ROTATIONAL MOLDING

Product
Design
>> BY MICHAEL PALOIAN, INTEGRATED DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.

Photo 1

38 ROTOWORLD® / MAY-JUNE 2014

“Rotational molding part design is often confused
with product design, which is significantly
more complex and broader in terms of design
considerations versus part design or operation.”

Most rotational molders often think that a design, which is ideally a crowded
engineered for the rotational molding process is equally ideal for the city. Orhan’s
end user or market. This perception has encouraged many molders concept was to
to include designers on staff as part of their overall services. In introduce an
some instances the responsibilities of these designers are specifically environmentally
restricted to optimizing incoming designs for the rotational friendly portable
molding process. This limited level of responsibility usually provides car washer to the
everyone with great added value, since the in-house designer Turkish market
contributes his expertise based on his knowledge of the process with similar
while the design has been developed by a designer familiar with conditions. The
the application. This separately managed integration of disciplines product was
usually results in successful products if the parties work together intended to
cooperatively and productively. However, in other situations some minimize the use
molders believe an in-house staff designer is equally qualified to of water, utilize
Photo 2
design an entire product, which is sometimes true but more often environmentally
not. Product designers are very different from process-based part friendly detergents, and run on a rechargeable battery. Orhan
designers. Product designers define the entire product including its retained a local industrial designer who developed a concept of the
appearance, function, performance, cost, safety, and appeal based on new washer, shown in Photo 3. Although this concept described the
the intended market. Instances where captive product designers have overall shape of the car washer based on a few basic components,
been successfully utilized by rotational molders is when molders it represented only 15% of the work required to complete a
have introduced proprietary products. In these situations in-house manufacture a product. The concept was introduced to Integrated
designers have an opportunity to gain an appreciation
of the market, application, and requirements of the
product. Examples include companies who mold
pallets, kayaks, toys, etc. However, if a molder uses in
in-house designer to design an entire product for an
OEM customer, the results may likely not be successful.
This is especially true if the product is complex and
the designer is inexperienced. The remainder of this
article will provide highlights of the design development
a rotationally molded portable car washer, shown
in Photo 1, which was successfully completed after
evaluating numerous critical design considerations.
The portable car washer product was originally
conceived by Orhan Tucaltan, a businessman
involved in the textile industry (dumbo.com.tr),
who approached Celal Beysel, president of Floteks
(www.floteks.com.tr), located in Bursa, Turkey. Orhan
got this idea after one of his trips to South America at
which time he observed a man pushing a small cart
with a water tank strapped to it, shown in Photo 2.
The individual would push the tank up to cars on the
street to wash cars with minimal amounts of water.
The primary two advantages of a portable car wash
cart moving to cars versus cars driving to a centralized
station were limited free real estate and water within Photo 3

www.rotoworldmag.com 39
 events that took place during the development of this concept into a
fully functional product, which is currently being introduced to the
Turkish market today.
An interesting fact about this project is that Floteks is located in
Turkey and Integrated Design Systems is located in Oyster Bay, New
York, USA. Although individuals within each company have met on
prior occasions, the entire design and development was completed
through the Internet without any physical contact. Meetings were
routinely conducted using video conferencing and files screen
sharing. This type of development would be been impossible or
impractical a bit more than 10 years ago. Real time visual and
auditory communication throughout the project assured both
companies continuous comprehensive communication, which is
essential in any project.
After a few general discussions about the product were conducted,
Integrated Design prepared a brief product specification report
outlining the basic product requirements. This is an essential part of
any project and a critical document in the design process. Product
specifications essentially define the product based on the previously
identified design parameters. In this particular project the product
was described based on the visual embodiment illustrated in
Photo 4
the rendition as well as its internal components, manufacturing
process, functional requirements, and overall dimensions. A
Design Systems by Celal who requested the concept be completely summary of these specifications are listed below:
engineered into a complete set of production ready CAD files. The 1. The cart should retain the overall aesthetics illustrated in the
CAD files would be used to machine patterns for rotational molds, original rendering.
provide assembly instructions, and provide a complete bill of 2. The main body and two covers will be rotationally molded for
materials. a total of four major parts.
The concept rendering and CAD files only defined a basic overall 3. The main water tank will be capable of storing 60 liters of
aesthetic look based on a few components. Visual differences clean water.
between a design concept and a final production product are 4. The maximum spare internal volume should be allocated for
minimal as can been seen in the previous images, however there are towel storage.
thousands of details and parameters that separate a concept from
a final design. A much-summarized list of these considerations has
been listed below:
1. Marketing parameters
2. Engineering and performance
3. Ergonomic requirements
4. Manufacturing considerations
5. Maintenance and service
6. Reliability
7. Safety
8. Cost and ease of assembly
9. Material selection
10. Quality and consistency
11. Efficiency and value provided
12. Versatility

Any product could face a high risk of failing in the marketplace

if only one of these considerations are overlooked or poorly
executed. It is therefore extremely important for a designer to
carefully examine all these parameters and provide reliable
solutions within the production design. This case study will
hopefully describe how these considerations were integrated into Photo 5
the design decision making process by describing the series of

40 ROTOWORLD® / MAY-JUNE 2014

 considerations. A few of the most significant parameters will be
described below:

Internal Components and Storage Capacity

The exterior dimensions of the cart were modified to comply with
optimized ergonomic requirements as well as maximum internal
storage capacities and ease of access. Compartmentalizing these
internal volumes required an understanding of the product’s
functional requirements as well as ergonomic considerations
and processing parameters specific to the rotational molding
process. The internal volume was segregated into three major
compartments (see Photo 5) listed below based on the product’s
functional requirements:
• Front compartment for washing towels and retaining dirty water;
• Middle compartment for storing
65 liters of clean water; and
• Rear compartment for dry storage of detergents, dry towels,
nozzle, hose, battery, and pump.

Ergonomic considerations affected the location and types

of drain plugs, compartment depths, and position of detergent
bottles. Extensive knowledge of the rotational molding process and
importance of uniform heat distribution during processing affected
Photo 6 the spacing between walls, depth to width ratios, and draft angles.

5. The towel cleaning tank will include a removable drain plug Stability and Center of Gravity
accessed from the top. Critical examination of the original concept design revealed the
6. The towel cleaning tank will be covered with a removable spread between the pair of wheels toward the front of the cart
vacuum formed disk with drain hole. might pose a stability problem. A computer simulation of the cart
7. The hinges will preferably be molded as an integral of the cover was studied to determine exactly how far the wheels should be
and main body if feasible. separated for optimum stability when the cart was filled with 65
8. All the components will be specified by Unknown. liters of water. After a series of simulations were completed based
9. A compartment for all cleaners will be included in the design. on different possible tip angles, the wheels were separated to the
10. The cart will include the following hardware (see photo 4): appropriate distance apart. This added separation significantly
a. Two fixed casters/wheels and one rotating wheel at the rear; affected the appearance, as well as the moldability of the base, as
b. Water pump; shown in Photo 6. The wheel wells required by the added separation
c. 12V battery; of the wheels were skillfully designed to visually complement
d. Spray handle and 5 meters of 10 mm diameter hose; and the overall product appearance while also satisfying molding
e. Aluminum control panel with graphic overlay – includes requirements. Tooling complications introduced by undercuts
on/off switch/ 4 status LEDS and a 12 V receptacle for or intricate features were intentionally omitted, thus optimizing
recharging the battery. processing and cost of manufacturing.

Integrated Design Systems (IDS) imported the rudimentary Human Factors

CAD files developed by the industrial design firm into SolidWorks Since this product was so actively interacted by a user, human factors
and began remodeling the entire geometry in SolidWorks. The considerations were essential for overall success in the marketplace.
original CAD file was used as a template to generate the new Human factors affected virtually every feature in the product. A
completely parametric CAD files, which would be eventually list of these details is highlighted below, and as shown in Photo 7.
finalized into the completed production design. It is always Detail A shows an undercut handle included as a feature within the
advisable to completely rebuild imported geometry in the native removable middle water trough lid. Detail B shows the placement
CAD program since imported geometry cannot be modified of a brake lock caster specifically located for ease of access by an
parametrically. This limitation restricts one from making critical operator’s foot. Detail C illustrates the underside of a corrosion
design modifications, which are often required during some portion resistant coated steel handle securely mounted to the underside of
of the development process. In this particular product many critical the cart with four heavy duty bolts. Detail D illustrates the strategic
design modifications to the base geometry were necessary, including location of the steel handle relative to the control panel for ease of
the overall dimensions. After the overall geometry was remodeled operator interface. Detail E illustrates the inclusion of magnetic
parametrically, the design detailed based on countless design latches which securely retain the hinged lid in the closed position,

www.rotoworldmag.com 41
Photo 7

while allowing an operator to open the lid without releasing a

latch. Detail F illustrates the location of two detergent bottle
compartments for easy reach and a deep recessed cavity for storing
many clean towels. The hose and nozzle have to be placed toward the
side in a generously open cavity for easy storage and retrieval. Detail
G shows two drain plugs which can easily be accessed from the top
by an operator. The original design located these plugs in a deep
recess under the cart, which would have been impossible to access
without overturning it.

Environmental Considerations
Since these carts were intended for outdoor use, a UV stabilized
grade of polyethylene was specified. Wheel diameters were specified
to easily clear the underside of the cart during rolls over curbs and
small rocks. The center of gravity was located within the boundaries
of the cart wheels even when tilted 15 degrees about any axis. Photo 8
All external hoses running along the underside of the cart were
recessed to prevent damage during transport along rough terrain. the freedom to design parts with molded in features and fits, which
resulted in an attractively functional product that was cost effective.
Ease of Assembly
Numerous simulated assembly studies were performed throughout Mold Design
the development process to optimize the design for manufacturing. An in-depth understanding of mold design provided the design
The exploded view in Photo 8 illustrates the majority of parts and team a critical advantage in integrating functional, aesthetic, and
components within this product. Every mounting point was verified processing parameters into the overall product design. Defining
for ease of accessibility with an appropriate tool by an assembler. parting lines along the external complex surface without introducing
Appropriate clearances were included in every part to assure undercuts was essential to maintaining the general appearance
proper fits during assembly. Some internal walls and partitions without compromising tooling complexity. Although numerous
were designed as thermoformed plastic sheet as opposed to a molded complicated part geometry, tooling complexity was
molded-in feature to optimize the design. Provisions were made minimized because undercuts were eliminated unless absolutely
for wire routing and pathways for water carrying flexible tubes. necessary. Draft was included in all wall surfaces oriented in the
direction of mold separation. Areas that required possible minor
Cost and Capital Investment dimensional adjustments after first article inspection were designed
Product cost and capital investment were well within the estimated metal safe or with extra clearance to allow mold material to be
budget because the number of parts required to build the product removed to attain the desired dimensions without welding.
were minimized and secondary operations were virtually eliminated
since all of the functional features were designed into the molded Processing and Ease of Molding
parts. Adequate clearances were included in all rotationally molded The complex internal compartments within the base were designed
parts based on Floteks’ processing capabilities and quality control based on considerations of heat distribution and material flow.
standards. These clearances were less than half the conventional Concerns of possible surface porosity, partial fills, or thin walls were
+/- .02”/in tolerance specified in ARM standards. This willingness considered before the final compartment sizes and wall separations
to commit to tighter tolerance control provided the design team were finalized. A comprehensive knowledge of the rotational

42 ROTOWORLD® / MAY-JUNE 2014

molding process and close collaboration with Floteks’ experience components were also designed to mount on structurally secure
molding similar complex parts enabled the design team at Integrated surfaces.
Design to finalize the critical design details. Providing uniform heat
over the entire surface of a mold is always a challenge for rotationally Tolerances
molded parts. In addition to uniform heat distribution, parting The many advantages of rotational molding are often offset by
lines are always a challenge. A small bead was added around the the poor tolerance control of this manufacturing process. This
parting line between the top half and lower half of the main body limitation often presents challenges to designers who must design
mold to address this concern. This design feature was included as a parts to fit and function within reasonable expectations. Some of the
compromise to the original design intent to disguise the parting line challenges pertaining to tolerances and design requirements for this
that would be extenuated if it were omitted. product were in the following areas:
• Water tight seal between the top covers and main tank body
Structural Integrity and Overall Strength • Water tight seal between the drain plugs and main tank body
Critical areas requiring extra structural support were engineered to • Attachment between the hinged lid and main tank body
provide exceptional performance. These areas included the lower • Hole locations between components and main tank body
section of the main body which supported the wheel axle, the
handle attachment area, and the area of the hinged lids. Molded-in These challenges were met with creative solutions. The water
hinges were much more reliable, attractive, and cost effective than tight seals between the main tank body and the cover were achieved
the original metal hinges. The molded-in hinges were designed with a simple die cut gasket, shown in Photo 9. This elegantly simple
to withstand abuse as well as wind gusts, which would rip off design provided a seal that was highly compliant, cost effective,
conventional fastened metal hinges. Added structural support was and efficiently retained the lid to the main tank body. Drain plugs
included along the wheel axle, which was constantly subjected were specified in a low durometer rubber to provide a reliable
to impact loads induced during transport and constant stresses drain seal yet be easily removed. The hinged lid was designed as an
resulting from the overall weight of the loaded washer. The added integral part of the main tank body by simply drilling two holes
curved tubular steel handle was specifically designed to be easily on either side, which accepted two pins during assembly to form
manufactured yet structurally secured to the main body. Internal an extremely robust hinge. Hole locations in the main tank were

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www.rotoworldmag.com 43
Photo 9 Photo 11

designed to mate to CNC machined plastic Turkish market in the upcoming weeks.
panels, which could easily be modified if
dimensional deviations in the molded parts Conclusion
were experienced. Good product design results in
successful products if properly leveraged
Performance and Reliability in marketing strategies as well as the
The overall performance and reliability of Photo 10 overall business plan. This case study
the washer exceeded expectations due to hopefully provided you the reader with
the creative integration of design with a a glimpse at a few of the many decisions and
thorough understanding of processing and tool design related to considerations that are required to design a successful product.
the product application. Relatively complex products such as this Good product design requires a balance of maintaining an
car washer cannot be developed as individual parts solely based attractive appearance for product branding, optimum product
on processing or mold design. All products require an integrated performance, highest quality, lowest cost, and safety.
design approach which optimizes the desired product specifications For future product design consider contacting a reputable
with the selected manufacturing processes. The word processes design firm for expert professional results. For more information
was used versus process because most products require more than contact Michael Paloian, Integrated Design Systems, Inc.
one manufacturing process. The car washer will be launched in the (www.idsys.com).

44 ROTOWORLD® / MAY-JUNE 2014