Everkote Armored Wood
Lawn & Garden Award, 8th Annual IDSA/Plastics News Design Award
Molder: Buckhorn Inc.
Moldmaker: Green Machine Tool, Inc.
Designer: Buckhorn Inc.
OEM: Backyard Products
Description
Buckhorn's armored wood is made from an engineered wood core, totally encapsulated in a polypropylene plastic outer skin. It has UV protection, and combines the strength of wood with the protective properties of plastic. The molding process bonds the plastic to the wood core so that no shifting inside the plastic sleeve occurs. It can be nailed and screwed into, and cut where required, to provide a flexible building material. Exposed surfaces can be capped and sealed, brackets can be attached to hold accessory items like fencing, birdhouses, and structural cross members. Texture can be molded in, and the material can be produced in colors of choice.
Why is this Part Innovative?
Unlike similar products, the armored wood contains a core of engineered wood, which provides the straightness and strength required for use in outdoor structures. It will not ìwiltî in the heat like all-plastic posts, and provides a unique one piece unit because the plastic bonds to the wood core. It is totally encapsulated to provide a waterproof, weatherproof product, and uses the sonic welding technique to seal the plugs that cover the positioning pinholes.
Process
Low Pressure Structural Foam - We needed to push through a large area at low pressure, to keep the wood core material from shifting on the positioning pins in the mold. The need for multiple injection ports, and cost considerations lead us away from expensive high-pressure injection manifolds, and to the flexibility of the low- ressure structural foam method.
Design
Design was done using CAD
Tooling done from tape
Tooling
Aluminum - Eight cavities
The manufacturing process utilizes robotics to present the loaded part fixture to the machine, and to unload the posts from the fixture. It uses a separate robotic system to load the posts onto a trim station that automatically trims the fan gates from the product.
Material
Polypropylene
Good flow properties, ability to operate outdoors in minus 20 to plus 120 degrees F without cracking or splintering, good impact resistance and elongated properties. It needed to incorporate UV protection, and be reasonably priced.
Finishing
N/A
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