Meeting Your Assembly Requirements
Posted on 02/06/2019 | by The Orbitform Blog Team
Designing Prototypes
Consumers are always looking for the newest and greatest versions of products. To meet the demand, design engineers are challenged with continuing to provide newer, greater, safer and more technical products. When it comes to designing, proving out a prototype, and manufacturing a product, how do you determine whether your assembly will meet functional and safety requirements?
Partnering with You
Orbitform strives to create partnerships with businesses and design engineers on the front end of the development process. We leverage our Solutions Lab to test forming, fastening and riveting processes. When contacted by companies in the initial design process of a new product, Orbitform’s Solutions Lab Technicians approach each design with an unbiased approach, leveraging our six core processes to find the right solution for an assembly.
Rule-of-Thumb
When reviewing part drawings for a new assembly design, our engineering experts ensure rule-of-thumb guidelines are met for fastening, forming and riveting. Working directly with design engineers, our team makes initial design change suggestions. We then test your new assembly in the Solutions Lab to prove the assembly achieves the required functionality of the joint.
Multiple Processes
Within the lab, our technicians can prove your new design on our multiple machines and processes. Through controlling the tooling, force and finished form, we present multiple possibilities for your team to test, and prove which options provide the best assembly for you. Working with our team on your design process helps you determine specific, detailed instructions for forming specifications to be used in the manufacturing process for production. Benefits of partnering on this process include: • Preventing issues prior to production including material cracking, accomplishing functional requirements, and meeting safety standards • Receiving machine and forming specs for production • Rule-of-thumb input on forming, fastening and riveting • Prototype assemblies for testing • Predesigned tooling and fixturing
Changing Geometry
A great example of a partnership in design occurred on the forming of a motor adapter. Our technicians worked with design engineers to develop the articulating roller forming of the motor adapter for retention. Upon testing within the Solutions Lab, it was determined that the initial design and form was not robust enough to withstand the required pull-out force. Design engineers then took the suggestion of our Lab Technicians to change the forming geometry. Through multiple visits and collaboration, we were able to test the redesigned product to prove it was then a success. Once testing was complete and the design was solidified, the customer received valuable information on forming specifications for production, tooling and fixturing design, and a proven assembly that minimized future production issues related to the forming and fastening.
Partner with Us
Partnering with the Orbitform team on your initial prototype design and testing is essential to ensure your assembly meets the correct functional requirements without failure. Let our Solutions Lab technicians use our unbiased approach to fastening, forming and riveting for your next assembly design to save time, money, and possible production problems. Call us today at 517-787-9447 for your design review.