On land and on sea, in the air and in space — plastics are taking over the transportation industry!

We take a look at the development process of one of our most innovative plastic products, the TuffMate2000 Trailer, and discuss some of the benefits of using polyethylene on the road.

The Product Brief

The TuffMate2000 was a revolutionary product from the very beginning. Designed in collaboration with the team at Trailers 2000, the brief was to construct a poly trailer that provided all the benefits of a steel trailer, plus more!

It had to be attractive, rust-resistant, and strong enough to carry a heavy load without buckling. The mounting system also had to allow for a growing and shrinking process because plastic tends to fluctuate in size. Particularly, if it’s left out in the sun for too long.

An early prototype of the Trailer in our workshop.

Testing the double-skinned walls for strength.

A new vision for transportation

Before the introduction of plastic trailers, most trailers were manufactured from steel. This was a major problem for two reasons:

1. Steel trailers rust and corrode
2. Heavy trailers are not economical or safe to tow

For many years, people have worried about leaving their trailers outside in the rain, salt air, and harsh Australian sun for fear of holes, rust spots, and corroded parts. There’s nothing worse than running outside in a wild storm to put a tarp on your trailer because you’re worried about corrosion, am I right?

Discussing the benefits of the Trailer with our friends.

Working on the trailer body in our workshop.

Plastic so tough you can smash it with a hammer

The first issue we hoped to resolve by designing a trailer with rotationally moulded plastic was strengthening the structure. We used high impact resistant, UV stabilised plastic that won’t rust, dent, or fade. At first, we went with a single-skin design, but it started to buckle when exposed to heat. So, we incorporated a double-skinned design that’s so strong you can strike it with a sledgehammer and see almost no effect.

Don’t believe me? Just check out this video!

A longer lifespan with no repairs needed

The Tuffmate2000 was designed to outlast every other trailer on the market. You can leave it in your backyard all year round and not have to worry about keeping it out of the rain or the salt air.

We used plastic that is impervious to almost every chemical, so you won’t need to be concerned about cleaning materials or maintenance. And, we’re proud to say that all of our plastic products are 100% recyclable and eco-friendly!

 Are you interested in designing custom rotationally moulded products? Call us on 1800 666 333, or send us an online enquiry today to find out how we can help you!

As the advantages of rotational moulding become more widely known, more product designers and developers are jumping at the chance to boost safety, efficiency, and productivity in the mining industry. One such product that we designed is the Ludowici Safety Guard.

Used by mining companies all over the world, this bright yellow shield helps to keep mining workers out of harm’s way. The guard operates in a harsh environment and is fixed to a machine that continuously and violently vibrates at a high frequency. Our job? To design a product that is virtually indestructible.

The product brief

The Ludowici Safety Guard needed to be the ‘Iron Man’ of all products — strong, yet light enough to be carried by one person, unshakeable in structure, and able to withstand all sorts of shaking, trembling, and powerful vibrational movements.

The guard functions as a protective cover over a series of large rotating masses that need regular maintenance, so it also needed to be manufactured in two halves that could join together with precision and accuracy using a ‘tongue-in-groove’ arrangement.

An innovative solution to a dangerous problem

Before the introduction of plastic safety guards, the mining industry exclusively used heavy fabricated steel guards that often required up to four people to safely remove. They were expensive to manufacture and vulnerable to rust and corrosion.

The first issue we hoped to resolve by designing a rotationally moulded safety guard was the weight. We reduced the need for additional components by including as many as possible within the moulding itself. For example, we ditched the old screw on handles, which were heavy and rattled whenever the guard was in use, and designed new handles that were incorporated in the primary mould.

Product development and testing

Prototyping and testing were a crucial part of the Ludowici manufacturing process because we needed to be sure that our design would hold up under pressure and work as it was supposed to. We rigorously tested the safety guard against numerous performance criteria and refined our design to meet the high-stress requirements of the mining industry. As we had hoped, it passed with flying colours!

With smart design and a substantial weight reduction compared to the original steel guards, the Ludowici was hailed a success. Today, it demonstrates the true value of rotational moulding and proves that good design can transform any average product into something amazing!

Are you interested in designing rotational moulded plastic products? Looking for rural vehicle accessories, water tanks, or agricultural products? Call us on 1800 666 333, or send us an online enquiry today to find out how we can help you!

In this article, we take a look at the development process of the Baffle Bone, and walk you through some of the benefits of using custom-designed poly products in the transportation industry.

An innovative solution to a practical problem

As any good tank driver will know, liquid surge control is essential for road safety. However, after many years of trial and error, we have discovered that the traditional methods of liquid surge control (e.g. built-in baffles and baffle balls) have several fundamental problems:

1. Built-in Baffles are weak
We have found that tanks with built-in baffles are structurally less sound. This is because built-in baffles are typically welded in place and can cause a weak point in your tank. Over a period of time, these weak points will break down or fail and you’ll need to replace your entire tank (often at a considerable price).

2. Baffle Balls take too long to assemble
Baffle Balls are also not that effective because they have a tendency to unclip when the tank is filled too quickly. Their flat pack design also means that they take a long time to assemble and prepare.

So how do you control your liquid surges without causing a weak point in your tank? And what’s the best way to optimise your time more efficiently and stop spending hours upon hours assembling balls?

Baffle Bones to the rescue!

It took us some time and hours of prototyping, experimenting, and testing, but we believe we have come up with an innovative solution that actually works. Baffle Bones don’t require any extra assembly time, they are cost-effective to replace, and they offer strength and durability with no risk of weight-related collapse.

The development process

To ensure that our Baffle Bone design solved the fundamental problems that many tank drivers face on a day-to-day basis, we put them through rigorous testing. The custom-design and development process for the Baffle Bones looked a little something like this:

1. Concept design and world-class engineering
2. Complete product design with product specifications
3. High-quality mould manufacturing in our modern facilities
4. Comprehensive testing, verifying, prototyping, and regulation approvals
5. Tool making
6. High capacity manufacturing
7. Successful delivery

The advantages of using plastic in the transportation industry

Polyethylene is ideal for products in the transportation industry because it weighs next to nothing. This means that products, like our Baffle Bones, are substantially lighter than other liquid stabilisation products on the market today, and require significantly less energy, fuel, and manpower to move, install, and transport.

Our Baffle Bones also offer many other design advantages. For example, because the products are made from one piece of plastic, instead of welding or bolting together various pieces of metal, they are exceptionally strong. They have greater durability and will not fall apart due to weak joints or a heavy load.

Our food-grade safe, BPA-free plastic is also rust and corrosion resistant, which means that your transportation products will have a longer lifespan and you’ll spend less money and time on product repairs. Bonus!

 

Are you interested in creating a custom-designed poly product? Looking for a transportation product with great advantages? Call us on 1800 666 333, or send us an online enquiry today!a