Sustainably produced bucket

Before purchasing a costly injection mold, 3brothers wanted to be sure whether the bucket would function well in daily use. BPO’s FEM-simulations have helped to gain insight into this. BPO has also provided advice, in consultation with the customer, on which loads are realistic.

The 3brothers bucket will be used frequently for cleaning and will therefore be filled with warm water. When the bucket is subsequently carried, it should not deform too much and the handle should not come loose. It may happen that the user accidentally bumps his knee against a full bucket of water while cleaning. Even then, the bucket must not deform permanently and the handle must remain fixed in the hinge point.

The simulations assumed a material temperature of up to 60°C for the bucket and 23°C for the handle. Various materials were also simulated to determine which type of PP would be suitable.

FEM-simulations of the bucket

To properly approximate the behavior of the materials in the simulations, BPO uses a self-developed materials database. The type of material, the temperature and the duration of the load determine the material data used for calculations. These data are adapted to the materials used, according to the data sheets which have been supplied by the client.

The simulation results, such as the displacements during carrying and critical areas during a side impact, were analysed. Based on this, it is recommended, among other things, to adjust the dimensions of the handle connection.

A number of buckets were then produced for testing. These physical products have been tested at an institute recommended by BPO in the same way as in the FEM-simulations. Two comparable existing buckets were also tested to properly compare the new product. The new bucket emerged as the best from this comparison test.

The 3brothers bucket is now on the market and can be purchased from a well-known retailer. The company 3brothers creates reliable and affordable products with their years of knowledge in the field of plastic production. The focus is on household products that consist of 100% recycled plastic and are also recyclable. This makes a large part of their portfolio produced circularly.