SPI Industries
Injection Molding (574) 272-3733
Blow Molding (269) 849-3200
Thermoforming (269) 849-3200

custom • design support • engineering • molding

Tag Archives: Blow molded

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.

Blow molded, Rotationally molded, or Injection molded? How to make a Good Duck

Blow molded, Rotationally molded, or Injection molded? How to make a Good Duck

Which came first, designing the mold or designing the rubber duck? In the case of The Good Duck the bigger question was which process, blow molding, rotational molding, or injection molding, will result in the best rubber duck ever?

injection molded novelty items

Following through on a crazy idea, Craig Wolfe premiered Betty Boop Duck in 1997, and his company, CelebriDucks was born. Originally invented in the USA, this American icon had long since been outsourced over seas. CelebriDucks returned the art of rubber duck manufacturing back to the United States.

From NBA players, to Mr T, and KISS’s Gene Simmons, CelebriDucks are collectible rubber ducks fashioned after some of the greatest icons of film, music, athletics, and history. CelebriDucks was voted the top fan give-away by ESPN in sports stadiums all over the country.

Not easily satisfied, inventor and CelebriDucks founder Craig Wolfe, had to take the product to a higher level. His most recent invention, The Good Duck, is known as the safest rubber duck on the planet.

As most parents know, the first thing babies do when they grasp an object is to put it in their mouth. The Good Duck is made of medical and food grade materials that are soft and safe for teething children. FDA approved, PVC, Phthalate, lead and BPA free, The Good Duck is 100% Made in the USA, and it floats!

With all great ideas comes research and development. Knowing he wanted a safe, soft, rubber duck that floated, Wolfe knew BPA free and PVC free was the way to go. Hence, his tour of blow molding and injection molding plants throughout the United States. As he bounced from factory to factory researching processes and materials he noted SPI Blow Molding in Coloma, Michigan was already using a soft material that could work. Safety and softness was key for the cute duck.

SPI Industries won the development of the Good Duck

Wolfe explained the determining factor for choosing SPI Industries and SPI Blow Molding was the expertise of the people compared to other plastic manufacturing facilities in the mid-west.  SPI had the experience with reach and development to support The Good Duck project.

Still, that’s only part of the story. The softness of the material, the product safety, and the desire for ducks of different color took much trial and error. Choosing the correct material, one that would remain very soft and hold design detail into molds is challenging. Fine tuning CAD designs, re-molding, sculpting, testing and refinement of molds was time consuming and expensive.

Should a Good Duck be blow molded, rotationally molded, or injection molded?

The Good Duck design was originally planned to be injection molded. Once Wolfe started working with SPI Industries, owned James Doster, advised him on a different direction. With injection molding the Good Duck would be in two pieces. The two pieces would need to be glued together. SPI engineers explained, “The plastic needed for the injection molding method would be too hard and would require welding.” Because a true rubber duck needs to float, it needed to be hollow. Blow molding it as one piece and sealing in the bottom was the solution.

The next challenge was determining wall thickness. The soft material they wanted to use with the characteristics that make the Good Duck safe and chewable doesn’t flow like normal resins. Getting the wall thickness exact took some time.

“SPI Companies do more than just manufacturer, they’re trail blazers. They’re making a difference in every way they can, creating jobs and producing innovative products with cutting edge technology.”

For the Good Duck to be completely safe, color needed to be molded right in the product. Adding color was a another challenge because colorant adds weight and effects the floating capability. Consistent balance was critical and very intricate. “Not easy technology, but SPI came up with a formula that is top of its grade with an age grading of 0 and up and thus completely safe for ALL ages!” reported Wolfe.

SPI also provided a great supplier for packaging services for The Good Duck. American gift boxes are usually very expensive and drive up price point. SPI staff helped to locate a gift box manufacturer right here in the United States, keeping cost in line and also ensuring The Good Duck is 100% Made in America.

Future plans are in place to expand The Good Duck line because it is so unique. Communities who hold annual duck races as fundraisers can now use American made ducks! The Good Duck may also be employed as a promotional piece with custom embossing or silk screening of logos.

Wolfe says. “What’s good for you and the planet is the right thing to do. The Good Duck should be done and we should be making it in America. We now have a niche as we’re the only ones making them here and The Good Duck cannot be duplicated anywhere. It’s a cute little duck!”

Wolfe insists on getting the best product out there and The Good Duck will come out of the gate very strong with the highest level of product safety. Watch for the blue, yellow, and pink Good Ducks on the shelves of your favorite stores as early as December, 2015. If you just can’t wait, you can pre-order Good Ducks on the website http://CelebriDucks..com, call 415-456-3452 or email info@CelebriDucks.com

MENU