Anaheim, Calif. — Ray Products Co. Inc. displayed a business instrumentation drawer front with a deep-draw undercut at the UBM Advanced Manufacturing expo in Anaheim.
A hand grab to open the drawer is fully actuated with a 2.5-inch undercut that required creativity to manufacture.
Ray Products pressure formed two sizes of the 32-inch-long drawer on a machine from Modern Machinery of Beaverton Inc. The widths were 12 inches and 17 inches.
The customer was "originally looking at RIM [reaction injection molding] or structural foam" for the process, but neither could deliver a satisfactory cosmetic surface, Jason Middleton, vice president of sales and development for Ray Products, said.
A billet-machined aluminum temperature-controlled tool with a Mold-Tech texture from Standex International Corp.'s engraving division solved the surface issue.
Actuating slides were used around the perimeter of the tools.
Sekisui Polymer Innovations LLC manufactured the fire-retardant ABS/PVC Kydex T sheet for the job.
Middleton said a yearlong series of discussions preceded award of the business. Ray Products began delivery of the drawer fronts in early 2018.
Ontario, Calif.-based Ray Products employs more than 50 and occupies nearly 50,000 square feet.