Kids · IJreka Speelomgevingen
The coupler held 400 kilos, the screws gave out first
Three couplers for playground equipment, with a requirement of 350 kilos and years outside in the sun.
The challenge
The situation
IJreka from Dalfsen builds playground equipment for public spaces. QDP handled the engineering and production of three couplers that hold the structure together.
Two requirements were decisive. The coupler must support at least 350 kilos, and it will spend years outdoors, so the material must withstand UV. Sunlight affects the molecules in plastic, causing some parts to break more quickly over time.
With playground equipment, that's not a theoretical question, because children climb on it.
What we did
Our approach
- Nylon chosen for injection molding, because of the combination of toughness and resistance to UV.
- The design was first calculated with a strength analysis, so beforehand it was clear where it would fail.
- Then a prototype was made that was strong enough to really be loaded, instead of just looking at a screen.
- IJreka tested the prototype and the first product from the mold themselves, with bags of concrete mix attached until something broke.
What it delivers
The result
400 kilos achieved
Well above the 350 requirement, and the screws gave out before the coupler itself.
The analysis was correct
Both parts broke exactly at the spot identified by the strength analysis.
No later modifications
Testing before the mold was made meant no changes to the mold were needed afterward.
In pictures
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