From idea to product: an example

Idea

Due to stricter health legislation, a customer searched for an alternative for the heavy concrete foundation blocks that are used to build the foundation of garden sheds. In close-cooperation with this customer, Lankhorst designed a solution in plastic that weighs only 8 kg instead of the 40 kg concrete alternative.

 
Demands

Together with our customer a list of demands was put together to

ensure an effective design process.

CAD drawing and finite element analysis 

CAD drawings were drawn and calculations using FEM-analysis were made to ensure the product met all its requirements.

Testing phase
During a testing day a foundation was laid out and a garden shed was built with products that were manufactured out of plastic plates.

Feed back

The testing of the prototype was evaluated and some small improvements were made before building the mould.
  

Mould design

After finishing the product design the mould was designed using mould flow analysis as a tool to ensure a problem free production.

Supply end products

After a successful market introduction the patented plastic foundations are now used for over 80% of the garden sheds that are sold by our customer.

Please visit our website of Lankhorst Recycling Products for more information about this custom molded plastic product:

http://www.lankhorst-recycling.com/en/shed-foundations