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Story Behind the Award-Winning Blow Molded Product The Pickup Tuck cargo organizer

Award-Winning Blow Molded Product

By John Doster, president, and owner
SPI Blow Molding LLC

Originally published in the August 2019 issues of The Journal of Blow Molding, a Publication of SPE

Back in 2011, a small group of former automotive engineers and designers came together to bring one specific, innovative idea to life. Last year, 2018, that product – dubbed the Pickup Tuck – earned multiple honors from SPE. It took first place in the Auto/Transportation category of the SPE Blow Molding Division’s Industrial Awards and first place in the Industrial Division Awards, as well as the People’s Choice Award in the Industrial Category. This strong showing qualified it for entry in the ANTEC Plastics for Life Parts competition in Detroit in March, where it won the contest’s Quality of Life Award. This is the story of how that concept came to life, from its invention by automotive engineers, through its design by experts — including consultants from 99Studio Inc. and Garrett Engineering Services — to its manufacture by SPI Blow Molding

Award-Winning Blow Molded Product – An Innovative Idea

Former automotive engineer Jim Todd mocked up a “truck trunk” designed to prevent loose items from sliding to the front of his pickup truck’s bed. Todd made his initial prototypes out of wood and PE sheet and made copies of his invention for interested friends. With help from colleagues, Carl Powell and Russ Sheehan, Todd modified his concept, creating a portable truck-bed barrier made up of plastic panels that can be folded flat and stored in the truck cab when not in use. The panels stretch out across the back of the truck, from the passenger’s side to the driver’s side. To take it to market, in early 2012, the three formed a new company, TSP Enterprises. Powell serves as president and CEO, while Sheehan became VP of prototype and manufacturing engineering and Todd is VP of product concept engineering. Todd’s portable cargo organizer is different from cargo boxes that were already on the market because it is a temporary “trunk” that can be installed and taken down in a matter of minutes without any tools. With the tailgate forming one side, the panels create a box, covering and protecting contents from the elements. The panels corral loose items near the tailgate, preventing them from sliding around the truck bed and making it easy to reach them without having to climb into the bed. If the tailgate is locked, the contents also are secured against theft. Todd, Sheehan, and Powell helped make the prototypes, and TSP worked toward larger volume production of the panels. An award-winning blow molded product is the result.

Looking for the Right Partners

In May 2017, TSP approached SPI Blow Molding, a small custom blow molding company, to get a quote to see if manufacturing the product was feasible. TSP’s challenge was to determine the right manufacturing process and partner to help it build the tools, manufacture the parts and assemble the components cost-effectively. It looked at injection molding, rotational molding and thermoforming before concluding that extrusion blow molding (EBM) would provide the best shot at success. TSP determined that EBM was the right fit because the expected volume would quickly surpass the ability of rotomolding to produce parts cost-effectively. Injection molding would have resulted in parts that had one show side and a lot of structural ribs on the other. Meanwhile, thermoforming didn’t provide the required structural strength. EBM presents the perfect balance of part weight, cycle time, tooling costs and finished part appearance. SPI’s management team recognized the product’s utility and potential, and TSP chose SPI because of the manufacturer’s technical expertise in blow molding flat panels and willingness to partner and provide additional leadership and capital. As part of the companies’ deal, SPI holds an equity position in TSP.

Getting the Manufacturer Involved Early

A key to TSP’s success was getting SPI involved early in the process. The blow molder employs about 32 full-time employees and operates on a 24-hour, five-day-a-week production schedule. It runs a wide variety of resins on 13 EBM machines that can handle shot sizes ranging from 1 pound to 42 pounds. Its portfolio includes products for the agriculture, automotive aftermarket, food and beverage, industrial, marine, medical, military, pet supply, and transportation industries. SPI has also been recognized by SPE for other award-winning blow molded products, including the HDPE Buzz Ball Football game table.

In addition to its blow molded parts, the Pickup Tuck has one injection molded component — a part that’s made by SPI Industries LLC, South Bend, Ind., the custom injection molding division of SPI.

SPI Blow Molding, LLC Continues to Improve Productivity with Purchase of New Blow Molding Machine

spi new blow molding machine

The AH 550-100 Blow Molding Machine placed in production at SPI Blow Molding’s Coloma, Michigan plant is manufactured by Pet All Manufacturing Inc. The machine has a 20 lb. shot size with a part takeout and will be used to produce various industrial parts suitable for blow molding.

Blow Molding Machine Component Main Features:

  • The mold head is designed for high-quality parison and quick color changes.
  • The extrusion system uses a completely new machine-barrel screw design with a high level of adaptability to a wide range of raw materials.
  • Energy efficient for low energy consumption.
  • The mold-closing unit is a double-pull-rod structure, providing a large space to access the mold, facilitating easier and quicker setups.
  • The control system that integrates the PLC control with the servo control of the parison wall thickness is compact and has excellent reliability.
  • The part take-out provides improved consistency, faster cycle times and overall better productivity.
  • This new blow molding machine from Pet All Mfg will help SPI Blow Molding to increase production volume, increase part quality, reduce cycle and deliver overall better efficiency and productivity.

About SPI Blow Molding LLC. SPI Blow Molding is a custom blow molding company located in the southwestern Michigan town of Coloma. We boast a deep understanding of the blow molding process and possess a unique ability to blow mold a wide range of materials and part sizes. We manufacture our proprietary line of bulk food gravity dispensers under the Best Bins name. (www.bestbins.com.) Other industries served include agriculture, automotive accessories, furniture manufacturing, medical, RV, and safety equipment. SPI Blow Molding is committed to improving equipment and capabilities in support of their belief that every customer deserves Quality Parts, on Time and a Fair Price.

Pet All Manufacturing Inc. offers a full range of blow molding equipment of very high quality to the Americas and Europe. Our blow molding machines are conceived and engineered in North America by experienced engineers, then integrated at our 2 North American locations (Markham, Ontario and Paynesville, MN) to offer the best return on investment in the plastics bottle molding machine industries in the USA.

SPI Receives 3 Molded Plastic Product Awards from SPE

SPI Garners Multiple Awards for Blow Molded Plastic Products

SPI Receives 3 Molded Plastic Product Awards from SPE

SPI Blow Molding’s Pickup Tuck Lands Three Molded Plastic Product Awards at 2018 Plastics Industry Conference

COLOMA, Michigan—SPI Blow Molding, a Coloma-based manufacturer of plastic parts that specializes in blow molded plastic products, has earned three awards from SPE, the leader in plastics manufacturing awards. Each year, SPE recognizes outstanding contributions to plastics industry, and SPI’s latest innovation, the Pickup Tuck, took home three prestigious awards at SPE’s 2018 convention.

The Pickup Tuck is a portable cargo management system. The high-density polyethylene cargo organizer provides truck owners with a versatile and easy-to-use organizer for pickup truck beds. Unlike tool boxes and other cargo solutions, the Pickup Tuck is lightweight and offers a portable, non-permanent solution to easily store and hauling goods within easy reach of the tailgate, so consumers can easily access them.

The innovative cargo system also provides an added level of protection and safety, as items in the bed of the truck do not shift around the truck’s bed while driving. The covered construction also conceals items placed inside, mitigating theft while additionally protecting valuable items from rain, snow, and sun. The Pickup Tuck requires no bed modifications and offers a versatile and inexpensive alternative cargo solution to bed covers and nets. The multi-hinge assembly, featuring twist, snap and folded hinges as well as snap locks, results in an easy-to-install product that takes less than five minutes to install in the bed of most pickup trucks. It is also compatible with most tonneau covers.

At SPE 2018’s 34th Annual Blow Molding Conference in Pittsburgh, Penn., the Pickup Tuck took home three awards, in part due to its innovative multi-hinge assembly. The awards include

  • Excellence in Achievement Auto/Transportation Applications
  • Excellence in Achievement, Industrial Division Award, and
  • Excellence in Achievement, People’s Choice Award

SPI’s goal is to create proactive solutions to customers that make their lives and work easier while being a leader in the plastic products and components industry,” said John Doster, Owner. “The Pickup Tuck and its three recent SPE awards are testaments to this mission and the important work we do each day to meet the demands of our customers.”

To learn more about the Pickup Tuck, visit https://pickuptuck.com/. To learn more about SPI Blow Molding, visit https://moldedparts.com/blow-molding/.

About SPI: SPI’s mission is to provide the best custom molding experience for the injection and blow molded requirements of its valued customers. Through exceptional customer support and delivery of innovative molded plastic products and components, SPI seeks to become a leader in the plastics industry and the top choice provider of molded plastic products for consumers worldwide. To learn more about SPI and its product offerings, visit https://moldedparts.com/.

SPI Industries Offers Vertically Integrated Manufacturing

Ready-to-use Quality Parts on Time,

at a Fair Price 

Benefits of Vertically Integrated ManufacturingSPI has adopted vertically integrated manufacturing solutions to ensure our customers receive high value and on-time delivery. By managing the entire supply chain of each plastic part, our customers enjoy cost savings, maximized efficiency and value along with consistency throughout their product line.

Vertically integrated manufacturing includes multiple phases of plastic parts development.

Managing each step of the development process allows SPI to deliver a full-service solution to customers. Integrating the entire process from concept to delivery helps maintain the integrity of each product and allows for delivery of ready-to-use quality parts on time, at a fair price.

Examples of SPI Industries vertical integration capabilities:

cnc machine for plastic part manufacturingProduct Design Support and Development
• CAD design support

Engineering
• Dye / Mold engineering

Plastic Mold Making
• Mold Testing

Material Sourcing

Plastic Mold Production
• Blow molding
• Injection molding
• ThermoformingCMM - Coordinate measuring machine (photo is of CMM Mitutoyo BN715) to identify different types of measurements

Assembly

Packaging / Pack Out

Labeling / Branding

Product Package and Insert Design Support

Distribution

Delivery

Warehousing

Sales and Marketing

SPI works with OEM’s of all sizes. From small start-up companies to large corporations, we consistently hear how challenging it is to get a product to market.

When your plastic part or plastic product has to be ready, you don’t have time to research multiple manufacturing blow molders, injection molders or thermoforming — let alone attempt to integrate all of their schedules. Vertical integration manufacturing from SPI Industries streamlines each phase while reducing costs, delays, and errors.

Examples of how Vertically integrated manufacturing practices benefit customers of SPI Industries:

A new customer came to SPI Industries with a new product that required blow molding, injection molding, and assembly. With SPI’s vertical integration the customer was able to achieve cost benefits with design support, tooling, manufacturing, and shipping. The cost and time benefit allowed the new customer to increase market share by offering a new product to the market with shorter lead time and a lower cost.

A current blow molding customer was having a delivery issue with their current thermoforming supplier. SPI Industries thru vertical integration was able to mold the components at one plant and CNC trim the components at another. This integration of manufacturing allowed SPI to help their customer meet current demands and avoid the loss of orders.

Benefits of Vertically Integrated Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management:

Cost Savings – cutting costs also lowers the price of each product
Sustainability – Less impact on the environment (reduced travel, packaging, etc.)
Increased communication – work with the same project lead instead of multiple managers in different locations
Maximized Value – Keeping Manufacturing in the United States and Great Lakes Region – Supporting local economy helps your community and also increases sustainability
More consistency – using the same molds, staff, and equipment assures each part is the same overtime
Increased flexibility and Customization – Each process affects the next. When a change is considered all project heads or engineers can be brought up to speed together and concerns can be addresses
Reliability – when one company is handling each step of your project they have a buy into the success of your product (they have a lot to lose too!)
Maximized Efficiency – Increased communication, consistent points of contact, No concerns of delayed shipping

Manufacturing demands increase daily and we are all tasked with finding ways to increase efficiency and maximize value. SPI Industries wants to remove the headache and unforeseen costs from your product development. Give us a call today. We will review your current supply chain and offer suggestions so you can have ready-to-use quality parts on time, at a fair price

PickupTuck for ice fishing

SPI BLOW MOLDING ANNOUNCES THE PICKUP TUCK

Pickup Tuck for ice fishing

FOR RELEASE April 2, 2018

It’s here and we’re excited to tell you about a new product…….. The PICKUP TUCK, A Trunk for your Pickup Truck Bed.

PICKUP TUCK IS A Portable Cargo Space Organizer. It’s designed to easily convert a pickup truck bed into personal cargo space on demand. It acts as a Trunk for your Truck.

A Portable Cargo Space Organizer it has been designed to fit Ford, General Motors and Chrysler pickup trucks. TSP Enterprises are the inventors of the PICKUP TUCK, a blow molded, patent-pending aftermarket accessory for pickup trucks. The PICKUP TUCK is designed to convert the rear 1/3 of a pickup truck bed to secure, easy to reach cargo space for work, play, and everyday use.

NECESSITY THE MOTHER OF INVENTION

PICKUP TUCK was the brainchild of James Todd, one of the founders of TSP Enterprises who raises horses in Marshall, MI. James, an avid horse owner was always hauling hay, horse gear, and personal items. That meant constantly, rearranging, loading and unloading his truck bed. He needed a solution that gave him more utility and flexibility for his pickup truck bed.

His solution was to develop a personal cargo organizer for the truck bed a “trunk for his truck. James, a journeyman toolmaker, crafted the first PICKUP TUCK prototype from wood clad with polyethylene plastic in his workshop. As James and his family attended various horse shows, they encountered a significant level of enthusiasm for his “Trunk for your Truck”. The interest was so significant that he was compelled to make several one-offs, of the trunk for his friends which has led to TSP Enterprises and the PICKUP TUCK.

PICKUP TUCK ADVANTAGES

The competitive landscape for personal cargo organizers has not been adequately met. The truck market demands low price, portability, ease, and flexibility of setup and utility for everyday use.

These are advantages of the PICKUP TUCK:

  • PRICE – PICKUP TUCK is priced at $375 versus Tonneau Covers / permanently installed toolboxes and storage products at $400 to $1,700.
  • DURABLE – made of High-Density Polyethylene.
  • PORTABLE & LIGHTWEIGHT – PICKUP TUCK weighs 25.5 lbs., and setup does not require tools. It can be set up or stored in less than 5 mins. It folds away for easy storage in the truck cab or garage when not in use.
  • ACCESSIBILITY & SECURITY – PICKUP TUCK offers access to cargo from the tailgate. It provides weather protection for stored items. Cargo can only be accessed from an unlocked and lowered truck bed tailgate.

EARLY PICKUP TUCK SUPPORTERS AND VALIDATION

Pickup Tuck Portable cargo organizerThe journey to go from PICKUP TUCK, as a product concept to design, engineering and production have been filled with many challenges for TSP. But thanks to buy-in from a team of committed early supporters, the PICKUP TUCK journey is at the finish line. Early validation for TSP and PICKUP TUCK was received when the PICKUP TUCK product concept was presented to Automation Alley. Automation Alley is a business incubator funded with grants from Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and a variety of other sources.

Automation Alley has played a vital role in helping TSP with business planning, corporate structure and governance and raising capital. They were convinced PICKUP TUCK could be a successful product and help secure an equity investment in TSP to help fund the product. They were instrumental in helping to secure two rounds of funding through the Small Business Development Corporation of Michigan (SBDC).

SPI Blow Molding, LLC has become an integral part of the TSP team. As an industry leading, ISO-9000-2015 Certified custom blow molder SPI is continually recognized for delivering high quality, innovative production solutions where others have fallen short. Based in Coloma, Michigan and along with its sister company, (SPI Industries) in South Bend, IN, there are few custom blow molded or injection molded projects SPI companies cannot handle. SPI has experience in supporting the development and manufacturing of many industrial products, some are available in our web store.

Leadership at SPI recognized the value of the PICKUP TUCK product to consumers. After meeting the dynamic team at TSP, SPI Blow Molding became an equity partner with TSP to facilitate product and tooling design support for ease of manufacturing. SPI will produce all plastic components and provide the final assembly for the PICKUP TUCK. We are proud to be associated with such a strong and committed team to deliver the PICKUP TUCK to our customers On Time and at a Fair Price.

Go to the Pickup Tuck website to learn more about the PICKUP TUCK Story. TSP Enterprises plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign through KICKSTARTER. Leave your email information and get more information on becoming a Backer and getting PICKUP TUCK accessories, discounts, and more.

Tips-for-Transfer-Tooling

What Are the Steps to Take to Transfer Tooling to a New Vendor?

Tips for transfer toolingIs transferring tooling on your to-do list? What would you do if your current blow molding supplier announced they were going out of business next month? How would you find a qualified replacement in a short time frame? The transfer of your tooling assets to a new vendor is mission critical and most OEMs are not prepared for such an unexpected undertaking. Starting from scratch with new tooling is not an option. Locating a company who accepts transfer tooling, has the capacity to meet your production while maintaining quality control standards is like finding a unicorn.

Here in the Midwest where we are heavy on automotive, furniture, medical devices, and plastics packaging, the economic crisis resulted in a high percentage of bankruptcies. SPI has become adept at receiving molds that had not been maintained to our standards. We learned quickly that transferring tooling from one company to another required a disciplined and coordinated effort. To that end, establishing clear communication, defined expectations, along with an inbound tooling documentation process are necessary for best results.

At SPI Blow Molding we’ve had customers transfer tooling to us for a variety of reasons. In some cases, the OEM’s current supplier had gone out of business. In other instances, their product demand had outgrown the capabilities or capacity of their current supplier, while others were seeking turnkey solutions that addressed their need to focus time and energy managing and growing their business. Our Experience working closely with the OEMs, setting strategic plans and reviewing industry journals helped implement the following transfer tooling guidelines.

Steps for Transferring Tooling:

Contractual Agreement: A Non-Disclosure Agreement along with part prints, quality requirements and production requirements would be included in the contractual agreement. This will outline the responsibilities and expectations of each party and can be as simple or as detailed as needed depending on the organizational and project needs. Outlining any legal partnership agreements between the two business entities is a requirement for a government or corporate compliance.

Conducting an on-site tool assessment: While performing an assessment while the tool is in production will usually produce the necessary information to facilitate a seamless tool transfer, it is very rarely a viable option. There is an enormous value when SPI’s experienced technicians can see the mold in use and talk with the engineers and operators who are part of the actual production procedures. Quite often, there are workarounds or shortcuts the current production team has adopted that may not have been documented, yet are necessary to achieve the production goal. A great deal of time and money can be saved if this tribal knowledge is shared in advance.

Safety Stock: The safety stock produced would allow time for the tool and support equipment to be transferred and validated. SPI Blow Molding suggests allowing six to eight weeks for complete transfer and validation.

Tool Transfer: It is important to conduct a thorough tool & fixture evaluation upon receipt of your assets. We evaluate, document and report any areas of concern prior to sampling the tool.

Tool Validation: SPI’s Engineers, Production and Quality Staff will collaborate with the OEM’s key staff to validate tooling capability. We will also review for potential improvements to facilitate better quality and lower cost production parts.

Quality Standards: Quality parts come first, then comes quantity. We will verify all quality specifications against supplied part prints and fully document these requirements along with any necessary testing, gaging or secondary assembly.

Production: Once the tools have been validated and quality standards documented, we will work very hard to meet, or exceed, both your immediate and long-term production requirements. We look forward to becoming a valued blow molding supplier.

However, there are situations when 6-8 weeks are not available. At these times, it’s even more critical to be working with a supplier that has appropriate capacity and experience to give the immediate and necessary attention to the myriad of details required to achieve the quality and production standards to ensure your success and ultimately YOUR customer’s satisfaction.

At SPI we believe in Quality Parts, On Time at a Fair Price – even for transfer tooling assets.  If you would like to learn more about how SPI can manage your transfer tooling process please visit our website. Make sure to check our company’s equipment list consisting of three dual head presses and ten single head presses ranging in tonnage from 5 tons to 200 tons of clamp force with shot capacities up to 42# and our broad range of material capabilities. SPI is ready to work with you and your partners in providing the ease of the transfer tooling process. Please give us a call today at 269-849-3200 or complete the inquiry form to connect with an SPI blow molding specialist.

Portable-Safety-Products-Online-shop

Find Portable Safety Products to Bulk Food Bins [for People and Pets!] in Our Online Shop

Portable Safety Products Online shop The Boys Safety barriers

Sorry product inventors and CAD engineers, we are not selling pre-made plastic molds in our online shop! What we are selling in the online shop is a variety of finished blow molded plastic products. Our online store includes portable safety products for safety at work, commercial bulk food bins for stores and markets and a large pet feeding and storage station, plus more to come. All of the products for sale on the SPI online shop were designated and made entirely in the USA.

All of the plastic molded products we feature in our online store are products SPI Industry manufactures. SPI Blow Molding has developed  and supported design of all the plastic part molds and has taken each item from concept to delivery. Online and brick and mortar retail outlets, including Amazon and Quality Elevator, carry some of our products. However, creating the online shop here on the moldedparts.com website just made sense for us. The online shop allows us to reach a larger audience who need these items. With the shop, the products can get into our customer’s hands more quickly. Current customers appreciate knowing they’ll get the quality and trust they expect from us and also enjoy hassle-free fulfillment. Orders are shipped within 1-2 business days of purchase.

Find Work and School Portable Safety Products on the SPI Online Shop

One of our most popular portable safety products includes The Boys Portable Safety Barricades. The Boys safety barricades are used in manufacturing, education, and any variety of public space that has occasion for collapsible safety barricades. Many manufacturing plants, office buildings, museums, zoos, and schools use “The Boys” to block off areas quickly and efficiently. The bright yellow plastic work man design has a friendly yet cautionary appearance especially suited to block kids safely away from unsafe areas.

Food Safe Plastic Bulk Bins and Dispensers

Two other popular products available in the SPI online shop include the Best Bins line of food safe, high quality, durable bulk food dispensers. From four gallon to eight-gallon sizes SPI’s Best Bin line is convenient and reliable bulk food dispensers used in retail specialty markets and grocery stores throughout the world.

SPI’s Pet Silo is currently only available for purchase here on the SPI online store. (also available on Amazon) The Pet Silo is a convenient animal food storage and dispenser used to hold 40 plus pounds of animal food. The design of the Pet Silo keeps other critters out and helps keep pets and animals food fresh. For homes, barns, chicken coops or backyard bird feeders, the Pet Silo is a neat and handy solution for the often messy job of pet food storage and dispensing.

Visit the SPI Online Store Today

We hope you find that our online store supports our mission to deliver ready-to-use quality parts on time at a fair price. SPI honors product inventors and enjoys supporting our customers by sharing these new inventions. If you have suggestions on ways we to enhance our online shop for your convenience, please contact us with your suggestions.

Thanks for stopping by SPI please contact us for all of your plastic injection moldings and blow molding needs.

Enter or mention PROMO CODE SAVE5 for a Special Introductory Discount. Expires 2/01/2018. Exclusions apply.
SPI Full service manufacturing boxes in warehouse with forklift great lakes region

Full Service Manufacturing of Plastic Parts

SPI Full service manufacturing boxes in warehouse with forklift great lakes region

SPI Injection Molding and SPI Blow Molding offer full service manufacturing of plastic components and finished goods. As a full service manufacturing source in the Great Lakes region, SPI can handle all aspects of manufacturing for your product that contains injection or blow molded plastic parts. From design and tooling, to quality control and assembly, to packing and fulfillment, SPI supports your success by delivering quality parts on time, at a fair price.

From concept to completion

In this competitive market, companies seek every opportunity for cost savings. Maintaining high levels of quality while meeting increased demands for faster turn offers a competitive edge. Working with one experienced plastic molding company instead of working with multiple companies at different stages of the manufacturing process ensures consistency and accuracy for your plastic parts. Selecting full service manufacturing from SPI Industries helps you breathe easy.

Benefits of Full Service Manufacturing of Plastic Parts

Shorter production times

Keeping all phases of the plastic part manufacturing process with one company, reduces production time. Once production begins, each step in the process is set and scheduled. With full service manufacturing, all communication and coordination is streamlined into a proven system and managed by a team of professionals. Each part moves smoothly from tooling to delivery.

Reduced plastic part manufacturing costs

At our full service manufacturing facilities, engineers, designers, and manufacturers work together on each project. The close proximity of the departments allows them to communicate quickly and efficiently. If there are adjustments needed throughout the manufacturing phase they will be identified and addressed at each step. This level of quality control can’t be obtained when each phase of production is outsourced to different companies.

Streamline communication

Working with one company decreases errors caused by inefficient communication. We’ve all encountered issues when changes have not been explained accurately or in a timely fashion. Whether in business, or in our personal lives, limiting the amount of people involved in a process reduces the chance for miscommunication. With full service manufacturing you contact one team. There is no need to schedule meetings with multiple teams or determine logistics for communicating across different time zones.

Time is money.

Each step in the manufacturing process that can be eliminated saves time and money. Because a full-service manufacturing provider is accountable for all aspects of a project, often a higher level of personalized service will result. The buck stops with the full service manufacturing provider. There is no blaming other vendors. Ensuring all processes are correct in the very beginning helps projects move smoothly through each stage. Additional cost savings are returned through discounted rates offered by many full-service manufacturers that niche companies do not offer.

Keeping everything under one roof also eliminates the need to allocate additional funds for packaging and transportation between manufacturing facilities. Staff training, estimating, billing, reports, and correspondence is streamlined when all phases of a product are completed by one company.

Would you like to learn more about how SPI Industries could serve as your full service manufacturing source in the Great Lakes region?  SPI Industries’ processing technologies include blow molded and injection molded ready-to-use plastic parts. Give us a call today or complete the inquiry form to connect with an SPI product specialist. Certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards and compliant for food-grade parts, SPI will design and build your mold and deliver ready-to-use quality parts on time, at a fair price.

Accurate Estimate for Plastic Molded Parts

How To Get an Accurate Estimate for Plastic Molded Parts

Accurate Estimate for Plastic Molded Parts

Are you a developer, designer or inventor of products that requires blow molded or injection molded plastic parts? Do you think you are ready to bring your new idea to market? Are you looking for a price quote for blow molding or injection molding for your new product?

SPI is regularly contacted by developers, designers and inventors, who’s products are at varying stages of development. More sophisticated and experienced customers may have 3D CAD files or prototype molds built before calling us. Some customers may have 2D drawings or a homemade prototype mocked up. While, still others bring only sketches or concepts. We have examples of each maturing into successful product launches.

While the appearance of the product or the visible parts may be well thought out, the function, material and plastic molded part design requires a great deal of exploration. Below, we discuss some of the design questions we consider to deliver Quality Parts at a Fair Price.

We have specific questions that need answers before SPI can provide an accurate estimate on part pricing. We look at ways to help design for ease of manufacture at both the part design as well as the tool design. Producing a clear and thorough estimate for plastic molded parts design and development requires a great deal of communication and expertise.

Before you are ready to manufacture your idea, these questions are important to consider:

What is the end use of your product?

  • Will the part be exposed to chemicals?
    If a product is going to be exposed to bleach, or ammonia or other chemicals, there are specific resins that we will recommend to used that will ensure the integrity of the plastic part over time and use.
  • Will your product hold food or beverages for human consumption?
    There are specific guidelines required for food safe storage products. Because of the stringent guidelines, not all injection molding or blow molding companies offer food safe plastic solutions.
  • Will your part be exposed to extreme temperatures or other environmental conditions?
    These considerations will allow your molder to offer recommendations of resins and special additives that may be used to allow your part to function under extreme conditions.

Specific Design Elements will determine best processing technology for Plastic Molded Parts

  • What are the dimensions of your plastic molded parts?
    The size and annual demand of your part will dictate which plastic molding process is required. SPI can help you determine the best processing technology for your product. Typically, small, complex parts such as handles for tools or pens are ideal for injection molding. Hollow objects such as bottle and beverage containers are best suited for blow molding. Where does your product fit? We can help.
  • How complex is your part? Will your part need to be flexible?
    Is your part a simple rectangle with one notch that will connect with another part? Does your part have multiple levels, notches, clips or bellows? Does your part start large and get progressively smaller? Do any elements of your part need to move or be removable? Is a portion hard, while another component pliable such as a clip that must be squeezed into a hole to later expand? The complexity of the design will dictate the type of material, time needed for the mold development and tooling.

What materials are best for your plastic molded part design?

  • Which polymers or resins are best for your product?
    If you are not familiar with the many types of plastic materials on the market, a qualified plastic molder can help you make the best selection. Once a molding engineer knows the end use of your product, the size, quantity, and processing technology, they should be able to offer options for the best material selection for your plastic molded parts.

As you can discern from the many questions posed above, there are many variables that will determine the best solution to manufacture, assemble and deliver your product. The manufacturing company you choose should be a partner in the success of your product. Give SPI Blow Molding or SPI Injection Molding a call, we look forward to partnering with you to help launch your new product. We will support your success by delivering Quality Parts, On Time at a Fair Price.

New press for full service plastic parts manufacturer

SPI Industries Blow Molding Division Invests In New Equipment To Increase Capacity And Processing Capabilities

New press for full service plastic parts manufacturer

Leading Michigan | Indiana molder and full service plastics parts manufacturer, SPI Industries, has increased its capabilities significantly and upgraded its technology for prototypes and production with the purchase of a new press.

spi-blow-molding-pressThe new Impco B30 Press has been installed at SPI Industries’ manufacturing facility in Coloma, Michigan, and will provide an increase to capacity along with an increase in production speed. The installation of the new press with 5 lb accumulator, twin 2.5 lb heads, with manual and auto controller is part of SPI Industries 2014 major expansion project. Since the completion of a constructed 6,000 sq ft warehouse, SPI Blow Molding has stabilized and grown.  With increased demand for plastic manufacturing in Michigan and Indiana and throughout the Great Lakes Region, installation of the new press will allow SPI to keep up with increased demand.

From product and tool design, to shipment of finished goods, SPI is a full service plastic parts manufacturer poised for continued growth. By increasing its press production capacity, SPI’s customers will benefit from faster turn arounds and increased production quantities. From small runs to high volume injection or blow molding, SPI continues to be a good fit for a large variety of product developers.

SPI Blow Molding Engineer, Nick Kraus, said “By investing in the latest technology we are increasing our flexibility and production capabilities, along with automation for larger quantities. The new machine will work alongside SPI’s existing machines on the production line to significantly increase our volume and capacity”.

SPI Industries is a leading full service plastic parts manufacturer with blow molding and injection molding capabilities.  SPI processes basic polypropylenes and ethylenes to the increasingly popular, and difficult to master, clear polycarbonates. Providing high quality manufacturing services including prototype and pre-production of molds, product assembly, storage, and shipping, makes SPI the complete solution for plastic parts and products. The company designs and assembles molds for a wide range of customers in many industries including appliance, outdoor, recreation, hardware, healthcare, agricultural, furniture, safety and food storage.

For more information on how SPI Industries can help you as a top choice, full service plastic parts manufacturer and product fulfillment experts, visit moldedparts.com or call SPI Blow Molding at 269-849-3200 or for Injection Molding call 574-272-3733.

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