We treat every customer like a big fish.
At Duke Marine, you’ll talk directly to the people who make things happen.
Our team thrives on interesting projects, especially those that involve improving enjoyment and use of marine products.
The following case studies show how we will work for and with you to develop and manufacture a better solution.
Customize Test Capabilities
This project involved designing and building custom pressure and leak testing fixtures. The specialized fixtures combined with several different pressure and leak test protocols were critical for ensuring product quality, safety, and performance.
A machined assembly featured finished dimensions of 6.0" in length x 6.0" in width x 7.5" in height. To manufacture the assembly, primary operations consisted of CNC turning and milling of PVC plastic materials. PVC is durable and lightweight plastic. Machining plastic can be challenging because of its softness relative to metals. Through smart tool choices and careful control of feed rates and cutting speeds, our technicians were able to uphold very close tolerances of ±.001". Once we completed the machining of all of the components and evaluated them for dimensional accuracy, our assembly technicians took charge and put the housing together in its final form.
In the meantime, our quality team developed a custom test fixture for us to use in conjunction with our leak and pressure testing equipment. We carried out a series of tests to ensure the filter housing was free of any defects or flaws that could potentially affect the overall integrity of the product and lead to an in-field failure.
From start to finish, we completed this project in eight weeks. At the peak of production we manufactured over 1,200 units per year.
Develop New and Unique Approaches
Our client needed a new strategy to change the way their part was produced. The previous manufacturer used tube fabrication combined with thread cutting to produce a part. Our strategy involved single setup screw machining with thread rolling incorporated right into the process, which ultimately resulted in a faster production rate, higher quality part, and measurable cost savings for the customer.An efficient manufacturing process was essential for assuring accurate, cost-effective production and on-time delivery of quality parts at the rate of 90,000 units on an annual basis.
Screw machining is one of our core strengths, and our six-spindle Acme screw machine equipped with a high-pressure coolant system allowed us to achieve exceptionally fast cutting speeds and error-free machining. Replacing the cut threads with rolled threads also offered advantages. The rolled threads produced right on the screw machine were smoother, stronger, and more accurate than the cut threads on the previous product.
Our intelligently engineered screw machining process, combined with continuous monitoring and quality control, allowed us to uphold ±0.007" tolerances. Additional operations included zinc plating as a final finish to improve the corrosion resistance.
Overall, we produced an extremely high rate of conforming product. In fact, our error rate was 0 PPM, which earned us a Quality Award from the customer. We continue to manufacture this part in high volume, and provide a Kanban stocking program to ensure immediate, just-in-time delivery to support their Lean manufacturing program.
Solve Quality & Delivery Issues
By engineering a productive and stable manufacturing method, we solved a customer's quality and delivery issues.
This case was for an aircraft manufacturer. The brake system of an aircraft is under massive strain during the braking process, so the pistons have to meet very high-quality requirements. Our customer’s part geometry included several difficult features, including thin walled sections and complicated profiles inside the bores. Our manufacturing engineers determined that we could effectively machine this part from a single setup using our 4-axis turning center equipped with live tooling. This allowed us to achieve improved productivity with a high degree of process control.The material of construction was 17-4 hardened stainless steel, which possesses a valuable combination of high strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance.
We engineered an intelligent combination of cutting tools and operating parameters to machine the workpiece at exceptionally efficient material removal rates. Special holding jaws allowed us to protect the parts OD surface and maintain a 32 RA finish. Quality assurance involved 100% attribute inspection to ensure the parts were machined with repeatable accuracy. Once completed, the parts measured 3.0" x 1.5" in size. The reliability and stability of our process allowed us to uphold very close ±.0005" tolerances.
Additional operations involved passivation to provide a uniform, smooth finish with improved corrosion resistance. At peak production we manufactured these brake pistons at the rate of 2,500 parts per year.