If you’ve ever seen BLOODHOUND exhibiting at an education event or trade show, then chances are that you will have seen one of the 1:10 scale models of the vehicle on display.
I was asked to build one of these display models, complete with an oak base and acrylic case. Here is some documentation of the process:
1 > Firstly, the sections of the model needed to be joined together. These sections were made using a process known as Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM), and were a rapid prototyped nylon. The process of manufacture involves taking powdered nylon and heating it with a laser, forming the profile of the piece layer by layer until a three dimensional shape is formed.
2 > The problem with this process is that the powder remains inside of an encased three dimensional piece (such as the parts being used to construct the model). This powder adds significant weight to the model, and thus needed to be removed. The pieces were drilled on the unseen (gluing) side, and slowly emptied of powder until light enough to use.
3 > The pieces were glued together and clamped, ensuring that they were aligned correctly.
4 > Slowly the pieces were glued together, creating the main body of the vehicle.
5 > By resting the model on its end, the weight was added to the glued faces helping them to have a tight fit.
6 > The nose cone and the air intake were Rapid Prototyped in a different material by UWE.
7 > The body slowly took shape.
8 > The end piece was glued in place, showing the locations of the jet engine and rocket nozzles.
9 > The front wheels were added to the body.
10 > Once the entire model had been glued and clamped together, the model was sanded and any visible cracks were fillered and sanded smooth.
11 > The display case was made of two elements; an oak base and a clear acrylic lid. The material for the lid was ordered and cut to size, then sent to a specialist manufacturer in Bristol who bent the sheet into a box section. The end pieces were then glued in place and the corners sanded.
12 > The base piece was constructed from solid oak strips and some oak veneered MDF. The oak pieces were made into a frame by Simon Phipps (a local kitchen fitter) and the MDF was sunk into this. This gave a platform for the model and enough of a recess that the acrylic lid would stay in place.
13 > The painted model returns from Redland Bodyworks.
14 > The model needed to be prepared for assembly, by drilling holes to fit the external features.
15 > The features themselves, again produced by UWE, had been painted ready.
16 >These parts included the rear wheel fairings, the winglets (or canards) and the tail fin.
17 >Several of these holes had ready made jigs to align them, however due to thickness of the paint these no longer fitted correctly. This meant that the holes had to be marked and drilled manually.
18 > The model was secured to the oak base.
19 > The tail fin was glued together, and the Union Flag stickers (printed by Vinyl Graphics) were applied.
20 > The external pieces and the wheels were very carefully glued in place, making sure that they were all level and aligned. The sponsor stickers were then applied to the sides.
21 > The finished model.
So… Next time you visit an event and see a little model of the car and decide to take a photograph, or worse try to snap something off, remember just how much time and effort goes into producing one first.
Tags: bloodhound ssc, model, rapid prototyping
Like it. Nice. You’ll be after Neil’s job next. Oh, like the new blog layout too!