Product category:
Design and Development Consultancy
News Release from: Creative Plastics and Design | Subject: Plastics design
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 11 January 2005
Switch to plastics cuts costs and weight
Creative Plastics and Design converted a deck pan commonly used in refrigerated and frozen food and beverage cases from stainless steel to plastic and cut manufacturing costs by 67% and weight by 30%.
Plastics product design and development firm Creative Plastics and Design converted a heavy, high-maintenance deck pan commonly used in refrigerated and frozen food and beverage cases from stainless steel to plastic and cut manufacturing costs by 67% and weight by 30% Designed and developed for Hill Phoenix, Colonial Heights, Virginia, the refrigeration company that built the world's first display case for Clarence Birdseye in 1929, the new, plastic deck pan (patent pending) provides a durable, self-supporting, insulated barrier that separates and protects perishable foods from the coils and piping inside while upgrading food safety, extending shelf life and reducing the need for pan cleaning and maintenance at the retail and commercial level
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 12 Jan 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Plastic mesh organises and protects
A novel plastic mesh netting can be used to corral, organise and protect wire, fibre, cable, piping, tubing, hose and other products.
Telescopic probe aids in-flight refuelling
Having worked with Flight Refuelling for the last four years, Pershore based Accura Geneva has seen the relationship develop into one that is today an example of a true partnership between companies.
Subcontract honing service shows its experience
Apperley Honing's specialist subcontract honing division has seen an 18% increase in sales over the past 12 months.
To withstand punishing conditions at both ambient and chilled temperatures, the CPD deck pan features a unique pattern of supporting ridges and channels on both sides, a concept that added the rigidity needed to meet tough static, side, axial, torsional load and impact strength requirements.
Blow moulded from polyethylene (HDPE), the robust deck pan easily handled a 13.6kg case of beer dropped onto the pan from 0.9m high, five times - with minimal deflection at cool test temperatures of 13C.
To prevent the cold foods and drinks from melting and refreezing during automatic self-defrost cycles that heat the system to 43C, CPD developed an ingenious way to trap air inside the raised supporting ridges during moulding.
A natural approach, the CPD design delivered an R-3 insulation factor, rare for an all-plastic part and high enough to work without any foam backing or covering.
In addition, the CPD deck pan accelerated production time from three hours per steel pan to less than two minutes per plastic pan while eliminating the need for secondary operations.
"Mario and Frank (CPD principals Mario Verdi and Frank Garza) came up with one innovation after another", says Greg Weddle, Director of Materials at Hill Phoenix.
"They are the ideal product design and development partner".
• Creative Plastics and Design: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
