Vacuum forming’s popularity in manufacturing across several sectors begins naturally at the educational level. From introductory models used on safety tables for primary education to sophisticated tools like fully programmable PLC’s for graduate level learning, Formech makes machines with education at heart.
Case in point, students from New York’s Middleburgh High School’s manufacturing class used their Formech 508 DT to design, create and produce a product which mimics the manufacturing process of any modern day company. Read on to see the product these teens conceptualized, crafted and sold to consumers, made using a Formech vacuum former in conjunction with CAD and CNC routers.
Mackenzie Ryan, Director of Marketing for The Seventh Inc. – “Makers of the Fishing Friendzy” outlined their manufacturing process.
o We first developed the name of our company, created a logo and appointed a board of directors and employees for each team.
o We then discussed toy ideas, and we were very interested in designing this game with wooden pieces for a Christmas present.
o We then created a market research survey and began creating a prototype of our product.
o We created and sold 1000 shares of stock in our company and generated over $1000 to purchase consumables for our prototype.
o We researched different wood choices, and different ways to manufacture the kit and the plastic packaging.
o Ten of our students designed deep sea creatures in Auto CAD to be machined on our CNC machine, and 2 fishing poles that are hand made.
o The Director of Research and Design came up with the placement of the fish and a design for the mold for the bottom tray of our product that we made out of medium density fiber board (MDF).
o After molding the blue plastic, and having everything set, we focused on the top cover piece, with a decorative logo, and fun facts about each fish in the kit.
Ryan states that the group is now in the process of manufacturing 100 kits, with a price of $20 per kit. The expected profit for their shareholders will be between 40% and 60% per share. He added, “This class has been a very educational and rewarding experience for all of us. It was something we could not have done without the use of our new Formech Thermoforming Machine.”
See the pics below for a peek into their process and unique product.
It makes us incredibly proud to feature case studies and projects like this one from our customers. If you feel you have a blog-worthy story, fill out the form below and send Formech your info. We’ll showcase all qualifying projects here on our blog! Thanks and good luck!
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