STOR’EM is a new product to wind and store Christmas lights, small extension cords, and cables now available from Aloft Enterprises Inc. LLC. Cory Strong is the inventor of the STOR’EM product and President of Aloft Enterprises. Strong worked with ProtoCAM’s engineer Ryan Schmidt in the product development process for the spools that are used to hold stored lights and cords.

The product development process started with Strong’s rough sketch and his initial 3D CAD model of the spool. Strong worked with Schmidt to refine the CAD model with a few improvements and design-for-manufacturability suggestions that were incorporated into the product design.

From that CAD drawing, ProtoCAM produced the stereolithography prototypes that were used in the product development process for product testing and demonstrations.

Cory Strong comments:
"ProtoCAM’s Ryan Schmidt provided invaluable assistance in the product development process to help refine the model. ProtoCAM’s service with engineering and production of the prototypes was outstanding."

ProtoCAM has a long history of assisting customers with perfecting their products in the product development stage, providing significant benefits early in the process when it is easier and less expensive to implement changes.

Check out the STOR’EM cord organizer and light winding / storage device and place an order for these products online at http://www.nolightmess.com/.


The Lehigh Valley’s Morning Call featured STOR’EM in a December 11, 2009 story: Local man invents device to wind and store lights. The product was also featured in a TV spot on Lehigh Valley station WFMZ, including a video on Christmas products that demonstrates the STOR’EM product.

Contact ProtoCAM’s engineers for product development assistance and rapid prototyping work.

Labels: CAD, plastics engineering, product development, rapid prototyping, SLA prototype, stereolithography

One question that I get asked on a regular basis is "How large a part can you build?" Rapid prototyping machines have a fixed size, and many of them have a relatively small area where they can build parts (their "build envelope"). Our largest machines, the SLA-7000s, have a build envelope of 20" x 20" x 23", but this doesn't limit the size of the parts we can deliver. By sectioning your CAD model into 20" x 20" chunks, we can build parts of any size.

When we receive a large part for quotation, we cut it into sections in a way that minimizes cost. The typical factors we consider are total height of the platen (if you don't know already, we use height and volume to estimate cost, and we adjust that based on part complexity), number of platens, and number of cuts. We then price it based on the machine's run time and finishing/gluing time, so you get a quote with the information you need to know -- how much it will cost you, and how quickly you can have it.

Once you give us the job, we go back and cut the part again, this time adding lap joints for strength. This step allows us to produce a part that is very strong along its seams, and that can be positioned back together accurately. For parts with complex cutting requirements, this step may be responsible, partly, for any additional lead time (beyond our typical 2-day turnaround) that you were quoted.

After the parts are cut in CAD, they are prepared for build in the 3D LightYear package, a proprietary software package built for stereolithography machines. This step comes up with the set of instructions that the SLA machine uses to build. (Conceptually very similar to the G-code used to run CNC machinery.)

Once finished, the parts are drained, removed from the perforated metal platen, separated from their supports, rinsed of excess resin, and cured in a UV oven. After this step, the lap joints are sanded so the parts can be fit together. Once the fit has been adjusted optimally, the parts are bonded with one or both of the glues that we've settled on using after years of experience. This leaves the seam with excess material and sometimes slight discoloration. The seam is then sanded until it is smooth to the touch. This process is repeated for each piece that needs to be glued together. Often times, our choice of glues leaves the seam stronger than the part.

With this proven process, we can deliver you prototypes of any size, from dashboards to wind tunnel models to tractor seats to chair backs. Large parts require extra care when shipping, but we have great experience doing that, from customers local to us in the Lehigh Valley to those on the other end of the country in California or Washington.

If you have any questions, call (610)261-9010 or leave a comment here on the blog.

Labels: CAD, cutting, large parts, prototypes