Case Studies

Global leader in the Energy Industry

Customer’s Challenge or Goal:

1. Optimize the current workforce (labor repurposing) to support their core competency / strategic product manufacturing.
2. Reappropriate existing floor space (approx. 4,000 sqft.) used for rubber molding operations for their core competency / strategic product manufacturing.
3. Avoid significant capital investments required to support a non-core manufacturing operation.
4. Backlog or deficit of finished goods.

Rahco’s Approach:

1. Capital investment – 2 new dedicated presses.
2. Redesign of production molds to double the output per cycle.

Net Wins:

1. Customer repurposed 6 heads to support their core product line.
2. Customer captures much-needed floor space.
3. Customer avoided approx. $1M in CapX expenditures.
4. Rahco not only delivers the finished good volumes that support daily consumption needs but exceeds demands which supports a bonus win of an inventory.

Narrative:

A major Oil & Gas industry company realized that their ancillary in-house rubber molding operation required new equipment and was taking up valuable floor space as well as much-needed human resources away from their strategic product manufacturing came to the right place, Rahco Rubber. We immediately assessed their goals and invested in their long-term success! We can do the same for you if you’re facing these types of challenges. Let’s talk.

Global Leader in the Transportation Industry

Challenge:

This company is a very large consumer of Chemours Viton (FKM) specifically driven by their customers. Allocation and Force Majeure on this material is wreaking havoc with the potential for them to lose a sizeable amount of business. Convincing their customers to finally accept an FKM replacement was critical.

Goal:

Analyzing a side-by-side comparison of the replacement FKM from GFL and the current material from Chemours, the physical properties were almost identical. Expediting samples to begin testing was crucial.

Rahco’s Approach:

We proactively engaged our material supplier to identify an alternate FKM from another polymer producer. Once we could identify a replacement material, our customer was willing to engage with their customers to see if they would be willing to accept an offset. We were able to get samples produced within 2 weeks and parts were approved 1 week later.

Net Wins:

Two compounds are now approved should there be additional supply chain disruptions. The offset material also saved our customers 9.3% in piece price, and they didn’t lose any business because we were able to react quickly.

Narrative:

We have been supplying this Rail industry leader with Nozzle Gaskets for close to 30 years. Virgin Viton produced by Chemours has always been the requirement as directed by the end-users. This customer was extremely nervous they would lose business because of not being able to supply. The fear of their customers switching to a cut gasket vs a molded gasket would be catastrophic to their bottom line. Rahco was able to bring a solution to the table in a very expeditious manner and it’s back to business as usual.

Food Equipment Industry OEM

Challenge:

Supply chain disruptions, extended lead times from an offshore supplier & formulation concerns given the volatility of the polymer industry market. Goal – Material validation/compliance performance specification testing, rapid proto-typing, and expedited production tooling.

Goal:

Rahco’s Approach: Formulation development based on most available raw materials that will meet a customer’s ASTM D2000 specifications. Facilitate a production-intent proto-type mold that was completed in 4 weeks and a production mold to meet a high-volume EAU that was delivered within 9 weeks.

Net Wins:

Supply chain gap eliminated. Lead times were reduced by 80%. A robust custom formulation that meets required specifications. Confidence that a critical formulation will not be unknowingly changed. Brand integrity maintained.

Narrative:

A leader in the foodservice equipment manufacturing industry experienced production “line down” periods due to an offshore supplier’s ability to provide key assembly components. Moreover, this customer had great concerns about the material used for their component and it being manipulated due to raw material allocations and force majeure challenges. Rahco stepped up and in parallel developed and tested a formulation that met all of its material performance specifications and worked with its tooling sources to compress deliverable dates for a top-quality production mold.

Irrigation & Agricultural Industry OEM

Challenge:

The need for added capacity because of increased customer orders continue to grow. The current part of Rahco molds is 90% of their product line with EPDM and FKM produced using the same tool made 18 years ago. EPDM is approximately 6 times the volume of the FKM part.

Goal:

Bring on a second mold for risk management purposes. Support the growing backlog with customer orders.

Rahco’s Approach:

1. Capital investment – 1 new vertical injection press and 1 new horizontal press.
2. Tool up a multi-cavity injection mold dedicated to producing the EPDM part only utilizing the latest flashless molding technology.
3. Output per cycle 4-5 times greater than the conventional tool made 18 years ago.

Net Wins:

Customers will now be able to better manage their backlog. Rahco incorporated a flashless tool design which eliminated the need to cryogenically de-flash the parts; delivering time and cost savings. The customer now has a dedicated mold for FKM and a new mold for EPDM parts. Rahco not only solved their need for added capacity but additionally saved their customer $30,000.00/year with a reduced piece price.

Narrative:

A large company heavy in the agriculture sector came to Rahco asking how we can increase capacity due to their ever-growing business. After much internal discussion as to the best approach, we were able to successfully offer a proposal that would work for both parties. Rahco once again was able to satisfy another customer and offer savings. It’s what we do. Let us help you too!

Precision Parts Must Perform — And So Should Suppliers: Rahco Responds, Reformulates to Drive Winning Quality

When a critical component within an assembled irrigation spray system wasn’t performing, this global OEM went searching for a real solution and did not want to wait for an answer. Our material science experts and engineers responded quickly — very quickly — with not only a solution but provided the customer with a better understanding around why the part was wearing out prematurely.

Rahco’s ability to quickly reformulate an FKM (Fluoroelastomer Viton®) material to dramatically improve its tensile strength, abrasion and chemical resistance delivered a knock-out blow to the major quality issue our new customer had and should not have tolerated.

The customer shared their experience, stating: “Rahco’s material expertise and problem-solving capabilities are incredible. They gave us more information in the first 20 minutes of their involvement than we received from our other supplier in the past five years — we’ll be sourcing more parts with you.”

Rahco’s Experience Helps Eliminate Customers Internal QC Audits

Rahco’s formulating + manufacturing experience pays BIG dividends on high performance and safety critical Primary-cups. Primary-cups create hydraulic resistance on braking systems for motorcycles, ATV, Snowmobiles. Our new formulation vastly improved chemical and UV performance, our internal compounding ensured match-to-batch consistency + quality, and our No-Waste Flashless molding process eliminated secondary processes and improved finished part quality to a best in class point where the customers internal incoming QC audits were eliminated. Nearly 3 million of Rahco’s primary cups are in service right now (I hope that they’re on your bike!).

Rahco Prevents Recall And Warranty Actions

Customers bring us their biggest challenges. A customer experiencing field failures brought their internal critical gasket for gas caps headaches to Dr. Rahco. We examined the seals, their failure modes and developed new formulation that exceeded performance requirements while meeting economic targets which prevented recall and warranty actions. Our remedy also included moving the patient to a No-Waste Flashless molding process that eliminated secondary processes and improved finished part quality. 10 million parts later, the health of our business partner is very, very strong.

Rahco’s Responsiveness Protects Leading OEM From Lawsuit

20″, 18″. 16″ diameter filter. Overseas is not the answer! Rahco saved the day when a leading OEM tried to offshore the most critical seal in their assembly. Rahco responded immediately and protected the customer from a class action lawsuit, stopping warranty claims in their tracks. Rahco’s chemists formulated a new compound that delivered enhanced stability when in compression and exposed to high chlorine environments.  Rahco’s In-house compounding ensured a consistent durometer, quality and improved static deflection properties and chemical resistance. 900,000 of these large diameter seals are in use today. You will never get that this kind of responsiveness and attention from a company 9,000 miles away.

Rahco Raising Performance Bar So High Customers Can Now Offer Industry Leading Warranty

Raising the performance bar. Rahco supported their customer during a previous supplier’s quality crisis, reformulating a sub-par material to an industry changing material. Critical aeration diaphragms used in municipal water management systems were wearing out way to soon which sent maintenance costs soaring.

Rahco to the rescue – a new & improved formulation was developed within 15 business days.

Rahco’s material and part performs so well that it allowed our customer to offer an industry leading warranty – extending term length by 25%. Next, our VAVE focus facilitated the development of an automated micro-piercing operation that saves this customer over $50,000 annually! How about that!

Rahco Creates An Engineering Triple play with An Odorless, Tasteless And Custom Colors for Condiment Dispensing

Rahco “knocked this one out of the park!” Rahco co-engineered a revolutionary design of a food service industry condiment dispensing valve. Our major league creativity and experience provide to be a winner in delivering a robust component that lasts millions of strokes. Rahco then formulated an NSF approved material that is both odorless & tasteless. To prevent assembly and field service errors, we molded the same part in custom colors. A triple play to clinch the series!

Rahco Creates A Fairy Tale Of Savings

The tale of the Two-Piece Assembly Structural Plumbing Seal & Fastener. What began as an “inherited” hot pot transfer mold from a customer struggling with quality and hurting from costs soon became a Value Added Value Engineering (VAVE) opportunity when Rahco proposed a low waste flashless mold and transfer cold pot production process! Later on, when suffering with concentricity issues of the mating plastic component, Rahco stepped in again and retooled for this plastic component. Rahco then created an automated 2-component assembly cell that saves this customer over a $100,000 on an annual basis! And they lived happily ever after.

Rahco Develops Flashless, Low Waste Rubber Mold Without Secondary Operations

A major OEM came to Rahco with a recurring problem that was jeopardizing their standing with a very important customer. The problem was inconsistent material along with unpredictable delivery and unacceptable part attribute qualities from their previous rubber molder. In order to maintain a required price point, material for a very low volume swell in gasoline was needed that would not use a super-premium polymer.

Rahco developed a compound that not only solved the swell issues in gasoline but additionally was very robust from a molding standpoint. The end result was the development of a flashless and low waste rubber mold that produced parts with zero defects and a bare minimum of residual waste. Parts are produced and packed right at the molding press without secondary flash removal or inspection operations.

This successful project has allowed us to grow with this customer and enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship.