Testimonial: “I chose BEC because they have everything in-house, a rarity in this industry I’ve discovered. And since they were local, it meant I could visit the factory and see my product at every critical stage. Reassuring, since my background’s not in manufacturing, but I still felt I had complete control of the project. BEC are first-rate toolmakers, keen problem solvers, making the adjustments needed to ensure the product’s success. Wonderful service.” Doug, Kip-Kit
Project:
Kip-Kit. The innovative alternative to the travel pillow.
Services:
Design for manufacture on all 7 parts, injection mould tool design and manufacture, tooling modifications, soft elastomeric diaphragm material trials and testing, plastic injection moulding
Our Client:
Kip-Kit is the brainchild of Doug Bowman. He came up with this innovative new product to solve the problems associated with travelling.
Our Mission:
Doug approached us after a decade working on the design and development of Kip-Kit. As an avid traveller, he was sick of waking up on long journeys with an aching neck. He came up with an idea, but with no manufacturing or tooling experience, he needed a plastic injection design, moulding and tooling operation he could trust. A UK manufacturing firm to guide him through the new product development process; from design to manufacture.
BEC Solution:
Doug came to us having already spent 10 years developing Kip-Kit, so he had a good idea of what he wanted to make we just needed to ensure his product idea could actually be manufactured using the plastic injection moulding process. Imperative were that it would achieve the quality and comfort levels, integral to the product, but also it needed to achieve a certain price point. Together with him, we worked through the key stages of the new product development process to make sure the critical success factors were met.
Giving complete visibility of the manufacturing process
With our plastic injection design, moulding and tooling experts under one roof in Hampshire, being local to him, Doug was able to visit at regular intervals to review every critical stage of his new product development. Doug retained complete control and visibility of the project from start to finish; discussing designs, signing off CAD amends, material changes and trial outcomes. Drawing on our plastic material knowledge and product engineering expertise helped our client to understand the new product development process.
With a prototype product and CAD drawings provided by the design agency, we set about designing and making the complex injection mould tools required for the 7 part product. Three injection mould tools, incorporating all 7 parts were designed and made to keep the tool cost down.
We did first off tool trials and modified the tools when necessary before testing and re-testing.
Comfort and strength were key to Kip-Kit’s success, so rigorous material trials were critical. Not many materials afford you the softness and uniform precision moulding – only a specific type of plastic offers soft and supportive qualities.
The chosen material, TPE, had to have a silicone feel with guaranteed consistent results through the plastic injection moulding process. Working with material suppliers we ran numerous TPE material trials to get the right finish and feel.
The Challenge:
Once plastic is heated and injection moulded, different plastics behave in different ways, according to their inherent qualities. So, we had to modify the tools at particular times in response to the way the plastic flowed through the cavity and moulds. Flowing into the tool gaps according to the positioning of holes, the number of holes, cavities, vacuums and pressure.
Result: Kip-Kit – the revolutionary alternative to the travel pillow, keeping your head in an upright, safe and comfortable position. Check out Kip-Kit in action: https://youtu.be/ZC2bAmiiCso
3 Tool Manufacture with 7 parts:
Chest plate, hinge parts & hook: Multi-cavity mould tool, semi-auto production – glass filled nylon material – complex multi-cavity tool.
Chin rest: Single cavity mould tool, semi-auto production – glass filled nylon material – a really complex tool.
Diaphragm: Single cavity mould tool, semi-auto production – TPE material.
If you’re looking for injection mould tooling experience, technical know-how, material geeks and new product development gurus get in touch. Simply call 01425 613131 or email. We’re happy to help!
