Packer Engineering: Engineers with Answers

Industrial Projects

 

Industrial Manufacturing Process Failure

A client who manufactured plastic injection molded components for the automotive industry had observed leakage in components at a rate of 1 per 1,000, from an unknown cause. The client contacted Packer Engineering to determine the cause of the failure, provide an assessment of the design, and develop a long-term solution.

Safety Evaluation of Tractor-Trailer Combinations

A client was considering the purchase of several different tractor units to pull various trailer loads. They contacted Packer Engineering to provide an independent assessment and to evaluate the braking and acceleration capabilities of each combination to ensure safe operation.

Aftermarket Modifications to Manufacturing Equipment

An employee was injured while working on a manufacturing line. The equipment involved was purchased from an engineering design firm. Subsequent to the equipment purchase, the facility incorporated several aftermarket modifications to the original equipment to better suit their individual facility needs. The manufacturer hired Packer Engineering to evaluate the safety of both, the original design and the modified design, and to ultimately determine the cause of the accident.

Smoke Alarm Failures

A smoke alarm manufacturer faced a costly recall because one of its electronic components experienced an unusually high failure rate. Packer Engineering conducted simple innovative tests to find the defect. Correcting the problem and avoiding the recall was straightforward and inexpensive.

Freight Car Undercarriage Testing

A Midwest foundry was at risk for securing a major contract when a prototype freight car undercarriage twice failed regulatory testing. In collaboration with the foundry's designers, Packer Engineering used state-of-the-art computer modeling techniques to successfully redesign the casting. The prototype passed certification and the contract was awarded.

Tumbling Machine Cracking

A tumbling machine used to "stonewash" textiles showed cracks where a rotating shaft connected to a revolving drum. Older machines in the field did not show this problem. Packer engineers found that the cracking problem was isolated and not an inherent flaw in the design or materials. Repairing the specific problem machine, not the costly retrofit of machines in service, was the solution.

Food Processing Machine

Packer Engineering performed a risk assessment on a food processing machine to identify any hazards, warnings and instructions, or safeguards that needed improvement to enhance the safety of operators or those in the area. The project reduced the probability of an injury and the resulting product liability and workers' compensation exposure.