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Specialty Manufacturing, Inc. (SMI) is once again the
Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoforming Division parts competition winner in the “Twin Sheet Product” category.
The award was for an elective medical device tray used on a ultrasound cart, designed by Philips Medical Systems.
The iE33 echocardiography, along with other Philips systems, utilizes the award-winning tray.
The iE33 incorporates intelligent design and intelligent control to combine revolutionary clinical performance and workflow.
Philips design criteria for the tray included structural integrity, durability and enhanced aesthetics.
The Twin Sheet process was chosen as it produces a lightweight, hollow tray that offers superior rigidity.
The application also presented a unique design challenge to overcome cantilevered loads and impact forces.
SMI was able to satisfy the application challenges by incorporating “Pressure Forming” into the Twin Sheet process.
One of pressure forming’s key features is the ability to insert-mold threaded nutserts, rather than installing in a costly secondary operation. This was especially challenging due to close proximity of adjacent walls, restricting material flow, (see
cross cut section detail photo).
Traditionally Twin Sheet components have a visible perimeter pinch-line. SMI created a style-line that eliminated the visible pinch-line and vastly improved the components
aesthetics (see photo). An additional feature was the ability to precisely pressure form the mold in texture from the tool on the entire exterior surface of the tray.
Combining the texture with a Kydex Acrylic/PVC in custom color material avoided paint costs and additional time to market.
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Front Side
Back Side
Back Side and Cross Cut Section
Cross Cut Section Detail
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