PrintEngineers in the medical space are solving complex problems and a company calling itself “innovative” doesn’t matter to them in the slightest. While working on a new project FA last week, the OEM team wanted to test challenging resins for a mold we knew likely wouldn’t work. We surprised them, and even ourselves.
The new resins they wanted to use had a durometer about ¼ of the previous resins. The goal was a better product for their customer, BUT the new resin choice introduced sticking and failure to shear at the gate. Not good. But our DfMM team figured it out instantly because they’re geniuses. Actually, no. That’s not what happened. The real story is quite messy and filled with failure.
Our DfMM Team Failed (and they’re not ashamed)
Our DfMM team failed. Then they picked themselves up, and failed again. They tinkered with the physical mold itself. They adjusted the mold temperature. They adjusted resin temperature. They adjusted moisture and attempted various injection speeds. This went on the full day utilizing a lot of time from multiple teams. Our DfMM team could have called and simply said “Alex, this isn’t going to happen.” But like I said, we’re a stubborn bunch.
Our team has an incredible amount of experience, but that doesn’t mean they have instant solutions for the newest breakthrough tech engineers are imagining. Here’s the truth: No one does. They know the only way to make impossible engineering goals work is to keep at it.
When real innovation happens
Real “innovation” in engineering isn’t a word you slap on your website to make the customer feel good. That’s an insult to great engineers. Innovation, or solving a problem no one else has solved, involves putting your pride on the line, setting a clear goal, face planting over and over, and obsessing over that goal even when you are convinced it’s a lost cost—when failure may be the only option.
You might not be working with a micro molder on your next project. That’s fine. Whatever manufacturer you work with though, make sure they’re willing to admit they don’t have the answers, but stubborn enough to find them for you.