Custom Molded Plastic Covers

AJ

Hi everyone!

I am making a game consule with my sx board and video module.(A real basic one)· So, I was wondering if anybody new about a company that makes custom molded plastic covers for the system.· For example the GameCube has the Purple Box.· I am looking for something like that.· I have a clay and 3D model and specific specifications.

Thanks in advanced,
AJ (neox42)

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Paul Baker

Google "Thermoforming", If your looking for a "one off" the cost may be too high for your liking. Resin casting is messy, but can be done by an individual. Fiberglass is another do it yourself option.

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·1+1=10

pjv

Hi AJ;

One of my companies (flexcim.ca) does contract plastic injection molding. If it is a volume product you are making, then custom parts make sense, otherwise it is probably too expensive. The individual plastic pieces are perhaps one or a few dollars, but making the mold to create them can range from $10,000 for a simple mold to many times that for a complex mold.........probably not what you had in mind.

Cheers,

Peter (pjv)

AJ

I only am planning on making like·5 max.· Is there any cheep opions?

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Post Edited (AJ) : 8/24/2005 11:08:12 PM GMT

StarMan

Try a google search for "stereolithography" in your area.· I used to hire a place here in San Diego to create one-off prototypes.· I believe the resins have improved where you can get colors and other options.· It's been a few years since I've done this so I'm not familiar with the latest capabilities.·

Prototypes the size you are considering used to cost a few hundred dollars each.· Get a few quotes.



Chris I.

ThomasT

Hi AJ,

I noticed in "Nuts & Volts" (Sept. 2003, page 43) a New Products News release for "Custom Plastic Parts - Enclosures Without Tooling Costs". The news release mentions "quantities of 50 to 10,000 are easily realized by this process, which is ideal for products with unstable or rapidly changing designs." I don't know the absolute minimum (since you are interested in 5) but their contact information is:

TOOL-LESS PLASTIC TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
11208 47th Ave. W, Ste. B
Mukilteo, WA 98275

425-493-1223 FAX 425-493-1122 www.ttkbox.com

Hope this may be of help.

Tom

AJ

thank you thomas!!

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Paul

You could make a vacuum table and gets some thermoplastic and make your own! See http://www.warmplastic.com·(Yet another crazy hobby to explore!)

Cheers,
Paul

(I'm not affiliated with ths site. It was just the first Google for "vacuum forming")

Post Edited (Paul) : 8/25/2005 10:10:31 PM GMT

LoopyByteloose

Vacumn forming is really easy. I remember several old articles [noparse][[/noparse]1960s] that demonstrated doing it with a shop vacum and heat lamps. The model was set up on a platform made of masonite [noparse][[/noparse]the kind that is pre-drilled to hold tools]. Apparently, the plastic sags mostly and the negative pressure to add detail doesn't have to be very high.

This is ideal for low production runs.· I believe that acrylic plastic {Lexan} was used.· You can buy many colors.

Most of the injection mold plastics require hugh quatities [noparse][[/noparse]10,000 units] before a real savings is reached. You have a lot of design cost, mold construction, test runs, and so forth.

What you see in the XBox or Game Cube is likely a color change of the original product using the original stock mold. It seems that in Asia, when the manufacturer orders 10,000 units, someone runs off a few 100 odd ball colors to make money on the side. They go out the backdoor of the OEM supplier.

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G. Herzog in Taiwan

Post Edited (Kramer) : 8/28/2005 3:40:20 PM GMT