Plastic Product Design and Development from Concept Through Manufacturing
Teel partners with customers at the design and development stage to reduce risk and bring products to market with speed. We’re known for going beyond the basics and providing deeper guidance and partnership with our engineering resources, plastics expertise, and award-winning customer service.
Teel understands that successful products begin with thoughtful design. Decisions made early in development, from material selection and part geometry to manufacturing processes, can have a significant impact on product performance, production costs, and time to market. As a vertically integrated contract manufacturer of plastic products, Teel connects product design decisions directly to extrusion, injection molding, testing, and scaled production.
Whether starting with a concept or improving an existing design, Teel’s engineering team uses Design for Manufacturability (DFM), advanced design tools, and decades of plastics expertise to reduce development risk and develop products for successful production.
What Product Design Services Does Teel Offer?
In assisting with product design, Teel focuses on simplifying manufacturing processes while improving product performance and dimensional consistency.
Design and development capabilities include:
- Initial product concept design and rapid prototyping using a Design for Manufacturability (DFM) approach
- Manufacturing process design and optimization
- Co-engineering
- Material selection
- Analytical testing via our in-house ISO 17025-accredited analytical lab specializing in polymer science
- Equipment selection
- Packaging recommendations
How Does Teel Approach Product Designs?
Teel follows a structured stage-gate development process and supports projects ranging from simple part development to complex qualification processes, including IQ/OQ/PQ and PPAP requirements. Engineers work closely with customers to identify potential manufacturing challenges early, helping reduce redesigns and accelerate development timelines and avoid frequently seen problems like sink marks and mating part fit.
Teel’s emphasis on advanced flow modeling and initial tooling design helps reduce production complexity, maintain dimensional consistency, and allow for quick upscaling after development.
Engineering tools and techniques include:
- CAD modeling
- Mold flow analysis
- Extrusion flow modeling
- Design reviews
- Process simulation
- Design optimization
Using digital modeling before production begins allows potential issues to be addressed before tooling is built.
Does Teel Offer Rapid Prototyping?
Yes, Teel offers multiple prototyping methods that allow customers to evaluate form, fit, and function before full-scale production.
Prototype capabilities include:
- SLA 3D printing
- Prototype tooling
- Mud molds
- Production-material prototypes
- Design validation
Producing prototypes in the intended production material provides valuable insight into product performance before manufacturing begins.
Can Teel Help Improve Existing Products?
Teel frequently works with customers to improve existing products by identifying opportunities to simplify manufacturing, improve performance, reduce costs, or solve production challenges that previous suppliers could not overcome.
Whether modifying a part design or optimizing an entire manufacturing process, Teel’s engineering team works collaboratively to develop practical, long-term solutions.