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1. Product History |
5. Equipment Specification |
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.