Case Details

Project Background

When the 2019-2021 pandemic forced students into home quarantine, demand for eye-friendly learning tablets skyrocketed. Our client, a leading online education provider, decided to venture into hardware production. They needed a reliable manufacturing partner to take their concept from design to high-volume delivery. Longwang was chosen to provide end-to-end support, from structural optimization to mass assembly, for their new generation learning tablet.

Core Refinement

The tablet’s metal frame required a combination of stamping, nano-molding (NMT), CNC machining, surface treatment, and final assembly. We worked closely with the client’s R&D team to refine the design for manufacturability, ensuring that the NMT joint would withstand rigorous mechanical tests. The final process chain: Stamping → CNC roughing → Nano treatment → Nano molding → CNC finishing → Sandblasting & anodizing → Inner-cavity AB glue application → Nut fixing → Assembly.

Manufacturing Challenges

• Achieving consistent pull‑out force of 8–10 kgf and torque of 1.0–1.3 kgf·cm for the embedded nuts – any deviation could compromise thread reliability.
• Passing the 1‑metre drop test (2 rounds × 6 faces & 4 corners) with zero plastic‑metal separation or plastic cracking, even after repeated impacts.
• Maintaining dimensional accuracy across the CNC and surface finishing stages, since the nano‑molded plastic and metal insert have different thermal expansion rates.
• Controlling nano‑treatment and injection parameters tightly – slight variations in chemical etching or mould temperature could lead to delamination or weak bonding.
• Ensuring process repeatability at high volume, while managing the interplay between stamping, moulding, and post‑machining without cross‑supplier communication gaps.

Longwang Solution

We leveraged our full‑process service to tackle every challenge in‑house.

• CNC & surface finishing: Used precision CNC programming to maintain tight tolerances after molding, followed by sandblasting and anodizing for a durable, scratch‑resistant finish.

• Proprietary sidewall extrusion + full‑perimeter TP undercut one‑shot forming: Instead of conventional staking, we developed a dedicated cold‑extrusion sequence – stamped blanking → pre‑bending → sidewall thickening (extrusion) → flattening → precision CNC. This creates a continuous mechanical undercut around the entire perimeter, locking the TP (thermoplastic) structure integrally without secondary fasteners or glue‑dependent joints. What sets us apart is our micron‑level control over material flow: we manage the stamped extrusion thickness (T2) from 1.1mm to 2.4mm and final CNC finished wall thickness (T3) from 0.8mm to 1.8mm, while holding cutting allowances as low as 0.05mm on outer sidewalls, 0.08~0.2mm on inner cavities, and 0.25~0.4mm on back cosmetic surfaces – all in a single coordinated setup. After dozens of process iterations, Longwang is currently the only domestic manufacturer that can consistently deliver this level of dimensional precision for integral TP undercuts at mass‑production scale, giving our customers an undisputed reliability and quality advantage.

• Assembly & final testing: Applied AB glue precisely in the inner cavity, torqued the nuts to specification, and conducted comprehensive drop‑test iterations to fine‑tune the entire workflow. Our integrated approach eliminated cross‑supplier communication delays and ensured every batch met the strict “no crack, no separation” standard.

Results Achieved

The final product cleared all 1‑metre drop‑test rounds (2 cycles × 6 faces & 4 corners) with zero instances of plastic‑metal separation or plastic cracking – a direct result of our integrated process chain. Pull‑out force consistently registered between 8.5 and 9.8 kgf, and torque between 1.1 and 1.25 kgf·cm, both safely exceeding the client's original requirements.

The breakthrough came from our proprietary sidewall extrusion + full‑perimeter TP undercut forming, which not only eliminated reliance on adhesives for structural integrity but also delivered micron‑level dimensional control that we had targeted from the start: we held extruded blank thickness (T2) across the range of 1.1–2.4 mm and final CNC‑finished wall thickness (T3) of 0.8–1.8 mm, with outer‑wall cutting allowances as tight as 0.05 mm, inner‑cavity allowances within 0.08–0.2 mm, and back‑surface allowances of 0.25–0.4 mm – all achieved repeatably across thousands of parts. This precision level is currently unmatched by any other domestic supplier, turning a formerly risky process into a stable, high‑yield operation.

We successfully achieved full-scale mass production without compromising quality, ensuring the timely delivery of every batch and enabling our client to precisely launch their tablet products during a critical period of surging demand for remote learning. The client highly commended our seamless collaboration and "one-stop" accountability across every stage of the process, from raw material coils to final assembly. As our client grew into the nation's largest brand for educational tablets, we matured our own comprehensive manufacturing capabilities; we have since expanded our business to include clients in the laptop and e-reader sectors and have been invited to co-develop next-generation models that a testament to the trust placed in our technical excellence and operational prowess.