September 2017 Newsletter No Images? Click here
 

A few words from Tim...

Welcome back from your holidays to 67 plates, hurricanes and exhibition season!

Whilst you have been away we have been busy and have shipped literally tens of thousands of parts for a wide spectrum of our clients!

 
 
Tim Plunkett
 
 

Now I hope that we will have the opportunity meet many of you at either TCT later this month, or the Engineering Design Show in mid October.

I know for many of us this is the annual get together where we get to check out all things additive, but don’t forget Interplas next door which is also looking promising!

As I said exhibition season is on us, but if you can’t make it, don't worry, get in touch and we can set up a separate meeting.

Plunkett Associates
 
Injection moulding

What drives the cost of Injection Moulding?

Injection moulding is a great way to form thermoplastics into a range of shapes. These can be anything from a simple washer to a complicated electrical housing to a wheelie bin or car bumper. Add to this flexibility, potential materials stretching from soft elastomerics to metal replacement polymers and the scope begins to become apparent.

We are all surrounded by injection moulded parts in every facet of our lives, from light switches to the electric kettles we use to the keys on our keyboards. The one thing all these items have in common is that they are produced in high numbers, frequently hundreds of thousands upwards.

And this is why moulding is so perfect, with cycle times measured in seconds, part costs tend to be measured in pence allowing for the product pricing that we all take for granted.

So huge flexibility, large range of materials and cheap parts, great, sorted.

Well not quite....

 
 
TCT Show

It's nearly time for the TCT Show!

Plunkett Associates are exhibiting again....it's only a fortnight away so book a day out now and start planning.

Tues 26th, Wed 27th, Thurs 28th September are the dates to note;

The NEC in Birmingham is the place to be;

Hall 3, Stand E56 is where we are!

If you're going to be pushed for time or you simply hate waiting (and we don't blame you!), there is the option to book a specific time to chat with one of us. It was busy last year and we are expecting it to be even busier this year with Interplas just next door, so make the most of this facility and book now.

 
 

The Volume Curve - what if quantities are uncertain?

If you are looking for production plastic parts, then Plunkett Associates has already demonstrated how injection moulding is a very cost effective solution for quantities down to and even below 100.

However, if your quantities are uncertain or the design not frozen, then CNC machining (computer numerical control) could offer a very economic alternative and comes with the added advantage that quality of finish and accuracy are far superior to alternative prototyping options.

 
 
Grow Software

New software offers a secure design solution for 3D Printing

Tamper proof software allows greater consisitency for Additive Manufacturing.

Grow Software UK, based in London, has developed a software for use within Additive Manufacturing, ensuring the safety and security during the transfer of data, and have recently received a US patent for it.

The impact this could have on industries such as aerospace and defence, where security is a major concern, could be enormous, opening up additive manufacturing avenues that just weren’t an option before....

 
 
 

"Plunketts developed a solution that met our precision requirements at a cost significantly lower than alternative manufacturing approaches we had investigated."

 

If you have a project in mind, or would like more information, contact us and we will be pleased to help.

01452 386608
solutions@plunkettassociates.co.uk