Case Studies

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.