Case Study: Automotive Gear Trays

Case Introduction

Our client for this project is a packaging company that specializes in designing custom trays for all forms of manufacturing. The end user of these trays produces several heavy metal gears, machine components, and castings made for an automotive company that are shipped to a separate factory and are used in the assembly of their products. 

Each part is a heavy metal casting and had been wrapped in paper and placed in cardboard boxes which was costly and added handling time and dust particles. These parts need to be kept separate and protected from damage during shipping. Each part required its own compartment in the trays.

ShapeMaster’s Design Process

After learning more about the client’s needs, we determined that the molds would need to be made of aluminum because of the number of trays that would be formed on the molds. The molds were cast in aluminum and then machined to size because of the tight tolerances required by the client. Drawings of the molds were made and sent to a casting company to be cast and machined. Once we received the molds, the trays were molded and trimmed. 

Our tooling was developed to allow for quick change out of each of the many shapes and sizes. This made for a modular tool with low cost and yet durable metal which will last for years in production. ABS plastic was chosen for these trays to allow for toughness yet rigid and quick forming.

ShapeMaster was chosen because of our creative solutions to design and build a unique liquid-cooled aluminum tool that would allow for modularity, changing from one unique shape to another to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in tooling.  Our creative abilities many times have been the deciding factor for the client who chooses our company.  

Learn how you can get started with ShapeMaster on your next project, by contacting us today.