For years, Midwest Rubber Company has collaborated with customers to develop solutions for a variety of challenges that could be rather complex. Occasionally, we find ourselves working to solve problems that are not as complex, but still have significant consequences. This was certainly the case with a solution we developed for the automotive industry using our proprietary dip coating process.
The problem: Our customer was using railcars to ship vehicles across the country. The vehicles are often stacked five rows high, and are held into place by wheel chocks. Our customer’s challenge arose when workers were carrying the wheel chocks on top of the railcars, in order to drop them into their proper positions around the vehicles. Because of the tight space, and despite the workers’ diligent efforts to avoid it, the chocks were sometimes bumping against the cars, scratching the paint finishes.
Our solution: Our engineers set to work to develop an automotive rubber solution that would fix the customer’s problem as efficiently as possible. The wheel chocks required a coating that was soft but firm, and textured to prevent slipping. We developed an elastomer coating for the main bracket frame that met these requirements and adhered well to the steel beneath. The dip coated wheel chocks did not scratch the cars and could be dropped precisely into position at the wheels. The dip coated wheel chocks did more than keep some pretty paint from being scratched. They also allowed our customer to continue to use railway shipping, a more cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to transport their vehicles across the country.
Are you struggling to find a permanent fix for a longstanding manufacturing challenge? We have had great success in this area and would love to work with you to develop a solution that not only addresses the immediate problem, but carries a positive impact through to other areas of your business!
