Live-stream Camera

Anton Husby, Director of Camera Development, Veo, pronounces:

"We chose Unika as a close partner in this project due to the high complexity of our production processes. We needed a partner with skilled designers who could take responsibility for both molding and tooling. We avoided the typical blame game between suppliers and instead found a collaboration based on trust and common goals."

"We are not only proud of our product but also of the sustainable approach to production. Through our collaboration with our plastic molding supplier, we have contributed to promoting environmentally friendly solutions, including district heating for the local community."

If you're curious about Veo Cam 3, check out the video!

Veo Cam 3 video

The case

The development from startup to production has taken seven months and includes:

Design refinement of Veo's 3D models, consultation on design, material selection, surface finish, and production optimization.
Construction and manufacturing of injection molds.
Sourcing of molded components.
Commissioning and adjustment of molds after the first parts.
Ongoing production.

Both toolmanufacturing and injection molding have taken place at Unika, contributing to the relatively quick process of improvements that could be made within hours instead of weeks. For Veo, it was crucial to avoid inefficient communication and delays, enabling them to quickly deploy the new generation of the camera to sports facilities worldwide.

Design-wise and technically demanding, the project involved several plastic components, including:

Complex molds with high precision to enable:

2K molding on large surfaces.
2K molding on both sides of the hard mold.
Differentiated thicknesses in 2K molding.
Thread molding.

High requirements for straightness in parts to ensure tightness with 2K molded seals and ease of assembly:

Advanced strength and torsion simulations in collaboration with the customer.
Flow analysis in mold flow.
High number of ejector pins and molds with jaw mechanisms.

Development of new TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) material specifically for the task in collaboration with the material supplier, which:

Provides a premium quality surface feel when handling the camera.
Is scratch-resistant and acts as a seal between parts, ensuring the camera is waterproof and screws do not loosen over time.

Thank you for a great collaboration, Veo, and congratulations on your new camera.

If you're in need of a partner for the development of plastic parts in your next project, feel free to contact us at phone no +4586658744 or mail info@unika.dk

Veo Cam 3

Focus on waste and non-value-adding work processes

Reduction of plastic waste: A tangible action!

As part of our LEAN initiatives, we have intensified our focus on waste and non-value-adding processes. Consequently, a grinder has been installed directly next to the injection molding machines for recycling sprue material. The sprue material is ground and directly suctioned back up to the injection molding machines. This process provides us with the following benefits:

Direct recycling of clean industrial surplus plastic
More floor space in the production area
Reduced time spent handling pallets filled with sprue material for the grinder
Reduced time spent on grinding
Elimination of drying process before recycling
No storage required for the next production run
No consumption of plastic bags for the next production run
Reduced forklift movement

This automation is most feasible for materials without glass fillers to prevent dust and environmental concerns in production. The implementation is done wherever possible in alignment with the customer's desire and requirement to use recycled plastic in their components.

When dots are a conscious choice

It is important to be aware of how the end product can vary when we want to manufacture in bio- or recycled plastic. What is beautiful to the eye is not always achievable and possible in the manufacture of items in bio- or recycled plastic.

We have an obligation to state this so that there are no unattainable wishes as well as false expectations for the visual appearance of an end product when it has been chosen to be made of bio- or recycled plastic.

Designers and customers must be able to assess whether it is the look or whether it is the material that is most important.

If bio or recycled plastic is chosen, the marketing must also show that the type of plastic is a conscious choice, e.g. due to sustainability and green conversion. The finished products can vary when manufactured in bio- or recycled plastic.

Depending on the choice of bioplastic type, the bioplastic can present challenges with shadows and small scratches, as the material can be softer and more delicate.

Recycled plastic can present challenges with dots on the surface, so it is important to make the consumer / end user realize that dots and possibly shadows and small scratches are a chosen property because of the green choice and not a mistake.

Avoid mistakes

Unika will not compromise on our desire to deliver the desired quality and to be an innovative plastics and tools company. We fail if the choice of material is not carefully considered and any challenges are not disclosed before production begins.

Today It is our experience that sustainable material can’t always be used successfully if appearance is the most important thing. In the event of incorrect material selection without explanation, we risk dissatisfied customers, too much incorrect production with consequent higher energy consumption, too much waste and waste, too much grinder, wasted working hours, higher energy consumption both for production and for grinder.

Considerations

If bioplastic is the choise, a return system where it can be remelted should be considered. Bioplastics only degrade themselves in a short time in a controlled environment, ie. in industrial plants where humidity and temperatures are controlled and where the microorganisms are present. Under the right conditions, biodegradable plastics will be converted into water, CO₂ and biomass in about 2 months. If bioplastic is thrown away in nature, it will take many years before it decomposes.

Therefore, if the biodegradable property is to be utilized and create an environmental benefit, the plastic must be collected and sorted before treatment in an industrial plant.

It must not become an end in itself to develop products that, after use, can be thrown away in the name of the environment. The consequence may be that the plastic waste will lie and flow in nature instead of being collected and recycled as a resource. The goal should be to develop products that can be used again and again, for different purposes and make a plan for how the consumer can finally dispose of the product in the most environmentally friendly way.

Responsible consumption and production

The year 2017 started with a plan for how Unika could reduce energy consumption in the production. An employee got the brilliant idea that we could reuse the large amount of surplus heat that disappeared into the air every minute, hour, day and week. At the same time we considered the following energy improvements in the project:

Avoid the halls becoming too hot in relation to the required working temperatures
Achieve better control of the cooling water temperature for molds and injection molding machines
Compliance of the UN's World Goal number 12, Responsible consumption and production
Get rid of oil firing
Deliver surplus heat to Ans CHP plant

The wish was to utilize the surplus heat from the production machines in connection with heating and melting of plastics and at the same time think green conversion.

A collaboration with Solar Cooling was initiated and calculations of the size of the plant and how the utilization could be distributed were prepared.

The idea became reality during 2018.

The green advantage

The surplus heat is passed on to Ans CHP plant and the green advantage is that the excess heat is CO2 neutral for Ans District heating. In addition, production wastage at Unika is reduced because of a better control of the temperature of the cooling water in the manufacturing of molds and in the plastic injection molding itself.

Improvement

A great investment - greener conscience!

A production company is already quite energy-heavy, so to reduce CO2 emissions, we were aware that an investment was needed. The calculations showed that we could achieve

Less waste heat and waste production
Better climate and working environment for employees
A smaller CO2 footprint compared to other plastic injection foundries both abroad and in Denmark

2019 was the first full year of the new plant and supply of surplus heat to the district heating network, and we can present our two first comparison calculation in 2020.

The figures for 2019 - 2022 with the heat pump compared to 2017.

2019 56% savings (vs. 2017)
2020 54% savings (vs. 2017)
2021 61% savings (vs. 2017)
2022 62% savings (vs. 2017)
2023 50% savings (vs. 2017)

(energy consumption per kg of consumed plastic in the injection molding department)

Softtub and Unika

New Danish patent saves 75% of water consumption

The inventor NP Estrup and his wife Trine Johansen, who is also behind STOKKE Flexi Bath, has done it again. This time with the idea of making a bathtub for babies

as soft as mom's belly
so small that it can be stored in a closet
so water-saving that you will be able to see the difference on the water meter.

The result was the new Danish patent, Softtub from Tub Of The World®, which Unika is honored to be choosen to manufacture. That water consumption, is considered in new ideas, is well in line with our own sustainable initiatives in the company.

The vast majority of Unika's productions are industrial and technical productions, but here we had a Case with a truly innovative bathtub for the little ones.

The bathtub gives the consumer the opportunity to choose an economical bath, as it only requires 5 liters of water to cover 80% of the baby's body per wash.

NP Estrup says

‘I contacted Unika because I saw a company that could handle the task, at the same time there was a positive atmosphere throughout the process. I myself live 30 minutes drive from Unika and the idea was to produce locally, and we do to that extent.

I see the collaboration as a long process that has just begun. We have more products on the way, so I look forward to even more collaboration with Unika.

Softtub has just been named the TOP10 product of the year in Germany. We expect a lot from this particular market. A number of midwives have already bought Softtub, as it is the absolute best solution for the newborns. About 700,000 children are born annually in Germany, and we are already entering a good share of this market.

I look forward to being able to send the water-saving bathtub to the whole world in the future and thus show that you can easily save on water without having to compromise on the joy of taking a bath.’

How to make Softtub?

At Unika, Softtub is manufactured in several tools:

One for the legs
One for the non-slip solution
One for the ring
One for the container (the soft part)

The ring is cast 2K, which means that we first cast the ring, and subsequently the soft part of the ring is cast.

Softtub is also packed at Unika and sent directly to distributors in Denmark and most of Europe.

Softtub movie

ReCollector and Unika

More environment in sorting

Tenna Holdorff Christiansen, owner of Recollector, got the good idea that a better system for waste sorting for private homes could be developed. She wanted to develop a nicer, smarter and lighter waste sorting, right at hand, and yet hidden behind a beautiful facade, without compromising on the environment.

With the UN's 17 world goals for sustainability in mind, Tenna Holdorff Christiansen entered into a collaboration with Danish actors who also work according to the principles of sustainability, and the planning and develop of ReCollector began.

The invention is entirely Danish and so is the manufacturer, as Unika Danmark was chosen to be involved in the entire development and manufacturing process of the sorting boxes.

ReCollector is now ready for the Danish and European market and has become a really nice, smart and light waste system, where the environment, style and recycling have been thought throughout.

Tenna Holdorff Christiansen comments on the collaboration with Unika

“Unika Danmark was chosen as the manufacturer of ReCollector due to the company's environmental attitude and similar cases.

Unika is Danish and has shown that they think the same way as I do. Unika's work to recycle surplus heat from production by passing it on to the local community and the willingness to produce in recycled plastic and bioplastic appeals a lot to me. Importent for me is also that the distances are short in terms of sparring, freight, tests and approvals.

We have had a good collaboration, and throughout the process I have become aware of the complexity of manufacturing in sustainable plastic. It has been a long but necessary process to arrive at the right solution - and in colors" ….

Explore the colors here

What does it take?

An ionizer was our solution!

Quite clear from this case is that our production depends a lot on the individual tasks that we get and have to solve for our customers. We produce transparent plastic items for one of our customers and due to high static electricity around the items when they come out of the plastic injection mold, this type of plastic items attracts a lot of dust. Our most important task, next to the quality of the actual molding of these transparent plastic items, is to remove the dust particles without scratching the items before they are individually packed. For this purpose, we have installed a rod ionizer that, using ions +/- magnetism, removes the static electricity with compressed air that blows magnetism over the items so that they become antistatic and the dust particles detach from the item. A good solution for a customer wish for completely dust-free plastic items.

More cases

A customer got his Bugatti running again

We found a solution on a very special task

Unika's Tools Department has completed a very special task for a customer. The customer could not procure an important spare part for his car of the brand Bugatti and had almost given up all hope of getting the Bugatti driving again.

Fortunately, the customer had the old spare part, so that the tool department could use the latest surface scanner to create a 3D geometric model of the specific spare part and from that recreate the desired spare part.

In the tool department, a beautiful new spare part was turned and milled, and measured from the 3D drawing. The spare part was designed exactly like the original, so that the customer could get out and drive in the Bugatti again.

If an important spare part is missing in your fine car or another unique and irreplaceable thing it can be worth paying for.

New machine in the millionclass

High precision, fast manufacturing, perfect surfaces and absolute best quality are what our new investment in the million class can contribute to in the tool manufacturing. It is not only the cutter that is new, all work processes have also been overhauled. The cutter has its own room, which is climate controlled by 20 ° C. The floor has its own foundation, which means that there are no vibrations from outside. Holders and cutters have also been updated.

We have more than halved the tolerances and come all the way down to 2 µ, which is super accurate, so accurate that it actually can not be done better. There are only a few types of high-speed cutters around the world, where tools are manufactured with the same precision as the D200Z, so we are excited about our new investment.

The cutter is used for the production of complex items with a maximum dimension of 300 x 210mm. It works fine in all different types of material. The choice of materials is depending on what the items are to be used for, and the desired durability.

Most milling, threads, clearances and holes are made before a possible hardening. Curing usually takes place when the tool is to be used for e.g. many pieces, reinforced plastic material, or when it is stamps and the like that are to be manufactured.

Rene is responsible for the milling machine and controls and programs the processes based on sketches and drawings. Which holders and cutters to use are an important part of the processes. The manufactured components, pistons or plastic molding tools are checked in the measurement using our Zeiss measuring machines, which have an accuracy less than 1 µ within 700 mm. If there are deviations in relation to the drawings, the workpieces are fine-tuned until all dimensions are "green" on the measuring machine and the tool is as it should be.

Speed, precision and complexity are a significant factor in the manufacture of small tools. The D200Z milling cutter is significantly more accurate compared to the normal processes we use to make the larger tools. This shortens the time from the customer's order to delivery of the finished tool.

Continuous improvement in cooperation with customer

An example of constructive sparring in connection with our 0-error philosophy in mass production.

An example of continuously working with zero errors in mass production.

One of Unika's industrial customer is working with reducing waste and increasing output on a production line with too many snapped el-unit bottoms. Probably by fall and when handling. We worked together to identify and reduce risk sites for the broken el-units bottoms. The AS-IS level was calculated at 0.08% error items in Unika's delivery to the customer. Unika's quality assurance could not discover broken el-unit bottoms when damaged in the box, so we reduced the height of the fall and secured a gentle handling. The customer also minimized falls, slope and handling in connection with the final production of el-units.

The collaboration has shown a 50% reduction in broken el-units bottoms by gentle handling.

AS-IS levels improved from 0.082% to 0.052%.

Win-win Solution

By getting to know this type of error, Unika has also seized the opportunity to remove NVA steps from this VSM. We installed a conveyor belt divider, with reduced drop height from the tape and down in the boxes. The solution also helps our own employees, by placing the counter at the tape, so that when the desired number gently falls in the box, the divider automatically turns to the next box. The frequency of box changes has developed from two to four boxes. Nevertheless, we have been able to improve the flow, by placing the subject counter and accurate check-weight directly by the tape, so that the number of items per box immediately verified and afterwards is send directly out to shipment.

Reuse of excess material

There will often be material waste in connection with plastic injection moulding of small items, as the channels is filled with the plastic material in several cavities and that is inevitably.

This excess material is seperatet from the items and comes out of another line over in a box. We grinder the excess material. It all takes place "In house" at Unika, so we avoid external transport and grinder costs.

To comply with the quality and safety requirements of the precast item, a permitted percentage is exactly specified. The grinded excess material is accurately mixed with new material. By always applying a set percentage, Unika has been able to improve its process stability. Together with documentation of stable accurate dosage, we have also been able to increase the proportion of recycled material in cooperation with the customer - successfully!

Upcycling, Karoline and Unika

Waste gets new life and new value...

At least when we cooperates with Upcycling Scandianvia, one of our very exciting partners.

Together, we have been through the entire process of producing sustainable chairs. Chairs that are made of 100 percent plastic waste and that can be re-used in new production when they no longer can be used as chairs. Upcycling Scandinavia is the right partner for targeted work according to UN World Goals 12 and 17. In addition, they were awarded as “green role model 2019” and again in 2020 at the GEW, Global Entrepaneurship Week.

Minik Helborg from Upcycling Scandinavia, says the following about our collaboration:

“Nature's own balance is based on cooperation and mutual resource sharing. I think it is a fine illustration of how Unika's Green production conditions and in-depth knowledge of production with recycled plastic have created good synergy and helped us to close the circle of our sustainable products in the right way. We are incredibly excited about the floral collaboration with Unika. "

The chairs are mainly sold in Scandinavia, via Lekolar AB, which sells "from plastic waste to ergonomic student chairs".

Verifiable Quality

Frank is specialist in Unika's third measuring machine, a new surface scanner from Zeiss.

Colour mapping is used to compare the scanned subject with a 3D drawing model or an approved Master-subject. The differences between these subjects can be expressed in colour differences on the computer screen. With this method, we can get a very clear picture of which tolerances are met and where we need to have the customer in dialogue about possible adjustments.

If there is not already a drawing on the subject, we can use the data from our new Zeiss surface scanner to reverse engineering.

This means that our designer can make both a drawing and a 3D model of the item based on the measured data. In this way, technical files can be created based on any subject, even if it is just a sawn tree model or made of a model wax. We can also help our customers to document older topics where, for example, drawing material is not available.

All measurements are carried out in a measuring room where the temperature is always stable at 20 degrees, to take both the heat expansion and cold draft coverage of the subjects into account.

Both our own drawings and many of our customers' files are targeted at Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) objectives. GPS is an international standard, which has been under development since 1992 and now consists a lot of standards for drawings and objectives.

The GPS goal also ensures that there is always the same approach to the subject and therefore a consistent result, not depending on where the subject is measured. From the subject function, the constructor specifies with GPS targeting how the topic should be corrected during the manufacturing process and again later at the control survey. The GPS goal provides the basis for a detailed measurement report, which for all the specified goals and the subject function accurately shows whether the tolerances are met and the subject can be approved.

The new surface scanner is a really good addition to our 2 Taktile measuring machines, and with the help of the colour mapping feature, we quickly and accurately get a visual overview of the subject.

Frank has worked as a toolmaker in our tooling department since 1989. He now has the department's measuring machines and has been responsible for measurement, control and calibration since Unika bought their first Zeiss machine in 2010.

Cooperation with Grundfos as far back as the mid-1980s

The cooperation with Grundfos in Bjerringbro is based on mutual trust and knowledge sharing about the details behind the solution of technically difficult production tasks in connection with the manufacture of tools and plastics for technical purposes. We have developed a partnership where we manufacture injection molded parts for technical purposes for the world-renowned pumping company.

In connection with the development of a new high-tech circulation pump, Unika was given the entire tool manufacturing and subsequent production of all the plastic parts in the protective shield for the MAGNA3 series.

Unika has been involved from the very beginning in this MAGNA3 project. Production is constantly being monitored.

All tools are serviced and maintained by Unika. The items are quality checked when they come out of the injection molding machines.

The partnership means that we continuously further develop and improve materials, machines and robots, so that we constantly ensure high quality, cost reduction and delivery security.

Among other things, we run with Vision intelligence (A 3D programmable camera finally integrated at the conveyor belt) in the MAGNA3 production. A robot grabs the pre-cast item and Vision photographs the items, approves or discards, after which the robot automatically delivers the items in relation to approved or discarded.

The story of Grundfos series "MAGNA3"

Grundfos had developed a new high-tech pump that could run in large plants in, for example, housing associations and businesses and that could disseminate data on consumption via smartphones. A real revolution in the market.

The pump was ready and a plastic unit had to be developed to protect MAGNA3 (a shield). The requirements for the manufacturer from Grundfos were:

that there was 100% delivery security
that the product was of top quality;
subcontractor had to be able to take the task immediately.

Unika was the natural choice for supplier of both MAGNA3 tools and plastic items, since since the 80s we have complied with a high delivery security and Danish quality.

Tools

In the collaboration between Grundfos' specialized employees and Unika's experienced toolmakers, 3D programmers and development staff, MAGNA3 became a reality in August 2013. Today, the series consists of many different tools for each item in the shield for the pump.

The close cooperation with Grundfos' quality and development department has resulted in continuous improvements in casting tools since 2013 when product optimisation has been needed.

Documentation

The PAPP documentation is continuously updated and improvements are locked in Grundfo's drawings specifications. Grundfos starts sample certificates (colloquially known as VPC), where history and documentation are gathered in relation to changes on casting tools, raw materials, tolerances and much more.

Everything produced by Unika is documented and validated down to the smallest detail.

Cases

Veo Cam 3 project