Fighter Helicopter Redesign for Simplified Manufacturing
The client owned a fighter helicopter purchased from abroad and wanted to develop a manufacturable product inspired by its design.
Fighter Helicopter Redesign for Simplified Manufacturing
The client owned a fighter helicopter purchased from abroad and wanted to develop a manufacturable product inspired by its design.
Highlight(s)
Services
Mold Design
Industry
Plastic
Highlight(s)
Services
Mold Design
Industry
Plastic
Challenge(s)
The original helicopter design could not be directly copied due to design originality and manufacturing constraints. Additionally, the complex geometry resulted in multiple components and required molds with sliders and lifters, increasing tooling complexity and cost. To redesign the helicopter while preserving its overall visual character, ensuring the design was sufficiently differentiated, reducing the number of components, and simplifying the mold design to eliminate sliders and lifters.
The original helicopter design could not be directly copied due to design originality and manufacturing constraints. Additionally, the complex geometry resulted in multiple components and required molds with sliders and lifters, increasing tooling complexity and cost. To redesign the helicopter while preserving its overall visual character, ensuring the design was sufficiently differentiated, reducing the number of components, and simplifying the mold design to eliminate sliders and lifters.
Deliverie(s)
ANDYSIS adopted a redesign-with-respect approach. The original helicopter was studied to understand proportions and design language without copying details. The design was reworked to reduce part count and simplify geometry. With client involvement during key stages, undercuts were eliminated and the design was optimized for straight-pull molding, enabling slider- and lifter-free molds. The Process Followed: 1. Study of the original helicopter for design inspiration and functional understanding. 2. Redesign of external features to maintain character while ensuring originality. 3. Reduction of components to minimize mold count. 4. Mold feasibility analysis and identification of slider/lifter requirements. 5. Design simplification to enable straight-pull molding. 6. Iterative design reviews with the client for on-the-go approvals A redesigned helicopter model was successfully developed that retained the visual essence of the original while being clearly differentiated. The final design required fewer components, used simplified molds without sliders or lifters, and significantly reduced tooling cost and manufacturing complexity.
ANDYSIS adopted a redesign-with-respect approach. The original helicopter was studied to understand proportions and design language without copying details. The design was reworked to reduce part count and simplify geometry. With client involvement during key stages, undercuts were eliminated and the design was optimized for straight-pull molding, enabling slider- and lifter-free molds. The Process Followed: 1. Study of the original helicopter for design inspiration and functional understanding. 2. Redesign of external features to maintain character while ensuring originality. 3. Reduction of components to minimize mold count. 4. Mold feasibility analysis and identification of slider/lifter requirements. 5. Design simplification to enable straight-pull molding. 6. Iterative design reviews with the client for on-the-go approvals A redesigned helicopter model was successfully developed that retained the visual essence of the original while being clearly differentiated. The final design required fewer components, used simplified molds without sliders or lifters, and significantly reduced tooling cost and manufacturing complexity.
