January’s International
Housewares Show was the occasion of unveiling for the new Hamilton
Beach/Proctor-Silex (HBPS) electronic blender. The B19 blender has
come to life after many discussions, design modifications, and extensive
testing; production was launched in January this year.
As a preferred supplier to HBPS, DNA Group, Raleigh, NC, has provided
the OEM with electromechanical switches for many years. (DNA is
the North American affiliate of Defond Manufacturing, Ltd., Hong
Kong.) In examining how to meet the market demands, discussions
began between DNA and HBPS about how to adapt standard pushbutton
switches to create a new look and new features for the OEM’s
blender products. HBPS wanted to offer unique features to the consumer
while remaining competitive within their market. These discussions
led to the idea of combining DNA and Defond’s already proven
switch capabilities with their offering of custom electronic assemblies,
a concept which steered the development of a state-of-the-art design
for the blender market.
Once in motion, the blender program set several objectives for
DNA and Defond. In addition to taking a new approach, the custom
control had to be compact and easy to assemble. DNA’s unique
relationship with HBPS allowed DNA to discuss control requirements
and assemble concerns knowledgeably, resulting in a firm concept
of the requirements that HBPS found necessary for this program to
be successful.
DNA’s Raleigh-based engineering began some initial design
work and within a couple of days of the meeting with HBPS, DNA was
able to present both the electrical schematic and switching pattern
required for the control. These ideas were then documented and forwarded
to Defond in November 1998. Defond reviewed the information and
created a working prototype by the end of December that year. DNA
then presented HBPS with the prototype and budgetary pricing for
the control by January 1999.
By April 1999, HBPS provided solid-model information of the envelope
the new control needed to fill. DNA and Defond’s role began
with only the PCB and switch assembly, but as the project developed
this role expanded to include the rotary know, actuator buttons
and the plastic mounting plate. HBPS designed these additional plastic
components and electronically forwarded , as solid-model files,
to Defond, which then produced the molds for these components. Once
the plastic production molds were completed, first piece assemblies
of the complete B19 control were supplied to HBPS by August 1999.
HBPS performed both agency approval and extensive reliability testing
on the controls.
The diverse capabilities and strengths of DNA and Defond were ideal
as a supplier to build the complete assembly. This allowed HBPS
to streamline the production process and make for a clean assembly.
By having the switch integral to the electronic control, it eliminated
unnecessary interconnections; it became a quick-4 wire hook-up versus
a complex wire assembly between the switch, the control and the
motor. As a result, the assembly optimized an overall reduction
in cost to HBPS.
The HBPS B19 blender offers a rotary ‘variable speed’,
‘auto-pulse’, and ‘pulse-off’ buttons in
a wide-based solid housing. By providing a prototype for a startup
idea to a new design, DNA served as a catalyst to help push the
B19 electronic blender into production.
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