CGR Products has a history of providing creative solutions to our customer’s most difficult problems.
This was exactly the case with a large truck cab manufacturer that was experiencing issues with squeaks and rattles from their newly designed side mirrors.
The Problem
Our initial meeting with the customer gave us the history of their issues. Their customers had complained about noise coming from the mirror area on the sides of their truck cabs.
After some investigating, it was determined that the squeak and rattle were coming from the metal bracing that connected the mirror and the plastic injection molded encasement. The metal bracing for the mirror was “rubbing” against the plastic due to the two components being “sandwiched” together.
The customer had tried to solve this problem with other suppliers but was struggling to find a supplier that was responsive to their needs or that could provide an adequate solution. Initially, they were reluctant to involve a new supplier, however, our ability to quickly gather a team to visit their facility led them to change their mind.
The Solution
CGR Products assembled a team that included sales, design, and manufacturing associates to visit the customer and listen as they described their dilemma. Our team’s combined experience exceeded 75 years in the fabrication business. The team immediately came up with a suggestion of materials and settled on Rogers PORON® polyurethane material. PORON® polyurethane has excellent compression set resistance and long term performance for cushioning. The CGR Products team made multiple visits over a two month period and sampled 6-10 iterations of the parts in order to determine the ideal shape, thickness, and overall performance of the parts.
Visits were also subsequently made that included the tier injection molder of the plastic encasement. Because the parts would be installed at the tier supplier’s facility, CGR Products worked with the injection molder to determine how these parts could best work on their assembly line. The ultimate solution included numerous cut parts and it was determined that the parts should be supplied as a “kit” on a pad, so operators would have one pad of multiple parts per mirror assembly. In addition, the parts were labeled (the number was cut into the individual part on a waterjet) so that the assembly line workers would know exactly where to place the pads to eliminate the noise. Additional samples were made for the injection molder to help them train their operators.
Backside of the PORON® polyurethane gasket pad with adhesive. Part numbers are scribed into each part for ease of assembly at the tier supplier
Shortly thereafter, the parts were approved and production began, all within three months of the original visit. Since then additional pads and configurations have been created for similar applications.
The efforts of the CGR Products team resulted in a quick solution. For our customer, this redefined how success can be obtained through a quick response with a knowledgeable group of people. The end result has led to a strong business relationship with this customer and many more opportunities for CGR Products.
Partnering with CGR
Our staff are experts at finding creative solutions to manufacturing problems. At CGR, custom solutions are truly our specialty.
Do you have a problem that requires an innovative solution? Contact us today to discuss how we can help.
