Hi folks,
Welcome to a little R & D ........... and a little something else !
Still working at it Jim Still trying my utmost to make these available by the end of the year mate ......... there's a long way to go yet, and many other things to get ready as well. But I think we'll manage it. I'm OK for parts at the moment mate ......... thanks for the offer though. Still trying to get my money back from that 'blade adaptor' fiasco ! Looks like I'll have to fabricate an adaptor for the 'adaptor' to make it work !
Prototyping on the headlight assemblies is going well, but I'm also having to organise a proper workshop. I'm pretty much sorted with all the tooling, and I'm currently sorting out my work environment. To manufacture headlight parts effectively I think you have to also work effectively, which means organising your work-flow.
Currently my workshop is in total disarray as can been seen in the following picture. Resins, silicon's, plastics and electronics have made way for lumber and sheets of MDF ! The price of lumber over here is astonishing ! so much so, I'm having to travel far and wide to purchase raw lumber just to keep the costs down, buying from a builders merchant means it's raw lumber so you have to plane it yourself. You can buy 'Planed All Round' in places like 'MrBrico' ( B&Q type places ), but at €24.00 per 2.5mtr, my workbenches would cost about €400 each ! So I'm doing it the old fashioned way for a fraction of the cost >>
Once the 2nd workbench was completed and with the aid of my other workbench I completed last year, I could start on making yet another machine support. With all these extra machines that I've bought recently, I need to position these machines in such a way that it'll be an easy process of moulding/forming, cutting/trimming and then the assembly of the headlight units ........ moving from one machine to the next without too much disruption will undoubtedly make the entire process much quicker, thus more effective ....... and not forgetting, much safer ! As all these machines will take a finger off in no time ! >>
While those types of things are happening during daylight hours, when I can fire-up various machines, I'm also still learning 'Blender 3D', so, very early in the mornings or in the evenings after a day in the workshop. There's only three other people that live in this entire street, but that's no reason to be making noise at 10:00 pm, specially at this time of year when everyone sleeps with their windows open.
It's all very well producing technical drawings of your concepts on paper, but that's not very helpful for potential clients and customers .......... I think it's nice for people to see your concept and visualise what the finished product will look like when complete ........ it's how I see it in my head basically. Learning how to use 3D computer software isn't as easy as it looks, I'm having to familiarise myself with 'Solid surface modelling', mesh 'Topology', 'Rendering', 'Fresnel', 'Index Of Refraction', 'MatCaps' and a whole pile of other new words ! ........ It's fascinating stuff !
As good as the headlight cover looks now, it's still far from being bang on ........ I have way too many polygons constructing the surface of the cover, and I'm struggling big time designing the twin holes in the cover. Every attempt I've had so far has had the holes being deformed when I apply the smooth modifier
I try to put at least a couple of hours in every day with Blender 3D, mastering these techniques I think has a major part to play in product prototyping, so is a must if you're serious about product design and new concepts.
Click here to see my very first attempt at 'Blender 3D' on this project ( toward the bottom of the page ) > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthrea...99#post2809799
I also posted a short animated clip of the prototype headlight bracket ( modules ) at the time on YouTube >
The animation was also done with Blender 3D ........... that's sure to come in handy when I begin to advertise the T4 Quad Headlight system to the world !
TURK
Welcome to a little R & D ........... and a little something else !
Still working at it Jim Still trying my utmost to make these available by the end of the year mate ......... there's a long way to go yet, and many other things to get ready as well. But I think we'll manage it. I'm OK for parts at the moment mate ......... thanks for the offer though. Still trying to get my money back from that 'blade adaptor' fiasco ! Looks like I'll have to fabricate an adaptor for the 'adaptor' to make it work !
Prototyping on the headlight assemblies is going well, but I'm also having to organise a proper workshop. I'm pretty much sorted with all the tooling, and I'm currently sorting out my work environment. To manufacture headlight parts effectively I think you have to also work effectively, which means organising your work-flow.
Currently my workshop is in total disarray as can been seen in the following picture. Resins, silicon's, plastics and electronics have made way for lumber and sheets of MDF ! The price of lumber over here is astonishing ! so much so, I'm having to travel far and wide to purchase raw lumber just to keep the costs down, buying from a builders merchant means it's raw lumber so you have to plane it yourself. You can buy 'Planed All Round' in places like 'MrBrico' ( B&Q type places ), but at €24.00 per 2.5mtr, my workbenches would cost about €400 each ! So I'm doing it the old fashioned way for a fraction of the cost >>
Once the 2nd workbench was completed and with the aid of my other workbench I completed last year, I could start on making yet another machine support. With all these extra machines that I've bought recently, I need to position these machines in such a way that it'll be an easy process of moulding/forming, cutting/trimming and then the assembly of the headlight units ........ moving from one machine to the next without too much disruption will undoubtedly make the entire process much quicker, thus more effective ....... and not forgetting, much safer ! As all these machines will take a finger off in no time ! >>
While those types of things are happening during daylight hours, when I can fire-up various machines, I'm also still learning 'Blender 3D', so, very early in the mornings or in the evenings after a day in the workshop. There's only three other people that live in this entire street, but that's no reason to be making noise at 10:00 pm, specially at this time of year when everyone sleeps with their windows open.
It's all very well producing technical drawings of your concepts on paper, but that's not very helpful for potential clients and customers .......... I think it's nice for people to see your concept and visualise what the finished product will look like when complete ........ it's how I see it in my head basically. Learning how to use 3D computer software isn't as easy as it looks, I'm having to familiarise myself with 'Solid surface modelling', mesh 'Topology', 'Rendering', 'Fresnel', 'Index Of Refraction', 'MatCaps' and a whole pile of other new words ! ........ It's fascinating stuff !
As good as the headlight cover looks now, it's still far from being bang on ........ I have way too many polygons constructing the surface of the cover, and I'm struggling big time designing the twin holes in the cover. Every attempt I've had so far has had the holes being deformed when I apply the smooth modifier
I try to put at least a couple of hours in every day with Blender 3D, mastering these techniques I think has a major part to play in product prototyping, so is a must if you're serious about product design and new concepts.
Click here to see my very first attempt at 'Blender 3D' on this project ( toward the bottom of the page ) > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthrea...99#post2809799
I also posted a short animated clip of the prototype headlight bracket ( modules ) at the time on YouTube >
The animation was also done with Blender 3D ........... that's sure to come in handy when I begin to advertise the T4 Quad Headlight system to the world !
TURK
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