Pioneer's Service Offerings (cont)
MATERIAL SELECTION: In the ever-expanding horizon of plastics materials, the selection of the right one for you requires a search based on desired material properties, processability, and unit cost. Pioneer can assist our customers using the extensive and knowledgeable search through the popular material data bases.
It is advisable, as also a common practice to select the material before commencing the engineering design activity, based on the end use of the product and the nature of the service loads. Generally, it is possible to land a generic polymer group by this process. Examples may be found in Recommended Materials for Specific Applications. In order to determine the specific blend or a brand name further information is needed on the geometry of the part, its size, weight, the machine capacity available, and above all the desired unit price. Pioneer Technologies works in close coordination with their customer's needs, material property database, and the suppliers to determine the optimum material for the specific application. We are fully aware of the myriad of options in the materials as well as in the product design to meet all the objectives.
PROCESS SELECTION: In several instances of new product development, such as in a new invention, there are more than one process options available, and final product quality and the economics decide the process. The design of the product, its look, etc may be different depending on the process.
With Pioneer's knowledge base, you can compare and evaluate the process options all the way from concept to the finished product, including the costing of the final product. This way, you are confident of the business decision you would make for your new product/process combination.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT A brand new idea for a brand new product calls for a feasibility study -- not only about whether or not it is possible to realize a product, but also to identify structural and material problems etc., liability and safety issues well ahead of time so that all surprises are eliminated. Rather, the identification of problems become a part of the product planning.
With Pioneer engineers' long and relevant experience, you can precisely identify all the engineering and manufacturing issues before it strikes.
Pioneer believes, and supports the Concurrent Engineering process, in which each one of your specialists can have access to the design during its evolution, and incorporate their views and preferences, right at the beginning of the process. This way, any related activities related to shops, quality control, shipping etc. can also be recognized early enough and in great detail.
3D CAD MODELS: Since its inception, Pioneer has provided its customers computer models only in full three dimensions, and nothing else. The 3D CAD models enjoy a clear superiority over the 2D and 2.5D models thanks to its unambiguous geometry definition, ability to port to a FEA program, or to a SLA /Urethane modeling facility, with no modification whatsoever, into mold flow analysis as also mold design and manufacture. See Why 3D? to learn more about the advantages of 3D CAD.
Pioneer provides the advantage of customer-review while the CAD model is underway, so that the special customer preferences can be incorporated on the go. This avoids the time-consuming iterative cycle of review, correction and re-review.
Using the 3D CAD Pioneer can further perform FEA, Mold Flow Analysis, Mold Design , as also provide mold manufacturing assistance. At your choice, we can also work with a mold maker of your choice and exchange client-approved CAD models with them.
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS: Pioneer is amply equipped with advanced FEA capability, in terms of facility, knowledge, experience and the practical feel for structural behavior. Our advanced FEA capabilities include Statics, Dynamics, Falling Impact, Contact Problems, Crash Simulation, Random Vibration, Thermal Stress, among others. We specialize in non-linear FEA of all types.
In a comprehensive Design and Development assignment, Pioneer performs FEA (see also Mold Flow Analysis) by default, and as many times as needed. By this, we help visualize the response of the final product to various loading conditions - an information which is too expensive to gather anytime later in the project. With our true 3D CAD modeling facility, this is accomplished at minimum cost to the client.
MOLD FLOW ANALYSIS: With Pioneer's expert engineers and in-house mold flow analysis capability, we can determine the window of optimum process parameters, as well as the mold design. A large number of important variables -- generally considered part of the Art till mid 90's -- can be determined scientifically by Mold Flow Analysis. Specifically, the gates, their number, location and type, the runner sizing, the pressure in the melt, and the temperature, filling, packing can be found out accurately.
Byproducts of this analysis are the cooling history, location of air pockets, weld and meld lines, potentials of shrinkage stresses, total time to shoot.
As with the FEA, Pioneer performs Mold Flow Analysis by default, in cases of a comprehensive Product Design and Development projects.
RAPID PROTOTYPING ASSISTANCE: Through strategic business alliances, Pioneer can provide assistance with rapid prototyping and model making, as also tool making for low volume production. Single models (SLA) or "Sales Demo Model" (Rubber Mold, Urethane models) are possible. Once again, Pioneer's true 3D CAD facility helps to transfer the "SLT" files straight to the Stereolithography machine, without any file conversion. Making Scale-Down or Scale-Up sizes is just as easy. Product testing for strength and stiffness is also possible by careful choice of the urethane material, and is by far the most economical method of product testing.
We suggest that you think about this: You are a custom molder, and have received a development order from a customer for a new product. After working on this project, you acquire the license and/or the patent to make it for other customers too. How would you have your sales guys do the promotional work?
DRAFTING SUPPORT: Pioneer is well aware that 3D CAD has not completely replaced 2D Drafting. Numerous shop floors continue to refer to 2D drawings for details on material specifications, fits and tolerances, surface finish, special assembly instructions, quality control and testing instructions and a variety of verbal communications.
We can provide you, at your option, fully annotated shop drawings as derived from the 3D CAD. In fact, minimal time is involved in creating such drawings from the 3D-CAD.
It may be noted that we treat 2D drafting as a derivative of the 3D solid model designs rather than its reverse.