Views: 37 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2021-07-08 Origin: Site
In the fast-paced automotive industry, rapid manufacturing is the backbone of successful R&D. KAIAO is a premier automotive rapid prototyping manufacturer, providing integrated solutions for full-vehicle trial production.
We help Tier-1 suppliers and OEMs reduce development costs, optimize product designs, and shorten time-to-market. Whether you need CAD model visualization, functional testing, or low-volume trial production runs, our advanced rapid prototyping and manufacturing (RP&M) technologies—including 5-Axis CNC machining, SLA/SLS 3D printing, and Vacuum Casting—ensure your automotive components meet strict industry standards before mass production.
I. Professional SLA & SLS 3D Printing for Automotive PartsLaser rapid prototyping eliminates the need for costly tooling, drastically improving manufacturing flexibility.
High Accuracy: Tolerances up to 0.1mm/100mm.
Complex Geometries: Ideal for manufacturing highly intricate designs, thin-wall structures, and fine details that CNC cannot achieve.
Fast Turnaround: High-speed layer scanning (0.1-0.15mm) ensures quick delivery.
II. Multi-Axis CNC Machining for Precision Auto ComponentsOur advanced computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and multi-axis CNC machining centers deliver production-grade parts directly from solid material blocks.
Material Versatility: Process a wide range of materials including ABS, POM (Delrin), PMMA (Acrylic), Nylon (PA), PC, Aluminum, Magnesium, and Zinc alloys.
Production-Quality Finish: Perfect for parts requiring high strength, strict tolerances, and superior surface finishes (painting, electroplating, sandblasting) that rival final molded products.
III. Vacuum Casting for Low-Volume Vehicle Trial ProductionAlso known as silicone molding, this is the perfect solution for functional testing and small-batch trial production without the cost of steel molds.
Materials: High-performance Polyurethane (PU) resins that simulate ABS, PP, Nylon, clear PMMA/PC, soft rubber (40-90 Shore D), and high-temperature resistance (up to 150°C).
Casting Size & Accuracy: Can cast large parts up to 2000x1200x1000mm with standard accuracy of ±0.20mm/100mm.
Efficiency: Silicone molds typically yield 10-20 high-quality copies.
IV. RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) for Large Exterior Car PartsLow-pressure Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) is ideal for large, thick-walled, or uneven-walled automotive body components like bumpers and panels.
Materials: Two-component PU (similar to PP/ABS), featuring strong impact resistance and anti-aging properties.
Capacity: Can mold massive parts up to 2000x1200x1000mm and up to 10KG.
Fast Curing: 15-30 minutes per piece, followed by optimal heat curing for maximum performance.
Accuracy is non-negotiable in automotive rapid prototyping. KAIAO utilizes the Platinum FaroArm 2.4m (accuracy ±0.03mm) for comprehensive quality inspection. We compare 3D digital models with molded samples to ensure all precision CNC machined components and vacuum casting prototypes meet the strict geometric tolerances required for vehicle trial production.
The following is the rapid prototyping production process of various auto parts
Car lights production process
1) Prototype: CNC processing, the lamp holder and reflector decoration parts are made of ABS or PC board, and the lampshade is made of PMMA board.
2) Mold: Silicone mold.
3) Note type: Vacuum injection type, the lamp holder and reflector decoration parts are made of PU resin Hei-cast8150 (like ABS material);
The lampshade material is PU resin AXSON-PX521HT (transparent heat-resistant high-strength material).
4) Post-processing: painting\vacuum coating.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, three-coordinate inspection.
6) Precision control:
Prototype parts: main positioning hole ±0.3mm, general mounting hole ±0.5mm, other dimensions ±0.8mm.
Note type parts: main positioning hole ±0.5mm, general mounting hole ±0.8mm, other dimensions ±1.2mm.
Car dashboard manufacturing process
1) Prototype: CNC machining, material is ABS plate.
2) Mold: A surface is characterized by epoxy resin mold, and the structure of B surface is a silicone mold.
3) Injection type: vacuum injection type, the material is PU resin Hei-cast8150 (like ABS material).
4) Post-treatment: sandblasting\painting\coating.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, three-coordinate measurement.
6) Precision control:
Prototype parts: main positioning hole ±0.3mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, other sizes ±1.0mm/1000mm.
Note type parts: main positioning hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.8mm/1000mm, other dimensions ±1.5mm/1000mm.
Manufacturing process of front and rear bumper of automobile
1) Prototype: CNC machining, material is ABS plate.
2) Mold: Epoxy resin mold or ABS mold.
3) Note type: low pressure infusion, the material is PU resin HD-RIM4210/1100, DCP-RIM, AXSON-RIM 875/900.
4) Post-processing: sandblasting\painting.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, three-coordinate measurement.
6) Precision control:
Prototype parts: main positioning hole ±0.3mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, other sizes ±1.0mm/1000mm.
Note type parts: main positioning hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.8mm/1000mm, other dimensions ±1.5mm/1000mm.
Manufacturing process of automobile air conditioner
1) Prototype: CNC machining, material is ABS plate. Some parts (such as dials, tie rods) are made of POM material.
2) Mold: Silicone mold.
3) Injection type: vacuum injection type, the material is PU resin Hei-cast8150 (like ABS material).
4) Post-processing: sandblasting\painting.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, assembly assembly inspection.
6) Precision control: prototype: ±0.15mm/100mm. Note type parts: ±0.20mm/100mm.
Car door and guard plate production process
1) Prototype: CNC machining, material is ABS plate.
2) Mold: Silicone mold.
3) Injection type: vacuum injection type, the material is PU resin Hei-cast8150 (like ABS material).
4) Post-processing: sandblasting\painting.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, three-coordinate measurement.
6) Precision control:
Prototype parts: main positioning hole ±0.3mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, other sizes ±1.0mm/1000mm.
Note type parts: main positioning hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.8mm/1000mm, other dimensions ±1.5mm/1000mm.
Inlet panel production process
1) Prototype: CNC machining, material is ABS plate.
2) Mold: Silicone mold.
3) Injection type: vacuum injection type, the material is PU resin Hei-cast8150 (like ABS material).
4) Post-processing: sandblasting\painting\plating.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, three-coordinate measurement.
6) Precision control:
Prototype parts: main positioning hole ±0.3mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, other sizes ±1.0mm/1000mm.
Note type parts: main positioning hole ±0.5mm/1000mm, general mounting hole ±0.8mm/1000mm, other dimensions ±1.5mm/1000mm.
Air duct and air outlet manufacturing process
1) Prototype: CNC machining, material is ABS plate.
2) Mold: Silicone mold with paraffin wax model cavity.
3) Injection molding: vacuum injection molding, one-time injection molding of integral samples. The material is PU resin Hei-cast8150 (like ABS material).
4) Post-processing: sandblasting\painting.
5) Inspection: splicing tooling and jigs, assembly assembly inspection.
6) Precision control: prototype: ±0.15mm/100mm. Note type parts: ±0.20mm/100mm.
CCB bracket production process
1) Production: CNC machining, the material is aluminum alloy.
2) Post-treatment: sandblasting\oxidation.
3) Inspection: positioning fixture, three-coordinate measurement.
4) Precision control:
The main positioning hole is ±0.3mm/1000mm, the general mounting hole is ±0.5mm/1000mm, and other dimensions are ±1.0mm/1000mm.
Intake Manifold Manufacturing Process
In order to ensure as much as possible the special requirements of the parts such as impact strength and air tightness, vacuum injection molding is used for overall overmolding.
Specific steps are as follows:
1) Make ABS molds that can disappear models. CNC machining the ABS mold of the inner cavity of the intake manifold, and the inner wall of the mold cavity is polished and polished.
2) Make a disappearable model. Using the above-mentioned mold, vacuum injection molding is used, and industrial paraffin wax with high melting point is used for injection molding. The molded wax model is the core of the inner cavity of the intake manifold. As shown below.
3) Prototype the ontology. CNC machined the prototype of the shape of the intake manifold (solid model). When making, increase the wall thickness of the part to 6mm as much as possible to increase the impact resistance of the part.
4) Make the body silicone mold. Use the body prototype to remake the silicone mold.
5) Vacuum injection. The wax mold core formed in the second step is fixed in the body silicone mold, and the high temperature resistant material YU-Heng5236 polyurethane is used for vacuum injection molding. The molded part is not only the intake manifold body containing the wax mold core, and then the parts are heated to above 90°C in the baking furnace to decompose the wax mold core at high temperature, melt and flow out, and the production is completed.
6) Material description (with photos):
YU-Heng5236A/B is a polyurethane resin infusion glue with high temperature resistance. The viscosity of the resin is low after mixing and the use time is long. This is conducive to easy pouring and good gloss after hardening. It is also a kind of resin with good weather resistance, which is not easy to be brittle when the temperature is lower than minus 20 ℃. It is also an excellent heat insulation, sound insulation and insulation material. The main physical properties are as follows:
Tensile strength: 20-25KG/CM²
Bending strength: 5-7KG/CM²
Impact resistance: 10-15KG/CM²
Heat distortion temperature: 150℃
