. The valve head is screwed into screw pillars. The Aerosol can is supported with clips screwed into location wells down both sides of the case as is the mounting bracket.

The case tool is hot runner with a single gate in the label recess. The mounting bracket and clips are produced in a separate tool.

The tools were built on time and moved to production soon after the initial samples were received.

The parts are moulded in a 180t injection moulder on semi auto cycle to prevent damage to the parts.

The can support clips and the mounting bracket are moulded in Acetal co polymer providing both dimensional stability and the spring properties required. The case is moulded in a ABS.

The part has been very successful, assembly time has reduced and product quality has improved considerably.

After initial discussions NTD advised the customer that preliminary Moldflow analysis confirmed suspicion that the part could not be produced in the proposed geometry.

In consultation with the customer NTD altered the geometry until Moldflow indicated that the part could be moulded, albiet at very high pressure.

NTD offered both tooling and product costs which were accepted on the basis of a complete development package.

Both the tools were designed on Solidworks, the Manifold is a hot runner tool and the End Caps and Plugs a family tool with parts edge gated.

The part is moulded in Polysulphone and moulds well in both tools. The very demanding requirement of filling the manifold tube having a 1mm wall thickness for a length of 120mm and positioned adjacent to very much thicker sections has been a real challenge. The moldflow analysis proved to be of tremendous value in this project and confirms the validity of applying CAE to the part design prior to tool manufacture.

The customer approached NTD to manufacture tooling and product for the enclosure featured. The unit contains a PCB and required functions to be displayed by LED and visible on the outer surface of the cover. The customer supplied the design, NTD worked with the designer and converted the design to a Solidworks model for Moldflow analysis and tool design.

The top cover is more complex than the displayed view may indicate. There are 264 slots that allow airflow in one direction only, the cores that form these slots blank on a splined face that is truly 3 dimensional. The Haas machining centre in conjunction with the Camworks software enabled this to be done very accurately and successfully.

All parts were Moldflow analysed prior to tooling, all components were easy to fill despite the high number of slots in both the cover and base, flow leaders were used to ensure parts filled evenly.

The cover is a hot runner tool subgated through a sacrificial pin removed after moulding, the base is centrally gated using a hot dropper. The light pipes and power on off button are cold runner edge and subgated.

The three tools run very well achieving forecast cycle time and meeting the cosmetic requirements set down in the brief.

The cover and base are moulded in ABS and the light pipes and push buttons are polycarbonate.

The customer approached NTD to design a tip cup for use on grading equipment. The unit brief required the cup to release when a trigger (part of the unit) is actuated by an electrically powered solenoid. The unit connects together to form a continuous belt that slides over a support surface, the connected belt is driven by a toothed wheel. NTD designed the featured product comprising of:

All components were designed on Solidworks and assembled to produce a working model. An RP(Rapid Prototype) provided the working model confirming that the parts meshed correctly. The cup is a wedge block tool, cold runner with edge gating, the chassis also a wedge block tool, is direct cold sprue. The trigger and pin tool is a family tool, all parts are edge gated.

All parts were Moldflow analysed prior to tool manufacture and all parts moulded easily as predicted. The parts are moulded in Acetal co polymer and a modified Acetal co polymer. The cup and trigger both incorporate integral springs and take advantage of the excellent spring properties of Acetal. The trigger has a metal insert moulded in to allow solenoid actuation.

The customer required tooling for a new style of Kayak Paddle and being of asymmetric geometry two impressions were required.

NTD worked closely with the customer during the design phase with a number of designs being presented and modified before final design sign off.

A rapid prototype confirmed that the design as proposed met customer requirements.

Moldflow analysis confirmed that this part in the selected material would run in a 250t injection moulding machine without difficulty and that filling and injection pressures were well within the machine capability.

Tooling was produced on our Haas CNC machining centre and completed in 8 weeks, the products produced at the time of trial were approved for production.

The product is moulded by NTD in a glass filled material in various colours including multi coloured styles.

The tooling produces different shaft sizes by using interchangeable cores, this has been very successful.