BIDDEFORD, Maine (Sept. 23, 2010)—Deep Down Inc. subsidiary Flotations Technologies Inc. has expanded its Biddeford operation with the addition of a 20,000-sq.-ft. plant to increase its capabilities
The facility features a custom designed rotational molding machine originally engineered to manufacture the company's patented CoreTec Drilling Riser Buoyancy Module external shell.
Rotational molding is a three-stage plastic molding process during which a metal mold is heated and slowly moved around two axes, the manufacturer of urethane-based deep-water buoyancy systems said.
The heat transfer causes the plastic inside the mold to melt and coat the interior of the mold. Once a uniform coating is achieved, the mold moves to a station where it is cooled by air and/or water spray.
In the final load/unload stage, the part, a hollow plastic form, is removed from the mold and a new charge of material is loaded into the mold.
“The new plant, with expansion capabilities to nearly 40,000 square feet and at full capacity will employ more than 25 skilled workers, is an important step in (1) reducing our costs to manufacture, (2) maintaining our current growth plans and (3) expanding our modularity strategy," according to Al Marquis, operations manager and business unit manager.