Friday 9 January 09 - 03:00
 

Electro-mechanical engineering

Over-moulding adds protection for small and large volumes

Engineering Solution now offers a bespoke low pressure over-moulding service using hot melt polyamide compounds. This can include strain relief features as well as bushes, boots or grommets, together with full encapsulation for mechanical, electrical, chemical and water resistance.  

Typical examples of products over-moulded by Engineering Solution Ltd
Typical examples of products over-moulded by Engineering Solution Ltd

The service already has approval from major manufacturers including BMW and Mercedes for the production of automotive sensor and connector parts. A wide range of cable assemblies and stand-alone products such as USB connectors for many other industries including audio, commercial and consumer electronics, telecoms, instrumentation and control, marine, power supply and security can also benefit from the over-moulding service.

Engineering Solution will undertake the design and manufacture of moulding tools, together with the supply of prototype samples and small to high volume production runs of finished over-moulded products. High voltage testing of cable assemblies, to customer specifications can also be accommodated, including the incorporation of identification or serial numbers either by overprinting or incorporation into a moulding matrix. The service is designed to increase product reliability, quality and service life for end users, while helping to meet manufacturer’s requirements for enhanced quality, performance and product integrity with reduced costs.

Over-moulding uses low pressure technology, ideal for the gentle, non-invasive encapsulation of surface mount components, providing protection against impact damage and water ingress. Sealing protection up to IP67 can be achieved, together with the elimination of internal vibration problems. Unlike conventional injection moulding, with the high pressures involved, low pressure over-moulding is also suitable for sealing cable gland junctions as it eliminates unwanted cavity ingress by the moulding materials. With production cycle times of 10 – 50 seconds being common, the process is not only technically superior, it is also far more cost effective.

The incorporation of cable strain relief, particularly where constant cable movements are involved, can considerably increase the longevity and integrity of a cable harness assembly. The moulding of in-situ grommets can also save considerable site installation times, while the assembly of separate components can be replaced by encapsulation over-moulding. General MTBF (mean time before failure) values for cable harnesses and associated components can be considerably improved, particularly useful for critical components. The hot melt compounds are available as standard in opaque black and translucent amber. Virtually any other colours can also be made available for orders of sufficient volume.

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Engineering Solution Ltd

Stevens Rowsell is a specialist precision sheet metal engineering company in East Sussex