Best Of ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .

[bbussey]

Rivet diameter is the thickness of the metal used for the etched inset panels, which in this case is .2mm or roughly 0.0078".  The etching process creates round head rivets under these conditions, and the rapid prototype rivets are rendered at the same diameter to match.

Yes, provided that you render the car sides flat the way the gondola is being designed, and the path of the print head is parallel to the grooves.

Shapeways is okay for rendering initial test shots, but the quality of the work is inconsistent since they don't allow the customer to choose the print orientation.

[ntrakia]

bryan--

have wanted this car for decades.  not much luck trying to kitbash it.  put me down for 6.  bv

[lock4244]

You are an N Scale birth canal . 

Did not need that visual 

[bbussey]

The latest rapid prototype master arrived today, which must be de-waxed, combined with the other components and put through the tests.  There will be a progress update sometime this weekend.

[Wardie]

Bryan, On the final product are the sides of the gon going to be a strong enough material to cut some of it away? I plan to use your model to do a couple of the MEC gon as gondolas, but I also plan to(hopefully) convert a couple into these,

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=892637

[bbussey]

Session 8.

The second pilot rapid prototype arrived this week.  After a 36-hour heptane soak to remove the wax, the OEM parts that will attach to the rapid prototype portions of the model were added to verify ride height and coupler height remained correct.  The corrugated end is visible in this photo.



The tabs to secure the stirrups are now in the correct location, and the stirrup halves easily snap onto the tabs and stay in place.



The side profile shows the MTL components in relation to what will be the polyurethane resin body.



The MTL centersill will sit flush with the other details on the floor bottom.



The clearance between the bottom of the coupler box lid and the BLMA axle is really tight.  There is some extra play in the coupler box cavity where some extra clearance can be picked up.  The rapid prototype tooling pictured at the end of this post will be modified, rather than commissioning another rapid prototype.  The use of silver instead of black or brown MTL coupler parts allow for easier viewing of how the parts mate to the rapid prototype master.

A three-quarter view showing the integration of the couplers and stirrups.



And a close-up showing the rivet detail has been added to the rib flanges, which eliminates the need for microscopic vision in order to apply etched rib flange insets.  The application of the etched brass insets will be far less tedious when the time comes.



The model components have been incorporated into a new design for constructing the molds, which will insure smooth surfaces all around.



Next is to have the rapid prototype for the mold rendered from the STL file created of the solid model, which should be in hand sometime in early May if not sooner.  Simultaneously, the artwork for the etched insets will be commissioned and should arrive within the same time frame.



After the rapid prototype of the mold master and the etched insets arrive, the next step will be to apply the brass insets to create the final master from which the production molds will be created.

4/9 UPDATE - we are "on hold" on the rendering of the new-design rapid prototype until we confirm with another similarly-designed project that this molding method will work consistently.  So that might delay things by a couple of weeks.  The artwork for the etched insets was submitted to the contractor.

Total hours invested to date:  24
Total material cost expended to date:  $200

[bbussey]

Bryan, On the final product are the sides of the gon going to be a strong enough material to cut some of it away? I plan to use your model to do a couple of the MEC gon as gondolas, but I also plan to(hopefully) convert a couple into these,
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=892637

The model body will be comprised of polyurethane resin and should withstand kitbashing efforts.

[Wardie]

The model body will be comprised of polyurethane resin and should withstand kitbashing efforts.

Good, thanks. I look forward to the release of the kit.

[up1950s]

You get much much more out of 24 hours and 200 smackers than I do .

[bbussey]

I don't know about that Rich.  Those UP steamers you prolifically build say otherwise.

[skm]

You get much much more out of 24 hours and 200 smackers than I do .

ROFL

[bbussey]

Session #9

It has been nearly a month since any progress has occurred on this project, but that is the nature of model railroad manufacturing -- particularly when trying to push the envelope.

The rendering of the XHD master for molding is still on hold until the new master/casting process is fully debugged.  Some movement in that area will occur this coming week.

There has been some advancement in other areas however.  The brass insets arrived.



Two sheets were included.  The sheet on the left was over-etched to the point where there were only ghost images where the rivets and other raised details should have been.  Fortunately, the contractor reprocessed the job so that it rendered properly.  Rather than discard the first sheet, it was included in the shipment.



The second sheet clearly shows all of the rivet detail, crisp and defined despite the small relief. 



The push-poll pockets, however, lacked any roundness on the edges.  This was a necessary compromise in order to insure the intricate detail was sharp ...



... Yet, the error sheet actually will alleviate that issue, as the over-etched push-poll pockets feature the roundness needed to simulate stamped sheet metal.

Again, it's back into wait-mode until the master casting issues are resolved.  Expenses incurred this session are the setup charges for the etchings and one crisp sheet of etchings.  The error sheet was gratis.

Projected MSRP based on costs incurred has been added to the summary below and will increase as additional costs are incurred.  Labor cost is not factored in.

Total hours invested to date:  25
Total material cost expended to date:  $257
Projected unit MSRP based on current material cost:  $4.28

[skm]

Thank you Bryan!
This is the coolest thread EVAH!

In the thread regarding the Atlas PS1s we have been tossing around the new Atlas S2 trucks, do you think they would be appropriate under these gons?

[bbussey]

Prototype-wise?  Probably.  But in regard to the model, parts availability is a huge factor.  The A-3 trucks are readily available, and available in bulk for OEM purposes.  I believe I was told there may be extra S2 trucks arriving with the second PS-1 release but nothing definitive.  If the S2 is not yet going to be a stock-item part, it would be an issue in procuring a quantity for this type or project when it would be needed.

The good news is that modelers will be able to swap out the trucks as the S2 becomes available should they desire to do so.

[CodyO]

This is pretty sweet gota love ESM!
reminds me I "need" more G26`s...