Asking for design assistance early in the process saves time and costs.
Atecs, Inc., produces high-quality products and services for aerospace and energy clients worldwide. Atecs uses their 64 years of experience to provide harsh-environment solutions for engine test, aero support equipment, constructed facilities, space flight components and energy service products.
When Atecs decided to introduce a fire-resistant version of their vent damping controller, die casting was an obvious choice for a part that needed to be strong, light, and fire-resistant. Since A&B also has a long history working with manufacturing clients, Atecs engineers shared their design with A&B engineers to make sure the part would be appropriate for die casting, as well as economical to produce.
A&B engineers carefully reviewed the client’s design requirements and suggested many ways to improve the original design.
1. The part had to perform under a heavy load of 85 pounds. A&B built fixtures and testing equipment to make sure the load requirements were met.
2. Quality and finish were critical. A&B modified the design of the boss on the original part to make trimming easier and also made modifications to eliminate flash in the gears.
3. Production and tooling needed to be streamlined. The original part design would have required complex tooling. A&B was able to simplify the tooling and help the customer bring the part online faster at a reduced cost.
Overall, A&B reduced the number of secondary operations that would have been needed, which helped to reduce overall production costs. The next time you start a design project, talk to our engineering team to see how we can help you make a product that is better than you imagined.