Alternative to Injection Moulding

Partwell have been engineering bespoke components for over 30 years, since 1979 using a wide range of technology, our Lancashire based machine shop offers: CNC routers, including 5 axis technology for the production of 3D plastic parts; Lathes for the machining of plastic rod material; Also can be used for the cost effective machining of metals, plastics and synthetics.

Here's one more example of how Partwell Group uses their experience.

The client is looking for a local alternative to an imported injection moulded plastic tension block, the application is for a jack. The plastic tension blocks were injection moulded with intricate detail.

As with most injection moulded plastic parts, they were imported from the Far East. The client was looking for a local supplier that could provide a cost effective cutting solution for low volume production runs as an infill to their main bulk injection moulded orders.

Water jet cutting lends itself perfectly to low volume production runs, the quick machine set up, easy programming and dual head cutting function enables cost effective locally produced parts. It is known that there is a level of intricate detail on the injection moulded components, it is not commonly known that waterjet cutting can also achieve this detail. The fine nozzles allow a tight cutting tolerance of up to 0.1mm.

This means the criteria of a cost effective fast production turnaround with high detail are fulfilled, the next issue we addressed with the customer was a more economical base material. As a sheet stockist of open and closed cell rubbers, the engineering department were able to provide the client with a range of samples for trial in different hardnesses of material. The final product was water jet cut from a closed cell vulcanised rubber material. Having the sheet material in stock also contributed to minimised lead times.

Water jet cutting offers a quick and economical approach to cutting a range of different materials. The tight nesting techniques minimises waste to save money. Partwell’s water jet cutting machine is very quickly set up and operates with two cutting heads, both heads will cut simultaneously for fast production times; again this provides cost savings as less labour and machine time is charged.

The machine is just as quick to set up and will just as quickly cut both thin and delicate materials and thick, more difficult materials. Water jet cutting can be carried out on felts, foams, rubbers, metals, gasket material etc.

The engineering office uses new automatic job costing software which will give you a competitive quotation in no time at all.

For a no obligation quotation please contact us online.

Content writer for Brick technology Ltd, Blackburn, Lancashire.