How to quickly machine a vacuumforming mold
Prototype windshield for an Italian motorcycle within 24 hours
Italy is famous for it's beautiful motorcycles. In addition to motorcycle manufacturers also many suppliers of stylish accessories can be found in this country. This project for an Italian automotive design lab has been done by DeskProto user PROTOway in Porcia (PN).PROTOway offers a full range prototyping services, using the slogan "Prototypes in 24h !!". That does of course absolutely qualify as Rapid Prototyping.
CAD model, and roughing toolpaths in DeskProto.
The project was for a prototype motorcycle by design bureau Digi.Lab in Rome, to be shown at the EICMA show in Milan (the world's largest cycle and motorcycle fair). For this prototype a windshield was needed on very short term: just a job for PROTOway.
They state:
"This is a very simple thermoforming mold, cammed and milled in the morning, two parts thermoformed in early afternoon, only one cut and finished, sent to customer on the evening of the same day."
Machining the wooden mold.
Milling has been done on a custom made router of 1750 x 900 x 250 mm, with an ELTE spindle. As the pictures show, this thermoforming mold was milled in wood (pine). PROTOway uses both wood and various types of resin board for these molds.
The thermoformed part, before and after removing rest material.
Two "prints" have been made, with 4 mm transparent PMMA (acrylate), and of these only one was finished by cutting off the excess material and then polishing the surfaces. As this was for one prototype only, no further production has been done.
The resulting show model, on display at the EICMA fair.