Sleep Saver - Design & Tooling

Background

The client patented this unique design.  The client required to produce 1000 complete products for a market trail.  The product has a unique way of holding a baby milk bottle, featuring a light and musical tunes.   The client produced the conceptual drawings with Corel Draw.  The 2D drawings were used later in the product development.

Conclusion:

The first stage of the product development was to produce a 3D CAD model.  Producing a prototype using the FDM rapid prototyping technology followed verification on screen of the 3D model.  This same data was again used to produce the mould designs.  2D manufacturing drawings were produced of every part of the mould, according to SABS 0111 specifications.  3D data, STL format, was also exported to aid the toolmaker.  A STL viewing package was used to produce several cross-sectional views of the parts, toolparts and general assembly.

Several dies were made to cater for the three different items. The moulds were designed to fit Ankerwerke Injection moulding machines.  We selected a manufacturer to produce the limited production run.  The client assembled the electronics and fitted the trimmings to complete the packaging process.

The client later requested that we alter the one mould to fit a hot nozzle as we initially recommended.  It was not acceptable due to the sprew fettling method.  Fitting a hot nozzle eliminated the removal of a sprew, resulting in a clean moulded part.

Images:

• Sleep Saver