Davies
Molding joins other US manufacturers in celebrating National Manufacturers’ Day
on October 4, 2013. It's our chance to highlight the
importance of manufacturing to the American economy and draw attention to the
many rewarding high-skill jobs to be found in manufacturing. Davies Molding is hosting a Facility
Tour on Friday, October 4 as part of the National Manufacturing Day celebration.
We are inviting students from local schools to participate and learn about real
career opportunities in manufacturing. Facility tours will be scheduled 9:30
-10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. on October 4, and will consist of 5-10
students per group. Participants will
tour the facility, meet with members of our management team to answer
questions, and enjoy refreshments.
Call Janice
Davis at 630-614-7870 to schedule your group or register online at
www.mfgday.org
Thank you in
advance for your interest in our Manufacturing Day event!
With over 400
standard parts and 6000 variations you are probably wondering which ones are
the most popular. To commemorate our 80th year of molding standard and custom plastic
parts, here is a list of our 80 most popular plastic knobs throughout the years.
The list of our 80 most popular plastic knobs. To download free CADs of these parts, click here.
What keeps a
plastic knob company in business for over 80 years? Here are eight commitments that have made Davies
Molding the number one plastic knob supplier for over 8 decades:
Click here to read the interview with Davies
Molding’s President, Derran Smith.
Need help finding the right mounting for your plastic knob?
Search by specification within our 15
main categories of plastic knobs, from clamping knobs to ball knobs.
Ever wish life could be just a little gentler? We do, too. So we developed Soft-Touch & Two-Shot Plastic knobs, handles and custom components. They're molded with a soft thermoplastic overmolded top with a tough thermoplastic substrate. It's the best of both worlds. Tough but gentle; offering a non-slip comfortable grip that is durable and resistant to scratches at the same time. Satisfy your creative urges and pick the sizes, styles and colors that work best for you. Logo printing and custom finishes are available, too.
Why does this matter? Differences in touch and color make identification simpler. Lobed clamping knobs molded with an engineered thermoplastic elastomer and rugged inner core are unique, durable and ergonomic, impacting safety, comfort and performance. And let's not forget style. Glass-reinforced nylon and plastic elastomer two-shot handles not only feel great and last, they look terrific, too. No wonder they're our most popular two-shot handles.
Visit Davies Molding to download our catalog and view technical details. 350 Kehoe Blvd, Carol Stream, IL 60188 Call us toll free: 800-554-9208 info@daviesmolding.com ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED
The customer will send in a design with specifications or a general design idea. Davies will then review all information and decide on the most economical way to meet the design requirements. I will then generate a 3-D model and subsequently a 2-D drawing that will meet the design requirements and also adhere to molding practices and standards. This design is reviewed with the customer for approval.
What type of programs do you use?
We use SolidWorks, which is a feature-based solid modeling program. We can generate 3-D models and 2-D drawings of part designs and tooling. We also are able to generate 3-D models for direct input into CNC machinery for tool design and models for SLA/stereo lithography proto types.
We also use AutoCAD for generating 2-D drawings.
What is the biggest challenge of creating CADs of plastic knobs and handles?
When reverse engineering a part, getting the design/finished model to look exactly like the original part. Some of the older parts that customers supply to Davies Molding to design for them are from old hand-built molds, before they even had CAD. The part & mold designs were created with hand drawings, therefore, it is sometimes challenging to match some of the curvature of the design. The end result though is always a functional, ergonomically sound, and seamless design.
What was your favorite CAD project?
In general, my favorite projects would have to be when customers send in old compression molded parts and want Davies to redesign & manufacture them. Also any design project that progresses beyond the design, where a mold is built, and parts are manufactured. I also thoroughly enjoy designing Davies proprietary 2-shot design products. The reward for the designer is actually seeing the molded product and knowing the customer loves what we’ve done for them.
To list a few:
Luger magazine end cap - This was a redesign of an old compression molded end cap that fit into the end of a magazine for a German Luger pistol. There were many tweaks along the way to get the part to look exactly like the original, but when the project was finally complete, you could not tell the difference between the Davies redesign and the original.
Fan knob – Another old compression part redesign for Vintage Fans. It was a switch control knob for a ceiling fan. The redesign was very challenging, but very rewarding. The end product looked great and the customer loved it.
Water tank – A food equipment manufacturer wanted us to redesign a water tank that was made from sheet metal into a plastic one. This was an extensive design process but resulted in a great functional product that the customer loved. The best part was the money we saved the customer in converting a sheet metal part to plastics.
How is CAD used effectively in Davies’ manufacturing process?
CAD is most effective in manufacturing because of its ability to make quick changes to models/drawings. Models and drawings are associative, so changes to designs are quick and easy. Most importantly, this allows the manufacturing process to flow smoothly without potentially costly interruptions.
Go beyond the typical university sweatshirt and show your pride by choosing a control knob that features your school colors.Are you an Ohio State or Notre Dame grad? We've got colors for you! With Notre Dame heading to Florida to play in the BCS title game on Jan. 7, we think we'll be molding a lot of blue and gold knobs for those engineering fans!
Davies' two-shot and soft touch knobs, handles, and custom plastic components are molded with a soft thermoplastic overmolded "rubber" top with a tough thermoplastic substrate and are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and color combinations to make your products stand out!
To find out more about Davies' two shot soft touch products or about any of our standard products visit www.daviesmolding.com or check us out at .
