| The design process used for a set of plastic injection molded parts that are assembled into a subassembly is described. The significance of computer aided design (CAD)/computer aided manufacturing (CAM) techniques in reducing the design lead time and increasing the confidence level of the design is determined. The use of standard mechanical engineering design principles and some advanced techniques, such as solid modeling used to expedite the design process, is detailed.; The design concludes in the successful fabrication of three injection molded parts that meet the requirements of the individual parts and are compatible with the assembly and its requirements. Critical process considerations, such as gate location, are reviewed for each part. A comparison is made between the critical requirements of each individual part and actual part specifications. The time required to complete the design cycle is reviewed, and time savings by using CAD/CAM techniques is estimated. |
