MACRO optimizes agricultural plastic cabinets with SolidWorks Simulation

This case highlights the success of MACRO, a leading large-scale agricultural cabinet manufacturer, in selecting SolidWorks Simulation Premium software to analyze and optimize the design of its agricultural plastic cabinets.

Company Profile

MacroPlastics, Inc. is a top producer of agricultural storage solutions in North America. The company has developed over 70 different models, which are essential tools for fruit growers handling tasks such as picking, transporting, and selling fruits ranging from apples and oranges to grapes and cherries. These plastic bins are made from high-density polyethylene and polypropylene, offering significant advantages over traditional wooden crates. They provide better protection, ensure higher quality fruit delivery, and are washable, reusable, and recyclable, making them an environmentally friendly choice.

Face the Challenge

As all products are made from plastic, the costs continue to rise, and the company operates some of the world’s largest high-pressure injection molding machines. Therefore, optimizing the material design has become a crucial objective. The stackable bins produced by MacroPlastics must be able to withstand heavy loads, and every gram of material saved contributes positively to the company's profitability.

“You might think we’re designing a simple product – just a plastic box,” explains Todd Turner, senior product development engineer. “But when you consider the size and structural requirements of our products, achieving the right balance between strength, weight reduction, and rib complexity shows how advanced our product development process really is.”

Solution

To address these challenges, MacroPlastics opted for SolidWorks Simulation Premium software. The decision was based on its user-friendly interface, seamless integration with SolidWorks CAD software, and comprehensive analysis capabilities. By leveraging SolidWorks’ design and simulation tools, the company significantly reduced development time, from months to weeks, and increased the number of new product launches threefold. Additionally, they achieved a 30% to 60% reduction in capital costs for new products and decreased the overall product weight by 10% to 25%.

“Without finite element analysis (FEA), we wouldn’t be able to develop products at this level of complexity,” says Turner. “I’ve been using SolidWorks since its first release, so choosing a FEA tool that integrates well with it was a natural decision. SolidWorks Simulation is easy to use and fits perfectly into our workflow.”

“With SolidWorks Simulation, I can identify and resolve potential issues during the design phase, ensuring that when we produce the final parts, everything works on the first try. It’s an incredibly powerful tool that has helped us save 30% to 60% in capital costs for new product development.”