RUBBER SOLUTIONS FOR MILITARY GEAR AND EQUIPMENT >
PRODUCT CASE STUDY
MILITARY VEHICLE DOUBLE SHIFT BOOT
CHALLENGE
Our customer needed a very large one-piece shifter boot for their military vehicles. The boot needed to cover two separate levers and allow zero penetration of sand while the vehicles were in operation in the desert.
SOLUTION
Our slush molding process allowed us to develop and produce a large one-piece military vehicle double shift boot that met our customer’s specific requirements. The boot covered two levers and its durable PVC material could withstand extreme elements and keep desert sand from getting into the shifter.
For this project, we created a mold that perfectly covered a military vehicle’s battery cable connection, despite its unique shape. Because of our talented engineers and custom-developed equipment and materials, Midwest Rubber often takes on challenges other manufacturers aren’t capable of handling.
When a client came to us with a rush order and we did not have the necessary tooling available, it didn’t stop us! We used the client’s reference material (a 2D print from the 1980s) to create models for both the part, and the tooling needed to produce it.
Our slush molding process allowed us to develop and produce a large one-piece shifter boot that met our customer’s specific requirements of covering two levers and protecting the shifter from desert sand.
Our research during this project paid off. While developing this part, which was intended to cover sharp areas inside military vehicles, our research revealed that the material we were considering would never withstand the “real life” purpose this product was serving: soldiers used the area it covered as a step to exit the vehicle! Knowing this, we chose a more durable material for the cover that would hold up to being stepped on over time.
WHY MIDWEST RUBBER?
Durability
We can promise that our products perform better and longer than our competition. How? We test each and every design in-house, making sure it can withstand daily wear and tear for years to come. We will also assist in the design process when needed, providing guidance so you receive the best solution possible. Quantifying and testing our solutions ensures that our customers are guaranteed the best results.
