2.1 Design

For successful design and development of a product all the disciplines involved in the production process need to provide an efficient, effective design, this is particularly true of blow moulding, as the final product is dependent on mould engineering, processing and finishing methods, in addition to the product performance and dependability [1].

The following considerations such as characteristics of materials, processing, assembly and finishing, life cycle and performance of the product all play a part in producing the ultimate product, thus it is important to have a team approach to the product design, engineering and development [2]. A method to facilitate this was developed at Brigham Young University, (UT, USA) with a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) [3] system, illustrated with a wheel (see Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1: Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) wheel
Reproduced with permission from Brigham Young University, UT, USA.

This was further refined by the Computer and Automated Systems Association (CASA) of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and built upon previous work.

The new manufacturing enterprise wheel [3] (Figure 2.2) has the customer requirements as its hub, with, the disciplines and functions in an organisation which are working together toward a common goal, as the spokes and the rim.

Figure 2.2: Manufacturing infrastructure
Reproduced with permission from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, USA.

Although one cannot be an expert in all aspects of the design arena, one can have an understanding of how the system should work. When designing for plastic blow moulded parts, one...