Case Study: AST Springs Into Action to Bring Client’s Part to Market Quickly
AST Springs Into Action to Bring Client’s Part to Market Quickly: BNEN Coating Saves the Day
Client: Market-Leading Aftermarket Firearms Accessories Company
Challenge: With only weeks to go before launching a new high capacity ammunition clip to the market, our client found that using Electroless Nickel with PTFE plating to coat a critical leaf spring was too soft and wore down quickly, which interfered with the clip’s ability to efficiently feed ammunition into the chamber of the firearm.
Solution: After consulting with the manufacturer and testing the parts in question to assess the nature of the issue, we suggested a Boron Nitride Electroless Nickel (BNEN) coating that combines the lubricity necessary for the leaf spring to move freely, with the hardness needed to allow the device to function with a minimum of wear.
Thanks to our in-house testing abilities, AST was able to produce a prototype part within a few days, and after working with the client to iron out the production process, we went into full production in less than a week.
Benefit: The part functions beautifully within the magazine, allowing our client to mass-produce and sell over a hundred thousand clips to date, improving the performance of weapons, while extending their usable lifespan. The coating has been so successful that they are considering switching other products to the BNEN coating.