Gatan products are considered preeminent tools by researchers. “…the view of customers is that they are quite loyal to Gatan. They look at us as a premiere provider of instrumentation for basic research, and I would say the people we are dealing with are really kind of leading edge. Some of these people (researchers) end up on the cover of science or nature publications where they found, for instance, a new way to
construct a polymer, or (made a) life science discovery.
They really look at us as a tool that can enhance their existing electron microscope, and make the performance even higher. (They) look at it from the perspective that it’s very much cutting edge…they expect high end performance from us.”
Jennifer McKie – Vice President, Global Marketing
Gatan, Inc
John Duffy adds, “You know, quality is very important to us. We consider ourselves the Cadillac in the industry. We want a product that functions with the best. We want a product that looks the best.”
Reaction Injection Molding brought to bear aspects of manufacturing the parts that were not sustainable with Cast Urethane and Rubber Molds. Quality, repeatability, and the capacity to accommodate intricate design are foremost with RIM at Exothermic.
When considering the look of the PIPS and PECS parts, there is an elegance in the design – the sweep as one moves from front to rear, the slight bevel that leads to the touch screen, the stack at the top with slender recesses that travel along the side. The part was designed in such a way that cosmetics would not be compromised by a robust system of fasteners.
There’s just enough in the design to make it elegant without making it overthought or over designed. “It’s more of a form and function type of piece with clean aesthetics,” adds Jennifer McKie.
Maintaining the repeatability of a design, whether simple or highly complex, is easily achievable with reaction injection molding. Cast urethane falls short in accommodation. John notes that the rubber mold process has an inherent recurrence deficiency beyond the cost issues: “…as they mold with a silicon mold, each time a part (is removed) the mold degrades, so there is a difference between part number one and part number twenty-four. Where part number twenty-four (does not maintain) quite the same tolerances, and look and feel, as part number one. So, yes that is a big problem with soft molding. The RIM parts are right on all of the time.”
Beyond the recurrence is the strength factor. RIM parts are typically stronger and more accurate. Resistance to temperature variation and maintaining structural integrity are both inherent advantages with the process.
Dr. Steve Coyle, Engineering Manager, Specimen Preparation Group at Gatan, shares his experience: “I think the bigger problem we actually were having was temperature related. These (housings) were being made in Phoenix and shipped to us, and when it was hot, they would just warp horribly. In my mind that was the biggest reason we had to get away from (cast) urethane, it’s just that it wouldn’t hold its shape.”
John Duffy notes that there was additional cost in transport as well, “We actually had to come up with special packaging…to hold them rigid, because if there was any space in that packaging, they would slump, and spread out…it didn’t quite work as well as hoped.”
Dr. Coyle adds, “I still have one in my lab somewhere, that more or less melted (in transport) …it’s actually pretty humorous.”
The aluminum molds created at Exothermic Molding accommodate variable wall thicknesses, yield strong and accurate parts, and enjoy life cycles that well exceed rubber molds. The life cycle of an aluminum mold could last thousands of cycles and well beyond ten years as compared to silicon rubber molds that typically last for 25 cycles. Using rubber molds for long-term production is very expensive compared to RIM Molding. Machined aluminum RIM molds simply don’t wear out and end up saving in the long run.
Aluminum RIM molds are also flexible for part adjustments. Mold changes to part configuration is easy to do. Making a financial commitment to a mold, then having a part change and discarding the existing mold for a new one, is a concern that is alleviated for both the designer and OEM. Given the multiple benefits: the life of aluminum molds versus rubber molds, the design flexibility of RIM (accommodating complex geometry), high repeatability, strength, accuracy, superior quality, John Duffy was asked if Gatan would ever go back to Cast Urethane: “…absolutely not… (and) we’re saving a ton of money using RIM.”
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[i] TELCO interview: Exothermic Molding, Kenilworth, New Jersey and Gatan, Inc., Pleasanton, California. Friday, October 23, 2015 10:00 AM11:00 AM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). Gatan, Inc., Steve Coyle: Engineering Manager, R&D, John Duffy Materials Manager SP&H, Supply Chain, Thijs Hosman: Project Manager, Specimen Prep, Jennifer McKie: Vice President, Global Marketing, and Scott Shiring:
Manufacturing/Process Engineer Mechanical. Interview by Joseph R. Passarella, Exothermic Molding, Inc.
[ii] Photos courtesy of Gatan, Inc. website, resources, media library. www.gatan.com
