Prototype Prove

Our engineering team went to work designing the tooling and fixtures we would need to build functional prototypes for our customer to evaluate and test. This project required the use of machined aluminum tool components in order to achieve the part geometry and definition the customer required.

In addition, we had to design and build fixtures that would allow us to register and secure the electro-magnetic coils during the ENCAPSULATION MOLDING PROCESS. Because this project would require us to laminate the urethane coated healthcare fabric to a closed-cell foam, we performed some preliminary testing of the LAMINATING process to make certain the fabric and foam would bond sufficiently to then be molded. We achieved a functional lamination bond of the two substrates and now had materials prepared for the completion of the tooling.

The prototype development process usually requires experimenting with the raw materials and process parameters and that was the case on this project. Once our tool shop completed the assembly of the tool, our R&D team was able to experiment with the required oven temperature, heating cycle, press tonnage and dwell time in order to encapsulate and seal the coil in the fabric and foam composite.

Ultimately, we were able to ENCAPSULATION MOLD a prototype coil assembly that we believed would meet our customer’s requirements.  We provided several coil assemblies to our customer for their evaluation and testing.  The coil assembly functioned as required, and following a few design iterations our customer was ready for us to manufacture the assemblies in volume and with production tooling.