SMART DESIGN COLLABORATION LEADS TO SEAMLESS MOULDING AND MANUFACTURING

Sharp Concept's ability to optimise the capabilities of their clients' own design teams has enabled the seamless tooling, moulding and manufacture of a multiple component control head for a highly complex new valve.

Commercialised late January, the new F784 Mastermind AVID (Automated Valve Interface Device) was designed by the Hygienic Process Equipment division of TYCO Flow Control New Zealand. Having Sharp Concepts involved in the design process right from the start ensured that the control head's five moulds and 11 plastic components could be easily and economically made.

The resulting new Mastermind control head now helps regulate, monitor and control process settings for the food and beverage industries by providing a robust and vibration resistant enclosure for the electronic componentry, sensors and solenoid valves used in the assembly.

According to TYCO Engineering Manager Shane Mason, the close working relationship between Sharp Concepts and their onsite plastic moulding division ES Plastics enabled them to provide an unparalleled comprehensive service and be globally competitive in their bid for the work.

He says, "Being able to organise both the tooling and moulding for this project through just one company provided a seamless interface between our initial design for this product and its final manufacture and assembling. Our designers were also able to interrelate with manufacturing processes they have up until now had little experience in."

Using exactly the same CAD software as the TYCO Flow Control design team also helped Sharp Concepts collaborate closely with their clients. This enabled the exchange of 3D Solids via email and provided a valuable early input into the plastic manufacturing considerations that would impact the final result.

Sharp Concepts managing director, Jeff Sharp says, "Material selection, for example, is very important. Ensuring the product designers consider all the issues relating to a given material's likely chemical resistance, physical strength, shrinkage rates and manufacturability is why we like to get involved very early in the process."

Providing a complete package is also very important to Sharp Concepts. Unlike many stand-alone tool making companies, Jeff and his team can tie in their tooling expertise with their in-depth understanding of plastic moulding and manufacturing to eliminate any unnecessary testing or tuning, and therefore control costs.

According to Jeff, "Our ultimate goal is to extend the capabilities of our clients. We can provide all the designing for clients without their own design team, and share our plastic moulding expertise with those who do."

So, if you have a project idea or problem that requires innovation, advanced technical ability, and maybe even an extensive range of industrial design capabilities to make it work - Sharp Concepts can assure you of a sharp result.

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