RENPASTE™ SMP USED IN DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ITALIAN HEARSE
30 April 2004 - Huntsman Advanced Materials

This challenging project involved cutting off the rear body the car and replacing it with a brand new streamlined fibreglass body, in keeping with the vehicle’s distinctive styling yet transforming the vehicle into a contemporary hearse.

Previously, hearse manufacturers simply added a “box-shaped” rear end to a standard vehicle.

CSR developed the initial drawings and CAD data to produce the new design for the rear body. From this, they built a slightly undersized polystyrene model faced with fibreglass to increase rigidity and strength.

The polystyrene model was then covered with a 20mm layer of RenPaste SV/HV 4503, automatically dispensed thorough a meter/mixer equipment by Fuchs S.P.A one of RenShape Solutions’ distributors in Italy.

Twelve hours later, the paste model was ready for machining at CSR’s workshop, with a 5- axis Mecof milling machine. The result was a 380cm X 200cm X 170cm
full-scale model of the rear body of the car, with a smooth surface finish. The models of all the doors were made separately.

“By using RenPaste seamless modelling paste, this stage of the project was much quicker and easier than we expected,” said Claudio Magris, Commercial Manager of CSR. “In fact, the layer of paste was homogeneous, void less and had just the right consistency and density to enable us to machine the model quickly and easily. For this reason, the final hand polishing procedure was kept to a minimum. Also, the final surface finish of the model was spotless, smooth and compact, ready to be used as a master to make fibreglass/gelcoat moulds”.

When subsequently used the model to make a gelcoat plus fiberglass negative mould of the car rear body. The paste model did not crack, shrink or show any other damage as a result, the same master model will be used again to make other moulds.

Using RenPaste SV/HV 4503, CSR were able to deliver to their customer high quality, functional models in only three months from the initial styling sketches.

“From a commercial point of view”, added Claudio Magris, “the greatest benefit to us from the use of RenPaste was a considerable reduction of the time-to-market schedule. Therefore, we are looking forward to use it again in many other applications”.

RenPaste SV/HV 4503 is a seamless modelling epoxy paste. It has low density, high dimensional stability and low exothermic reaction. Virtually odour free during dispensing and cutting operations, it cures at room temperature and can be machined after 24 hours to quickly produce high quality models with excellent surface finish.

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