Subject:
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Re: Monorail track molds? Factory visits?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sat, 19 Jan 2002 03:11:43 GMT
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Viewed:
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1427 times
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Proof positive that I don't know everything.
Frank, in your opinion would you say the "honeycomb" is an inherent part of
the molding processing or a way to save on material? Retaining the strength
of the unit while using far less ABS?
What about vacu-forming pieces?
lugnet.general, Frank Filz writes:
> crunch-o-matic wrote:
> >
> > You might be right if the molds are rigid.
> > It could be done in 2 parts if the mold is flexible like vulcanized rubber
> > or silicon (or low-tech like Knox gelatin and anitfreeze, or even hot glue).
> > They were injected from the center top, you can see where the sprue is/was
> > on a long straight. I dont see any other seams, flashing or other sprue
> > nubs. That leads me to believe it was done in a 2 part flexible mold, one
> > for top and sides, one for underneath bottom. When it cooled the bottom was
> > pulled off and the top twisted like an ice cube tray and they plop on to the
> > conveyor belt or whatever takes them away. Fine tooth gearing like the top
> > of the track and the side studs would wreak havok on a flexible mold after
> > time and it would have to be recast after a "short" x-ammount of postitives
> > were made. From my experience with mold casting if you are creating mass
> > multiple positives you want the mother mold down to 1 or 2 parts, being
> > easier to recast it than spend the extra time in the release and clean up
> > (flashing & sprues) phase for all the rest. Seeing the pictures of the
> > factory in the DK book, the whole process is automated and might require a
> > special machine to deal with a 3 part mold. I put follow-up in .general in
> > case anyone wants to add.
> > I think my rambling has taken up enough space here in .dear-lego.
> >
> > Anyone ever visited a Lego factory? Are there tours or anything?
>
> TLC's molds are machined metal (there are pictures in some of the books
> and examples at Legoland. The track is also "honeycombed" on the bottom.
>
> Frank
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Monorail track molds? Factory visits?
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| (...) Material and weight savings while retaining strength. (...) I believe baseplates are vacuum formed. Vacuum forming is usually a one piece mold and the item must be able to "fall" out. There is another molding process which I guess is vaccuum (...) (23 years ago, 19-Jan-02, to lugnet.general)
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