Solutions for Complex Engineering Problems

Solutions for Complex Engineering Problems | Zatkoff

Large Seal Enclosure
100 ft. Press-In-Place with Overlapping Ends

Transportation

A transportation manufacturer was designing a series of new transmissions and turned to Zatkoff for assistance in determining the best sealing solution for its application. Selecting a standard sealing package would have been cost prohibitive, because the transmission cases contained different groove designs, which would have required multiple seals. Furthermore, the customer needed to launch to market quickly. Together with its partner, Parker Hannifin, Zatkoff developed an extruded 100 ft. Press-In-Place seal with overlapping ends that could be cut to any length to fit multiple transmission case grooves. This solution allowed for a one-time, low tooling investment and provided a quicker seal lead time.

Maintenance & Repair Kits
Robotic Kitting Solution

Aerospace

Aviation companies are under constant pressure to provide timely and flawless product delivery to meet the high demands of their industry. Airline technicians at airports around the world frequently use component repair kits to minimize downtime and ensure product accuracy. However, traditional methods for kitting components are prone to errors and inconsistencies, including extra parts, missing parts, and incorrectly sized parts. Together, with our customer, Zatkoff was able to develop an advanced kitting solution that reduced downtime, eliminated quality fines, and improved efficiency.

Large, Heavy Porcelain Products
Multidimensional Laminated Foam

Consumer Durables

A manufacturer of large, heavy porcelain products was experiencing issues with damage during shipment. Their existing solution provided insufficient protection, resulting in broken units, costly warranty claims, and ultimately, unhappy customers. The Zatkoff team provided an innovative solution utilizing unique design features and recyclable materials that provided maximum shock absorption and ISTA 3A Drop Test compliance.

Integrated Gasket Solutions
Speed to Market

Transportation

The term "speed to market" speaks to the amount of time it takes for an organization to launch a product or service and commercialize it. It accounts for the time taken to mature the idea, design, prototype, test, develop, manufacture, and make a new product or service available. In order to support our customers and reduce their lead time with new product launches, Zatkoff acquired a new knife cutter machine and made it available through a new service called Integrated Gasket Solutions.

Printed Circuit Board
Thermal Interface Material GEL 30

Electronics

Zatkoff identified that a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer was using a thermal pad for heat dissipation. The manually-assembled thermal pad was being placed between the IC case and the heat sink components. It was also verified that the current thermal pad was not providing enough thermal conductivity, not allowing for necessary heat conduction out of the PCB system and causing premature failure. Zatkoff solved its customer’s problem by recommending the Parker Chomerics THERM-A-GAP™ GEL 30 and dispensing it through a fully-automated system. This thermal interface material (TIM) is easily dispensable and provides low thermal impedance and high thermal conductivity.

Clutch System
Optimum Oil Seal Design

Power Transmission

Clutch systems transfer power from the engine of a vehicle to its transmission. These systems are sealed by a rubber OD oil seal. A Zatkoff customer experienced a dilemma in which the seal could not be easily installed, due to interference between its rubber OD and the metal housing. The customer decided to apply grease on the OD of the seal in order to facilitate installation, which allowed for the desired process; however, it caused the system to fail due to unwanted oil leakage.

Abrasive Fluid Dispenser
Sealing Solution for Aggressive Media

Process Industries

A customer asked Zatkoff to troubleshoot a problem with their dispensing equipment. The equipment would work for three weeks before the primary pumping seals needed to be replaced, causing production downtime for the end users of this dispensing equipment. The seal’s premature failure was caused by the pumping of an abrasive fluid, described by the customer as “liquid sandpaper”.

Low Volume Over-Molding
Metal Inserted Plastic Component

Automotive Tier

The excitement and fast pace of the EV market is not without its challenges. Lower volumes limit the appeal of some traditional manufacturing methods like plastic injection molding. At a time when weight is of greater concern than ever and complex, over-molded plastic parts offer a solution, tooling and lead times are often prohibitive for prototype, and low-volume components need to support these programs. Zatkoff successfully supported this demand with fast turnaround of both prototype and low volume production of an over-molded plastic component.

Hydraulic Pump
Excluder Seal

Fluid Power

A customer was designing a new hydraulic pump, and turned to Zatkoff for assistance in determining the best sealing solution for its application. After various tests, the original pump design failed and it was back to the drawing board. Through a collaborative effort, a new sealing solution system was elected that passed all tests and is now used as a standard for the company’s new pump models.