I would like a list of 6 to 10 engineers or smaller-sized, product
development consulting firms that can immediately provide short-term
consulting to an established thermoforming factory in Indiana
regarding the the development of a thermoformed "acrylic" bathtub. 
Further specifics include:
1) The consultant will probably have to physically visit the factory
at least once.  Proximity to Northern Indiana is an advantage.
2) The consultant must be very familiar with the general physical
characteristics of common thermoformed ABS plastics and acrylics, as
well as the thermoform plastic process itself.
4) The consultant must be immediately available to assist the
thermoforming factory with the final steps of actual product
development, as well as the manufacturing process itself.  There is
particular project emphasis with respect to the bonding of
"furniture-sized" thermoformed plastic components.

---

Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 18 Apr 2006 17:13 PDT

Hi!

I was able to find some companies and consultants but they are not
from Indiana. Usually I can only find manufacturers themselves if I
look into Indiana.

Would non-Indiana companies still be ok with you?

Thanks!

---

Clarification of Question by tubmaker-ga on 18 Apr 2006 17:38 PDT

Response to easterangel-ga:

Consultants located outside of Indiana are OK; provided that they can
still physically visit the factory at least once, and also that these
same consultants are otherwise an excellent match for the job at hand.
 Thanks, tubmaker-ga

---

Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 18 Apr 2006 17:59 PDT

Hi again tubmaker-ga!

One would need to call each of these companies to know if they can
indeed come to Indiana. I think another researcher should take this
since I don't have the capability to call them.

Thanks again.

---

Clarification of Question by tubmaker-ga on 18 Apr 2006 18:13 PDT

easterangel-ga:
I believe it is quite reasonable to presume that any viable consultant
in the USA is willing to travel to Indiana (or wherever else their
work may take them) for an appropriate fee; you need not call every
potential consultant to verify this presumption.  The expenses
associated with such travel are why I originally stated that proximity
to Northern Indiana was an advantage.

What is more important is that the consultant has the correct
thermoforming experience and new-product & process development
qualifications as I have outlined.  It is here that you should focus
your search efforts, rather than on the matter of proximity to the
job.

---

Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 18 Apr 2006 18:29 PDT

Hi again!

Ok thanks for understanding our limits. Anyway, just to be sure we are
on the same page please take a look at the company link below.

http://www.plasticoncepts.com/topic.asp?pid=1

Is this the type I should target in my research?

Thanks.

---

Clarification of Question by tubmaker-ga on 18 Apr 2006 19:05 PDT

easterangel-ga
Impressive.
The company you provided as an example is excellent; almost precisely
what I am looking for.  To be honest, I am kind of amazed that you
managed to find a smaller-sized thermoforming consulting firm with so
many of the characteristics I specified so quickly!  5+ more like that
one, and you will have hit the nail on the head; and you will have
"wowed" me, as well.

Hi! Thanks for the question

The Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE) is a very good resource of
companies that you would like to contact.

Here are the companies I found including the one I gave to you
earlier.  I will also provide their profile found at the SPE website
so you can understand them better.


CPC Plastics
SPE Profile: http://www.4spe.org/cc/detail.php?id=230 
http://www.cpcplastics.com/index.html

Duratherm Extended Life Fluids
SPE Profile: http://www.4spe.org/cc/detail.php?id=232 
http://www.heat-transfer-fluid.com/ 

Engineering Simulations LLC
SPE Profile: http://www.4spe.org/cc/detail.php?id=192
http://www.engineeringsimulations.net/

Plastic Concepts & Innovations, LLC
SPE Profile: http://www.4spe.org/cc/detail.php?id=175
http://www.plasticoncepts.com/

Concept Management USA
SPE Profile: http://www.4spe.org/cc/detail.php?id=159
Website unavailable at this time: Please try the contact numbers
supplied at the SPE Profile.

Polymer Processing Institute (Non-Profit Organization)
SPE Profile: http://www.4spe.org/cc/detail.php?id=195
http://www.polymers-ppi.org/about.html 


---------------------------------
This is another list of companies. I separated them since they are not
mentioned in the Society of Plastic Engineers but could be of help to
you as well.

McConnell Co., Inc. (They might not be a small company since they
boast of doing consulting for Fortune 500 corporations. However, it
may still be wise to ask if their services are within your budget)
3030 Sandage Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76109
Telephone: 817-926-8287
Fax: 817-926-8298
E-mail:  AskIt@thermoforming.com
http://www.thermoforming.com/Services.aspx

Sherwood Technologies, Inc.
1797 Santa Barbara Drive 
Dunedin, Florida 34698-3347 
Phone: (FL) 001-727-734-5081 (US) 1-800-273-6370
Fax: 001-727-734-5081
E-mail: throne@foamandform.com  or jthrone@tampabay.rr.com 
http://www.foamandform.com/about/ 

Jay Visual Packaging
230 East O'Connor Drive
Elkhorn, Wisconsin 53121
Phone: 800.452.9687
Fax: 262.743.2044
Email: sales@jayvisual.com
http://www.jayvisual.com/design.html

Seawolf Industries
http://www.seawolfindustries.com/thermoforming.html

Plastics Technology
29 West 34th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Phone:  (646) 827-4848
Fax: (513) 527-8801
http://www.plasticstechnology.com/contact.html

Fiberforge
3768 Highway 82
Suite #204
Glenwood Springs, CO
81601 U.S.A.
Phone: +1 (970) 945-9377
Fax: +1 (877) 232-0292
Email: info@ fiberforge.com
http://www.compositesconsultants.com/cats/Quick.php?MID=318

Rubber Mold Compounds & Plastics
http://www.rubbermoldcompounds.com/rubber-mold-consulting.htm

Orbit Plastics Corporation
http://www.orbitplastics.com/ 

Thermo Fab
76 Walker Road, Shirley, MA 01464
Phone: (978) 425-2311 
Fax: (978) 425-2305 / (888) 494-9777
http://www.thermofab.com/ 


Search terms used:  
thermoforming consultant consultants

I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.
                                                          
                              
Regards,                              
Easterangel-ga                              
Google Answers Researcher

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Request for Answer Clarification by tubmaker-ga on 19 Apr 2006 21:45 PDT

Hi easterangel-ga;

I have reviewed the complete answer you provided.  Indeed, one
suggested firm on the list closely meets the criteria I specified
(plastic concepts), and that was in fact the first suggestion you had
offered to me as an example in order to "be sure we are on the same
page".  From that initial excellent example, I had high hopes for the
remainder of your response.

Somewhat dissapointingly, the remainder of the other suggestions which
you provide have a tough time making a list of 6 to 10 valid
suggestions.  Some on your "first" list are involved in 100%
completely different business activities all together (Duratherm
Extended Life Fluids), others specialize in services entirely outside
the scope of my interest as expressed in my quiery (engineering
simulations), and another does not even have an active website or
email address (concept management USA).

It seems to me that you searched within two or three of these entities
for real compatibility to my quiery; and indeed those suggestions are
good; but then in many other cases the recommendation got put on the
list with little consideration - or simply because the word
"thermoforming" was in their SPE profile.

I would say that 4 of your recommendations come close enough to be
considered a fair reply.  Of those 4, 2 were so close to be considered
fully accurate answers to my question - those two were "CPC Plastics"
and "Plastics Concepts and Innovations".  If I could get even two more
winning answers like those two are, then I would consider the "list of
6 to 10" complete and my question fully answered.  Short of that, I
think I got a "mixed bag" kind of answer; a little good, specific
stuff tangled in with a bunch of general, useless stuff.

What do you think?

---

Clarification of Answer by easterangel-ga on 20 Apr 2006 04:37 PDT

Hi again! Thank you for patience.

Hmmm.... to tell you the truth I thought that the companies I provided
were very similar in their services. Anyway, I tried again and here
are some companies I found. Please tell me if these will be good or we
may need to do additional work.

Techniform Industries
http://www.techniform-plastics.com/abilities.htm

Shadow Design Group Inc.
http://www.sdgcorp.us/

I hope these would be helpful.

Regards,
Easterangel-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by tubmaker-ga on 20 Apr 2006 10:25 PDT

easterangel-ga;

Thank you for the last two references.  They will suffice, and I thus
consider my question fully answered.

Good job; and many thanks for your help.

---

Clarification of Answer by easterangel-ga on 20 Apr 2006 16:11 PDT

Hi again!

I'm glad that the answer finally worked out. 

Regards,
Easterangel

Final answer(s) to somewhat technical question was of high quality;
although as a constructive criticism I offer that the first set of
answers provided could have been more thoroughly examined for
relevance. Noneltheless, communication with easterangel was productive
to get me to a solid answer, fast.  Recommended.