Rapid CNC machining for automotive lighting prototypes (Lighting prototyping)

Specifications:

Applications:

automotive bezels

Automotive headlamps

light guides

automotive reflectors

Quick Detail:

Now due to the pursuit of high quality life, the quality standard toward the automotive parts is getting higher and higher now. In this case, the improvement for the current machining ways toward the automotive parts especially the automotive lighting products such as the headlamps and light guides is getting more technology necessary. For example the lighting prototyping parts of Audi, BMW, Benz are already pursuing the high transparent by applying the diamond tool to machine the optical teeth, making the automotive lighting manufacturers have to improve such technology and spend more cost in diamond tools development.

Description:

1. CNC clear lighting prototypes

Rapid prototyping of automotive clear lighting prototypes is the quick turnaround by using CNC machines to machine transparent PMMA or polycarbonate material. The slower the tool goes on while machining, the better machine surface the part will be. For clear light guides, the last smallest tool on the optical teeth is normally the R0.15 mm which will take many hours to finish the last step. As the PMMA material is fragile and easy to break, thus will need to pay a lot of attention when proceed the machining.

As clear lighting parts are transparent, thus the most important thing is the cosmetic should be perfect. However, when the parts are over the length of CNC platform working stage, the parts will need to split, in this case, the gluing technology and polishing toward the bonding mark is super important. The best is to apply the splitting on the step areas so that the bonding mark can be covered together with the step. Then together with the polishing process, it will make the bonding mark as smallest as possible to keep the original clear cosmetic without breaking the lighting routine as well.

2. Vacuum casting clear lighting prototypes

The lighting industry now is in the progress of casting 2K parts in both black and clear material or red and clear material. To fulfill this, the first thing is the material must be the same otherwise different material will cause reaction with bubbles, then the whole casting part will be discard and need to remake, this will waste time and cause higher cost.

The masters of the 2K parts have to be in the same finish, the black lens need to paint as black first, the glue with the clear lens and make 2 silicone molds, one is the complete 2K part mold, one is the black lens mold, then we casting the black lens first, and then put the black casting lens into the silicone mold, and continue to casting the clear lens, after getting the complete 2K lens, apply mirror polish again to make the whole part in a good surface.

3. Post finishing of lighting prototypes

3.1 The first is the mirror polish on clear lighting prototypes. Except optical teeth will not do any hand work polish, other clear surface will need to apply such process after finish CNC machining. To remove the tool marks we will need to use #400 and #600 sanding paper first, then to #1000 sanding paper and even #1500 to get a good surface, the polishing paste for PMMA is special and with this can remove the sanding paper marks, and after this the final part will be completed.

3.2 The second is the post treatment. Painting is the most comment finish with different colors, for example black matte, black glossy, red glossy or clear black and clear black, all of such finish are available and professional in us, even there are some clients would like to do painting in us even they make the raw parts by their own.

3.3 The third post finish that we would like to introduce is the plating. Most of the lighting reflectors will need to do plating to improve the lighting result. The plating finish that we apply on reflectors is rich and high quality.

Competitive Advantage:

high mirror polish surface

good quality post finish

Low cost

quick lead time

Advantage:

1. High quality.
2. Competitive price.
3. Fast delivery time.
4. Variety models and specifications.
5. Professional manufacturer.

About Us

KAIAO has been a leader in Rapid Product Development (RPD) services for over 20 years. We are the earliest and the largest rapid prototyping, rapid tooling and rapid molding manufacturer in the main land of China.

We are looking forward to long term cooperation with customers, we will make best service and after sales service for all of our customers. If you have any inquiry, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will reply you at the first time as we can.

We Are Conveniently Located In Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China Near Hong Kong. Established In 1995, Kaiao Is A Prominent Supplier Of Rapid Prototyping Services, Products, & Solutions.