Metal Stamping & Steel Stamping Company

Case History

1. Product History
2. Product and Market Needs Defined
3. The Concept
4. Execution

5. Equipment Specification
6. Functional Improvement of Design
7. Cost-Savings and Productivity Gains
8. Conclusion

Since 1971, volumes on this cylinder have been consistent and substantial, and a long-term business relationship has been built, based on this and other sizes of pressure cylinders. However, in recent years, a number of issues were identified by the customer’s marketing department:

  • The seams between the top and bottom halves, and the foot stand, allowed a crevice for rust to form, shortening the life of the product.
  • The foot stand was of a lighter gauge steel which dented easily when dropped, compromising the stability of the cylinder.
  • The cavity between the foot stand and the bottom of the pressure cylinder could trap water, causing hidden rust problems and failure of the product.
  • The D.O.T. certification that the cylinder was originally designed for did not require as high a pressure rating as other certifications. Fire extinguisher testers and refillers had to have an additional license in order to service these cylinders, as opposed to cylinders, which were designed to a higher performance standard. This limited the appeal of the product and caused marketing problems.

The customer’s marketing needs included:

  • Upgrading the pressure rating to meet the requirements of Underwriter’s Laboratories.
  • Keeping the cylinder the same size as the existing product, so that existing hardware or installations would not have to be redesigned.
  • Maintaining the existing selling price.

The customer brought these needs to Larson Tool early in 1997 and asked for help in redesigning the existing product.

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