Re: Vacuum-formed plastic dash parts

[Franklyn Berry <us009296@mindspring.com>]

Ti & Robert,

Thanks. These pictures are enough for me to formulate a couple of questions:

a) what's the rough overall width of the unit? It appears to be 
60cm or so. 

b) what's the overall height? 20cm? how about depth [as it extends away
from the driver]? 

c) what sort of structural detail exists on the INSIDE of the 
instrumentation section? ribs or stiffeners? snap grooves for
the gauge panel? bosses for mounting screws?

d) any guess as to average part thickness?

These details will constrain the manufacturing process. If the inside
is fairly smooth [perhaps a few simple features] the panel might be
vacuum-formed over a 'prototyping' epoxy mold. If its more complex
than that, OR if the depth to fascia area ratio is high, then the
part might be made on a sprayed aluminum composite injection mold.

The former assumes extruded sheet plastic availability in an appropriate
color and finish, at an acceptable price and minimum purchase [typically
1,000 lbs].

The latter assumes one can find time on an injection molding press
of suitable size inexpensively, where the size of the press is somewhat
determined by the volume of plastic required to make the part.
AND, a market for the minimum run of parts, which is three hours worth,
or so; perhaps 50 parts. Finish is most likely smooth [not calfskin, like
the original] to keep a lid on cost.

>Franklyn Berry writes:
>> If someone will forward a picture of an ABT panel, perhaps I might 
>> be of some service.
>

At 10:30 AM 9/11/99 -0700, Ti Kan wrote:
>It's not a very good picture, but here is a pic of my 4000 dashboard
>which has the ABT unit:
>
>	http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/audi/auti1/dash.jpg
>
>Basically the ABT unit is a replacement top cover for the
>early 4000/Coupe/urQ instrunment cluster "pod"....
>
>To contrast that with a stock...
>	http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/audi/audi-misc/4kqdash2.jpg

At 05:57 PM 9/11/99 -0400, Robert Houk wrote:
>
>http://www.tiac.net/users/rdh/http/Urq/urq9.jpg
>
>The "abt" part is the three-gauge cluster/pod to the right of the
>steering wheel (the whole thing is one assembly); the stock "pod"
>pretty much cuts off along the line of the switches hidden behind the
>steering wheel....
Franklyn Berry	
Maison de Pique-Assiette
Milwaukee, WI USA	
(414) 961-1641