LH Panel Assembly
	Brand Owner: Deere and Company Designer: Deere and Company Machinery Manufacturer: na Materials: Sabic Molder: Innovative Injection Technologies Moldmaker: MSI Mold Builders
Company Entering Design - Molder: Innovative Injection Technologies Product Description: The fixed panel uses temperature resistant polycarbonate, eliminating the need for a sheet metal cover close to the engine compartment, maximizing cooling while keeping out chaff and debris. There are four part numbers in this family. Right and left hand panels for two different high horsepower agriculture tractors (6.8 and 9.0 liter engines respectively). The largest panel is 197 cu. in. and all four part numbers come from one mold running in a 3,000 english ton press.
Why is the product innovative? Due to material characteristics we run one cavity at a time, using the same manifold, we flip the manifold and switch from one cavity to the other, eliminating the need for another mold. When switching panels for the larger tractor we switch inserts. The manifold was designed so its throughput replaces the material in every shot.  Its complexity requires 43 heat zones. Cosmetically the part was designed with a new texture to match the painted surfaces adjacent on the tractor. Working closely with both John Deere and i2tech, Wisconsin Engraving developed a specific texture to mimic the appearance of Orange Peel on a painted part.  This was something that has not been achieved before on a textured, plastic molded part. Certain procedures in texturing had to be completely disregarded in order to achieve this look. The biggest obstacle was maintaining a consistent depth on large parts. The total material removal and actual texture depth are so slight that any deviation in the etching process would completely destroy the look, resulting in a tool that would need to be completely polished and retextured. Also, in order to maintain an “orange peel” look, the tooling has to be polished to an SPI-A1 finish after texture. This was done in the texture house to ensure the texture was not polished off in the process.
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