Action Cameras & Gimbals

Action Cameras & Gimbals Elastollan 1195A Standard Injection Molding with Sumitomo SE-EV-A 220T

The Engineering Mandate: Uncompromising Reliability in Extreme Environments

For design and manufacturing engineers working in the Action Cameras & Gimbals sector, the brief is as simple as it is brutal: create a product that can survive anything. Your customers are not gentle. They are athletes, adventurers, and documentarians pushing the limits of both human endurance and their equipment. The device you help create will be dropped from height, submerged in saltwater, caked in desert dust, and vibrated relentlessly on a motorcycle handlebar. Failure is not an option, and the first line of defense against this onslaught of environmental abuse is the device's housing and, critically, its sealing components. This is where the material science and manufacturing process precision become paramount. A microscopic flaw in a seal, invisible to the naked eye, can lead to a catastrophic, brand-damaging field failure.

This is the exact challenge we address with a highly specialized manufacturing cell at MechanoFab. We combine the exceptional properties of BASF Elastollan 1195A, a high-performance thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), with the surgical precision of Standard Injection Molding on a state-of-the-art Sumitomo SE-EV-A 220T all-electric press. This isn't just a random combination of "good" components; it's a holistically engineered system designed to solve the specific, notorious challenges of molding robust, flexible, and perfectly formed seals and overmolded components. The core problem we solve is taming a notoriously difficult material. Elastollan 1195A is tough, abrasion-resistant, and has excellent rebound—perfect for impact absorption and sealing. However, it is also highly hygroscopic and shear-sensitive. Mishandling it during the molding process leads to hydrolysis and polymer chain degradation, resulting in parts that look fine but are secretly brittle, porous, and destined to fail. Our all-electric Sumitomo platform gives us the control to negate these risks, delivering net-shape, fully compliant components directly from the tool.

Deep Dive: Meeting and Exceeding Industry Compliance Standards

Compliance isn't a checkbox; it's the objective validation of robust engineering. For action cameras, the holy trinity of standards is IP68, MIL-STD-810G, and CE/FCC. Our manufacturing process is architected to ensure your components form the bedrock of a product that can confidently claim these certifications.

IP68 (Ingress Protection): The Impermeable Seal

The IP68 rating signifies total protection against dust ingress and long-term immersion in water under pressure. Achieving this level of sealing with a molded component is a significant manufacturing hurdle. The challenge lies in creating a sealing surface—be it a gasket, an O-ring, or an overmolded housing feature—that is free from any microscopic porosity. This is where the combination of Elastollan 1195A and the Sumitomo SE-EV-A 220T truly excels.

Elastollan 1195A, as a TPU, is inherently water-resistant. The problem arises during processing. Its hygroscopic nature means it will absorb ambient moisture before it even enters the molding machine. If this moisture isn't meticulously removed through proper drying protocols, it turns to superheated steam inside the barrel. This steam, combined with the high shear forces of a poorly controlled injection process, causes hydrolysis—a chemical reaction that breaks down the polymer chains of the TPU. The result is a part riddled with micro-voids and surface imperfections. To a standard QC check, it might pass, but under the pressure of deep water, these voids become pathways for catastrophic leaks.

Our Sumitomo all-electric press mitigates this risk at the source. Unlike hydraulic machines where oil temperature fluctuations can cause inconsistent melt temperatures, our direct-drive servo motors provide unwavering, closed-loop control over screw rotation speed, back pressure, and injection velocity. This allows us to process the Elastollan 1195A at the lowest possible shear and temperature profile, drastically reducing the risk of material degradation. The result is a perfectly homogenous melt that fills the mold cavity and solidifies into a dense, void-free component. We mold net-shape IP68 sealing surfaces that require no secondary machining or finishing, eliminating potential failure points and ensuring every single part meets the stringent demands of the IP68 standard.

MIL-STD-810G (Drop/Shock): Engineered Resilience

MIL-STD-810G, specifically Method 516.6 for shock, is the benchmark for ruggedness. A device must be able to withstand repeated drops onto a hard surface without functional or structural failure. The material properties of Elastollan 1195A are a perfect fit for this requirement. With a Shore A hardness of 95A, it strikes an ideal balance between rigidity and flexibility. It's firm enough to provide structural integrity but soft enough to absorb and dissipate immense impact energy. Its high tensile strength of 45.0 MPa ensures it won't tear or rupture under the stress of a fall.

However, material properties on a datasheet are meaningless if the manufacturing process compromises the part's internal structure. Internal stresses, weld lines, and inconsistent density are the enemies of shock resistance. The extreme part-to-part repeatability of the Sumitomo SE-EV-A 220T's all-electric platform is the key here. Every parameter—from clamping force and injection speed to packing pressure and cooling time—is digitally controlled and precisely replicated for every single shot. This consistency ensures that each component has the same internal structure, the same density, and the same predictable performance under impact. We eliminate the process variability that plagues older hydraulic machines, delivering components that honor the full mechanical potential of the raw material, ensuring your device can survive the drop test not just once, but repeatedly.

CE/FCC: The Foundation of Electronic Integrity

While CE and FCC certifications are primarily concerned with electromagnetic compatibility and electronic safety, the mechanical enclosure is the silent guardian of these systems. A failure in the physical housing, such as moisture ingress from a faulty seal, can lead directly to a short circuit, causing the device to fail emissions or safety testing. By guaranteeing the IP68 integrity of the housing and sealing components, our manufacturing process provides the stable, protected internal environment that sensitive electronics require to operate reliably and within regulatory limits. A robust physical build is the non-negotiable foundation for achieving and maintaining electronic compliance.

Core Process & Material Specifications

This table outlines the critical parameters that define this manufacturing solution. It's the intersection of material science and machine capability that enables us to produce these high-performance components.

Cost Dynamics and the Total Cost of Ownership Advantage

This specific manufacturing cell is optimized for production volumes between 250 and 1,000 units. This range represents a critical phase in a product's lifecycle—it's beyond prototyping but may not yet require massive, multi-cavity tooling for runs of hundreds of thousands. It's the perfect scale for initial market release, specialized product variants, or for products with a high-mix, lower-volume cadence.

The true economic advantage, however, is not found in the per-part price alone, but in the reduction of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). This is where our factory-specific advantage becomes a powerful financial lever for our clients. As we've established, taming a shear-sensitive, hygroscopic TPU like Elastollan 1195A for critical sealing applications is a known industry challenge. This is where the Sumitomo SE-EV-A 220T's all-electric platform becomes our decisive advantage. Its direct-drive screw motor provides surgical control over melt temperature and shear, mitigating the risk of hydrolysis and viscosity breakdown that plagues hydraulic machines. This precision allows us to mold net-shape IP68 sealing surfaces for action camera housings, free from the microscopic porosity that causes field failures.

Consider the downstream costs of a "cheaper" part molded on inferior equipment. A higher scrap rate during incoming QC. The need for secondary operations like deflashing or surface finishing to meet sealing requirements. Most devastatingly, the cost of field failures and warranty returns due to a seal failing under pressure. These costs accumulate rapidly and can dwarf any initial savings on the component price.

At MechanoFab, we leverage our advanced capability to deliver fully compliant components directly from the tool, a feat many competitors struggle with. The superior part-to-part repeatability of the servo-driven system ensures every component meets spec without secondary finishing. This means your assembly line runs smoother, your QC burden is reduced, and your product's long-term reliability is dramatically increased. By investing in a process that guarantees quality at the source, you are actively lowering your TCO and protecting your brand's reputation for quality and durability.

Conclusion: From Engineering Challenge to Production Reality

Manufacturing components for the action camera and gimbal market is a zero-sum game of precision and reliability. The combination of BASF Elastollan 1195A's material properties and the Sumitomo SE-EV-A 220T's all-electric molding precision provides a definitive solution to the industry's most demanding sealing and impact-resistance challenges. We have engineered a process that respects the material, controls the variables, and delivers certifiable quality, shot after shot.