They said it was impossible. AXIAM did it.

400mm by 400mm by 90mm cast aluminium heatsink

They said it was impossible. AXIAM did it.

400mm by 400mm by 90mm cast aluminium heatsink

Processes used in this case study

DESIGN:

Process design
Product design
Tool design
Engineering design
Product testing
Jigs & fixtures

MANUFACTURE:

Tool manufacturing

Injection moulding

Reaction & composite moulding

High pressure die-casting
Low pressure die-casting
Shell (cronin) casting
Sand casting
Heat treatment

Sub-supplier management

FINISHING:

Linished
CNC machined
Alodine pre-treatment
Vacuum impregnation
Vibrated
Ball burnished
Shotblasted
Clear anodised
Hard anodised
Wet painted
Powdercoated
Hard coated
Hot foil stamped
Pad printed

Q&A:

Certificate of compliance (CoC)
PPAP, PPEP

SIR - sample inspection report

Continuous evaluation & verification

CP & CPK study
CMM

Verification & testing
Environmental management (RoHS)

ASSEMBLY, PACKING & DISPATCH:

Assembly

Pack & dispatch: NZ

Pack & dispatch: Export

It couldn't be done

Processes used

Coolon LED Lighting extreme heatsink

LED’s are the way of the future for lighting, and when LED experts FLC Microdesign/Coolon were looking for manufacturers to make a housing unit which acted as a cooling heatsink for their innovative high powered LED waterproof flood light system they struck a number of fundamental stumbling blocks.

The first and biggest stumbling block faced was the sheer size of the unit. Heatsinks are notorious to cast due to their extensive surface area and the resulting fluctuations in temperature. At 400mm high by 400mm wide by 90mm deep most die-casters which were approached took one look at the 532 protruding heat-sink pins on the back of the product and said ‘it can’t be done’. Not AXIAM diecasting however.

While others looked at the challenges and said ‘we can’t’ – the AXIAM team looked at the product and said ‘how can we?’

What followed next was a redesign of the entire casting process to make what would otherwise be impossible possible. Within a few days of receiving the inquiry, AXIAM diecasting were able to show FLC Microdesign/Coolon a workable solution where no one else could.

In addition to the casting challenges, this product and the environment in which it must operate also threw in some added curve balls. AXIAM have been able to grasp hold of these and run with them through innovative post processing solutions, from high tolerance CNC machining through to the customer specific coating process and product specific, grouped packaging.

No higher praise can be received than the look on the faces of those diecasters who said it couldn’t be done when they see that it in fact it can – With the right attitude!