petertha@shaw.ca
11-14-2003, 02:50 PM
I posted this on another forum & someone suggested I route the inquiry here. Here is the snip:
Im new to the group & a long time RC airplane modeler. My interests & experience is with CAD, composite construction, related plugs, molds
& tooling. Ive been asked a numerous times by friends & acquaintences about how they can go about getting model plug components (meaning
the positive shape forms) cnc milled. Fully prepared female aluminum molds are typically outside the cost range of these guys, although
that is always a possibility & more likely with shallow draft (say < 1.5" depth) molds. Typically they would be satisfied to have the plugs milled from materials like wood or HD urethane foam blocks; basically materials that are dimensionally stable & can be surface finished with methods analagous to autobody finishing. From that they use the finished plug to make composite(female)molds for the actual part layup. The projects obviously vary by scale & type, personal vs commercial aspirations, but I would suggest the following specs:
- 3D surface file originating from Rhino or any of its supported output conversion formats
- length = 24 to 48" (some fuselages may approach 80", segmented components may be allowable)
- width = 3 to 24"
- depth = 0 to 6"
- resolution of 0.005" but application specific
- willingness to ship (to Canada) all costs covered of course
If anyone has this capability or can point me towards a potential contact, I would appreciate it. I can email related pictures & cad samples off line to better understand the project
Im new to the group & a long time RC airplane modeler. My interests & experience is with CAD, composite construction, related plugs, molds
& tooling. Ive been asked a numerous times by friends & acquaintences about how they can go about getting model plug components (meaning
the positive shape forms) cnc milled. Fully prepared female aluminum molds are typically outside the cost range of these guys, although
that is always a possibility & more likely with shallow draft (say < 1.5" depth) molds. Typically they would be satisfied to have the plugs milled from materials like wood or HD urethane foam blocks; basically materials that are dimensionally stable & can be surface finished with methods analagous to autobody finishing. From that they use the finished plug to make composite(female)molds for the actual part layup. The projects obviously vary by scale & type, personal vs commercial aspirations, but I would suggest the following specs:
- 3D surface file originating from Rhino or any of its supported output conversion formats
- length = 24 to 48" (some fuselages may approach 80", segmented components may be allowable)
- width = 3 to 24"
- depth = 0 to 6"
- resolution of 0.005" but application specific
- willingness to ship (to Canada) all costs covered of course
If anyone has this capability or can point me towards a potential contact, I would appreciate it. I can email related pictures & cad samples off line to better understand the project