Mass Reduction With Value Engineered Composites
In the face of intensifying government regulation and market demands, manufacturers of energy-consuming and energy-producing products are confronting new challenges to reduce mass and improve efficiency - while minimizing impact on the environment.
Part of the answer to light-weighting lies with new advanced materials. For many applications, new composite materials and processes have opened a world of new solutions. At the forefront of this technology is the Molded Fiber Glass Companies.
Composites Are Lighter and Stronger Than Ever Before
Recent innovations in nanoparticles, robust carbon fiber designs, and low specific-gravity materials are paving the way for double-digit mass reduction over existing composite components. But mass reduction goes beyond the material - it also involves reducing component volume and material use, as well as consolidating parts into integrated, lighter-weight units.
360° View of Mass Reduction - Value Development
What has evolved at MFG is a comprehensive and time-proven collaboration process for working with customers to systematically explore and analyze material and process options for meeting structural, aesthetic and delivery demands of each project - in the context of real cost targets. At MFG, we call this Value Development.
- 1. Understand the Project Requirements and Targets
- 2. Analyze the Material, Design and Production Options
- 3. Present the Best Total Value Solution
- 4. Support Project from Design to Delivery
Material, Design and Process Expertise Three unique resources are the foundation of MFG's Value Development process for achieving mass reduction.
MFG Research Upfront collaboration with customer design and engineering teams on materials selection is one aspect of MFG's Value Development process. MFG Research is the largest and best-equipped R&D laboratory among composites manufacturers worldwide. This resource enables MFG to leverage the intrinsic characteristics of composites technology to achieve improvements in performance, appearance, durability, electrical and/or mechanical properties, development time cycle and cost.
MFG Design Center Design for manufacturability (DFM) is a second aspect in Value Development. The dedicated MFG Design Center provides various levels of engineering support as a value-added resource to customers and to the various MFG entities. Projects sometimes begin at this stage with investigation of a customer's existing design. Collaborative design reviews (via online meetings) between MFG and your team optimize composite designs for manufacturability and ease of assembly, quality, cost, and cycle time. MFG can design new parts from your sketches, evolving them into 3D solids that are ready for manufacturing, or forward engineering an existing part.
MFG Manufacturing Centers World-class composites molding and assembly processes is the third aspect in Value Development. As a one-stop Tier 1 supplier, MFG provides the full-range of composites fabrication - from limited runs with high levels of manual work all the way to fully automated molding and assembly. Plants located around the USA and Mexico enable JIT delivery and minimized transportation expense.
We invite you to call and set up an introductory meeting about how MFG can help you reach your mass, performance, and cost targets.
Working with MFG