2004 Honda Civic Si Install

Jakiii · 04-19-2007, 02:10 PM

I just finished this bezel for my Civic. I created 3D data in Alias StudioTools, then output an SLA part. I made a mold of that SLA part and cast the final piece in resin, then painted. Here are photos of the finished piece as well as screenshots of the data.

DarquePervert · 04-19-2007, 02:48 PM

Very nice.

guizai · 04-19-2007, 03:38 PM

wow. professional. Could you describe your fabrication process a bit more? What is an SLA? These are all tools you have yourself or did you get an outside company to do it? Any details you can provide would be appreciated. I would love to find a place that could design and fabricate a bezel for me. Mine is currently cut out of ABS and looks like ***,

turbocad6 · 04-19-2007, 03:51 PM

wow, that's some technique you have there, sure beats the bondo & sanding deal

I'd think that'd be way to much to do for only one piece, but man, I wish I had that kind of stuff available.... more info on it would be great! looks 110% perfect..., I'm guessing modeling stuff like this is your profession?

GoHybrid · 04-19-2007, 04:11 PM

rapid prototyping cost $5/in^3 when i was in school.... that's why i didn't do much of it.... but i'll be damned if that's not the way to make patterns. Good work man!

Jakiii · 04-19-2007, 04:58 PM

I'm an industrial designer so I have some practice making parts. Rapid prototyping is basically 3D output of a computer model, like an inkjet printer that works in the third dimension. It's not cheap to make something this way, especially if you're only making one of them, but I have resources at work I can call upon. The skill is knowing how to model parts in the computer, but there is a fair amount of old world technique behind that paint, Bondo, sanding, etc.

N6BER · 04-19-2007, 05:11 PM

Looks very very nice but that's not a US version of the 2004 Civic SI is it. I have a 2004 Civic GX and the center console is a quite different.

Jakiii · 04-19-2007, 05:28 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by guizai

wow. professional. Could you describe your fabrication process a bit more? What is an SLA? These are all tools you have yourself or did you get an outside company to do it? Any details you can provide would be appreciated. I would love to find a place that could design and fabricate a bezel for me. Mine is currently cut out of ABS and looks like ***,

GUIZAI,

SLA is an acronym for stereo Stereolithography. Wiki it and you'll get a better description than I can offer. The process is this:
1) Get your hands on the factory mass-production data (computer model) of the center panel in your vehicle.
2) Spend a few years becoming proficient in a CAD surfacing software such as Catia, Alias, 3D StudioMax, Rhino, etc.
3) Model your bezel in the computer. Give yourself a .5mm gap between your part and the center panel, make nice highlights, nice fillets, and create backside to you part that matches the screen you're using. In my case I measured screw bosses and stoppers from the Lilliput housing my screen came out of.
4) Output your model in 3D using SLA or FDM or CNC process. Depending on your material this could be your finished part. In my case the material would warp in the sun. So proceed to step 5)
5) Dry-fit your part into your vehicle, make any necessary changes. Finish out your RP (rapid prototype) part with primer to 600 grit sandpaper. The A-surface of this part should be ready to paint, but you will not paint it. Proceed to step 6.
6) Gain access to a casting shop that has RTV Silicone and a nice vacuum chamber. You should apprentice in this shop for a few months because molds are tricky. Make a silicone mold of your RP part paying special attention to the A-surface which you sanded in step 5. The silicone will pick up whatever resolution you sanded to.
7) Pour polyester resin into your mold to produce the finished part.
8) Pour another part because you got too many air bubbles in the first one.
9) Repeat step 8 until you get a good part. Also, go back to step 6 and put on your respirator and gloves.
10) paint and install. If you made a nice mold and resin part, there will be no sanding required. Every part you pour from the mold will be ready for paint. Or you can cast a colored part, or a clear part, or a part with sparkle glitter if that's your thing.

I guess I should have taken photos along the way...

Jakiii · 04-19-2007, 05:34 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by N6BER

Looks very very nice but that's not a US version of the 2004 Civic SI is it. I have a 2004 Civic GX and the center console is a quite different.

It is a US civic. My center panel is identical to yours but the Si has the lower shifter panel where yours has a switch panel and console. As far as I know this center panel is common to all EP civics (2001-2005).

MatrixPC · 04-19-2007, 06:05 PM

That is one freaking awsome work.

guizai · 04-19-2007, 06:23 PM

I knew it was that easy.

Thanks for the info, time to go to school for some 3D work!

GoHybrid · 04-19-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Jakiii

1) Get your hands on the factory mass-production data (computer model) of the center panel in your vehicle

how well connected must you be to get your hands on that? who do you even ask?

N6BER · 04-20-2007, 02:17 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Jakiii

It is a US civic. My center panel is identical to yours but the Si has the lower shifter panel where yours has a switch panel and console. As far as I know this center panel is common to all EP civics (2001-2005).

The controls and radio area look the same but the emergency flasher is also down in the shifter area where mine is between the air vents.

We had some SLA's done at another company I worked for but I don't remember what they cost. Just for grins, what would it cost you to run some more?

turbocad6 · 04-20-2007, 02:39 PM

once the work is done, I would imagine pumping out copies is cheap, but to have something like this done from scratch for you for 1 piece has to be major big $$$$$$$$ no doubt,

I'd have to guess well over $500 considering all involved, & I wouldn't be too surprised if it was several times that really

if this kinda thing was affordable & practical on a one-off basis I could think of a ton of things I'd love to have done.... I think the only reason this one got done this way is because this guy just happens to be in a situation where he has these resorces available to him at his job... man, that must be nice

Jakiii · 04-20-2007, 05:00 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by turbocad6

once the work is done, I would imagine pumping out copies is cheap, but to have something like this done from scratch for you for 1 piece has to be major big $$$$$$$$ no doubt,

I'd have to guess well over $500 considering all involved, & I wouldn't be too surprised if it was several times that really

Many Rapid Prototyping vendors are sprouting up that will make a one-off piece for you. I will try to get a direct quote but I'm guessing a bezel would cost about $200 - $300 output in ABS plastic. This would save having to make a mold because ABS can be used directly in a vehicle. I wanted to make more than one part so I made the mold. But the potential exists for hobbyists like us to create 3D CAD parts and output them through vendors like XPRESS 3D: http://www.xpress3d.com/

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