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Schilling Engineering
 Stereolithography
gives ERU Elektroinstallation the means to deliver in just eight months functioning
prototypes for design review and testing by its customers.
The Challenge
ERU Elektroinstallation RuNa GmbH, a manufacturer of electrical consumer products,
had less than a year to design, test and ready for production a set of products
consisting
of 27 different parts. ERU’s customer intended to pre-test the product
in accordance
with European electrical and safety standards before building actual production
tooling. The
company also wanted the option of models to making last-minute changes to the
product line
right up to the start of production.
The product set consisted of universal and multi-circuit
switches, two-way control
and illuminated switches with and without child safety features, single and dual
receptacles
with and without side and center ground contact, and a combination of single-switch
receptacles.
The product variations would require 17 multi-sectional molds.
The Results
ERU Elektroinstallation RuNa Gmbll turned to the rapid tooling and prototyping
services of Schilling + Partner Engineering. Using stereolithography (SL), Schilling
designed
and turned around prototypes of the 27 different components in two months. ERU,
in turn, delivered
the prototype to its customer for design review and approval.
Two months after receiving customer approval, ERU and Schilling delivered 50
stereolithography product sets for electrical and safety testing according to
European industry
standards.
While gearing up for production, Schilling, in order to reduce tool-making time,
now used the tested and approved prototypes as master patterns for molding production
tooling.
Calculating the necessary mechanical and thermal properties, Schilling built
tooling constructed
of epoxy resin reinforced with metal powder. This rapid tooling approach allowed
Schilling
to cut toolmaking by 60% and costs by 90%. SL rapid tooling allows ERU to:
- Cut tool-making
costs by 90%
- Dramatically
reduce tool-making time by 60%
- Test and verify
product designs before building production tools
- Use prototypes
to reduce reliance on up-to-date engineering drawings
"Customers
no longer talk to us about design drawings or timelines for their completion.
Instead, we use models to communicate. 'Grasping' an idea is easier when
you can 'touch' it."
-
Dr. Martin Schilling, Schilling + Partner Engineering
The Process
Managers at Schilling + Partner Engineering decided against conventional
steel molds. Steel tooling would be impractical due to the expense and
complexity of the required tooling and time constraints. Schilling
engineers opted
to apply rapid tooling methods with stereolithography prototype parts
as master patterns from which to mold epoxy-based tooling.
Schilling engineers designed the 27 different surface-mounted parts
using Pro/Engineer CAD software. ERU-approved CAD models were then
downloaded to the SLA machine at Schilling. Just two months after placing
its order, the customer was provided SL prototypes of the product set
for design review.
Once approved, pre-production of additional prototypes began. In
two months, the customer received 50 product sets for formal testing
to VDE and KEMA electrical and safety standards. The products were industry
approved before actual production had even begun.
Schilling designers now used the VDE- and KEMA-approved SL prototypes
as master patterns to build production tooling. Designers used
Pro/MOLDESIGN software to calculate mechanical properties and shrinkage
factors, as
well as mold-parting lines, and built production tooling of epoxy resin
reinforced with metal powder from the SL masters.
The rapid tooling method delivered production tooling in 4 weeks
at a cost of DM 16,000 ($11,000 USD) Conventional toolmaking methods
using steel molds would have required 12 weeks at a cost of DM 160,000
($110,000 USD).
Rapid tooling benefited both Schilling and ERU. SL models were
available to verify every aspect of product development, eliminated
the need for engineering drawings, and cut tooling costs by 90% and delivery
times by 60%.
Company Profile
ERU Elektroinstallation RuNa GmbH (ERU), Thuringia, Germany, is
a manufacturer and marketer of electrical and electronic systems
and components. Schilling + Partner, based in Sondershausen, Germany,
provides rapid development services to translate ideas and concepts into
designs. Its services include generating models and prototypes using
stereolithography, designing tools, creating NC data and production of
rapid tools and patterns.
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