Success Stories
Columbia Plastics has helped its customers find success since 1945. Our longevity and continuous forward thinking gives us a unique ability to anticipate our customer's needs and help make them more profitable.
Listed below are just a few success stories that we are proud to have been a part of:
1952
The Challenge
To reduce water consumption used in sawmills for the process of debarking logs.
Our Solution
A custom formulated material and product capable of withstanding 15,000 psi water pressure.
1969
The Challenge
Dentists needed a suitable material that was not commercially available to create and make custom made mouth guards for sports.
Our Solution
Columbia experimented by mixing a low density polyethylene with additives and finally came up with a mix that could be placed in boiling water for 12 seconds and then be placed in the mouth to be custom formed. We mass produced this material and these mouth guards.
2006
The Challenge
To develop a tray used for Integrated Computer Chip carrying that would require consistent repeated 11,000 blind holes of .022'' diameter.
Our Solution
To ensure dimensional accuracy, Columbia designed a custom go/no-go gauge. Accuracy required on hole spacing and pitch between rows: 0.050" +/- 0.0023" pitch equally spaced. 12.700" +/- 0.010" overall length specs. We understand the impact of quality!
2008
The Challenge
Manufacture and assemble a hermetically sealed housing into which a camera unit is inserted, used for invasive scoping procedures or involved surgical operations. The part was designed for mounting to a fixture using a stainless steel bar installed into the housing, able to support up to 25 lbs. The unit also required installation of tubes for air and fluid delivery connected by standard lure lock fittings.
Our Solution
The part was designed, assembled and glued to create a 100% hermetic seal, each part rigorously pressure tested prior to final packaging in our Class 10,000 clean room. We re-engineered the stainless steel handle bar into a less expensive glass-filled resin, saving the customer $8 a unit.
2009
The Challenge
Design a hermetically sealed insert-molded 9 pin connector with
a custom fit metal RFI shield for a handheld medical device.
Our Solution
We developed a special tool and process to load in the 9 pins onto the lifter and insert-mold into the part, creating a hermetic seal, eliminating costly postmolding assemblies, and the risk of water egress. We then created an elegant
molded in-metal shield for incorporation onto the lifter in the molding stage rather than a complex and costly post-mold application of copper RFI paint.
2009
The Challenge
Reduce costs and lead time on this replacement part for an aircraft turbine engine. Since replacement is a long-term warranty issue, the customer had to bear the cost. The machined part cost $100; the investment casting process cost $45 and the lead time was 20 to 30 weeks which represented an ongoing cost of $800,000 over 8 years.
Our Solution
Metal Injection Molding (MIM) is the ideal process. The material used is Hastelloy X, a Nickel Super Alloy which is commonly used for turbine engines. The MIM cost was $25.00 US; tool cost was $25,000 US and saved the company $425,000 over the same 8 year period.