I have a connection to a vacuum forming company and a friend who build tools for them. It was a bit of a process. The first step was to build a tool. I decided that the most efficient for the job would be an aluminum tool. Basically it was only three plates of 4, 5, and 8 mm. Before we could mill the tool we had to choose the material that would be formed, as heating and cooling of different materials produces different shrinkages. This shrinkage had to be calculated before the size of the tool was known.
I needed a soft and pliable material not wanting to scratch my truck, something resistant to fuel and oil and able to withstand extreme temperature ranges. I chose a fire resistant low-density polyethylene (LDPE-FR) as the material. You can bend this material, stand on it, throw it on the table and it straightens back out.
My work lay for me. During a recent weekend I went about cutting and shaping my aluminum plates and screwed them together. I went to a nearby bead-blaster and added structure to the tool. Drill a few vacuum holes and we were ready to roll.
I was able to get the tool onto a machine during the Christmas holiday and formed a limited number of samples. They fit perfectly on tested Defenders from four different model years. I tested them with sprayed water and a few hundred kilometers including some very rough terrain, my 2km driveway. In everyway this thing is a success, everyone loved them and most of my samples are already on friend’s trucks on the road.
I then thought, hey a good business idea, I could easily produce thousands of these things a day but there is one holdup. The minimum order for this material is 1 ton – enough material for more than 10,000 parts. I know a few people that would buy these things but I don’t know if 10,000 people would even be interested in buying them.
I would like to know if you think this is a good idea and would be willing to pay a couple of quid for it. If I see a positive response maybe I’ll go to the next step and actually figure out a business plan. Thanks in advance for your input.