Problem Part Solutions

Internal Waterway

Metal to plastic engineering saves pounds and dollars

Pricing for raw materials has been consistently rising since the new millennium. Metal such as brass, copper, and nickel have been especially volatile. Coupled with new strict standards for brass composition from California, plumbing manufacturers were driven to aggressively replace metal components in their products.

Tri-Tech Tool & Design has been involved in fast-track projects in support of this broad undertaking. Due to our low cost prototyping capabilities, we have been able to provide several different real molded plastic prototypes of formerly casted and/or screw machined components in highly engineered, high strength thermoplastics, produced in production conditions for real testing of the actual product.

One of the more aggressive projects we have recently completed is the internal waterway. These waterways are typically sand casted brass components that carry the water from the valves to the spout. Because of the lost core sand casting process and the function of these components, they often involve intricate core paths with turns and/or curves. In addition, these components involve o-rings for sealing which translates to plastic parts with seal areas that must be sized precisely and free of mold flashing. Finally, all components of this type must withstand significant hydraulic bursting pressure.

Tri-Tech provided samples from a unique tooling design of ours which pulled cores through an arc to form the necessary geometry. Several different NSF approved materials were molded for strength testing. After several revisions in geometry, the final selection, a 40% glass fiber filled PPA, withstood a burst pressure of over 1000 psi and now is in full scale production.

Since the initial development of the first waterway, Tri-Tech has provided tooling for a second similar design currently in production, as well as test samples for a third concept involving a multiple component assembly.

In addition, due to unique quality requirements, we are developing a hydrostatic pump test fixture. This step offers quality assurances that every molded product meets the high burst pressure standards of metal parts.

Over our long history Tri-Tech Tool & Design has built a well-earned reputation for creativity in our innovations, always with an eye to economy. We have saved our customers hundreds of thousands of dollars in per part and tooling costs. Throughout this entire project, from prototype to production, tooling and molding was completed at costs at or below those of overseas suppliers.

For more information or details on how Tri-Tech Tool can develop a plastic mold making solution for you, call Bill Weber now at 732-469-5433 or contact us online.