Factory Body Designs

[xgreenlepx]

This is always something I wondered, so was hoping someone here may know the process. My questions is, how are the factory/mass produced bodies painted? Are they digitally printed on the lexan before being molded? I would assume no, since the lexan has to be heated and stretched.

I can see some that have an abstract design being hydrodipped, but that has its own issues and some bodies are too detailed with the exact design placement on the body for that process.

Maybe its a very simple answer and I am overthinking it, but I never really understood the process.

 

[Gt rubicon]

I’m interested in knowing myself, kinda have always wondered since they seem more durable also

 

[slick2500]

I remember reading it once but I can't remember where are what they did. I want to say they are screen printed on the bodies but I'm probably wrong.

 

[xgreenlepx]

So, I reached out to the lead body designer at HPI and he said that the designs are printed onto the lexan before being vacuum formed. I was surprised. I definitely thought the ink/paint would have issues when the lexan was heated up.

 

[Jerry-rigged]

So, I reached out to the lead body designer at HPI and he said that the designs are printed onto the lexan before being vacuum formed. I was surprised. I definitely thought the ink/paint would have issues when the lexan was heated up.

It does deform, but with a little bit of experience you know which direction it is going to deform into, and how much it will stretch. Then you design that into your print. Also, photo editing software is very good at removing distortions. So I bet it is not difficult for it to add in the proper distortions. This way they designer can work on a 3D model of the body, paint it just how they want, and then the software will flatten the paint job with the proper distortions for it to stretch back into the correct shape while molding.

I bet the Designs look awfully strange while they are flat, before molded.

Also worth noting, this is probably why windows are always stickers and not really molded into the body.

 

[xgreenlepx]

It does deform, but with a little bit of experience you know which direction it is going to deform into, and how much it will stretch. Then you design that into your print. Also, photo editing software is very good at removing distortions. So I bet it is not difficult for it to add in the proper distortions. This way they designer can work on a 3D model of the body, paint it just how they want, and then the software will flatten the paint job with the proper distortions for it to stretch back into the correct shape while molding.

I bet the Designs look awfully strange while they are flat, before molded.

Also worth noting, this is probably why windows are always stickers and not really molded into the body.

I did always wonder about why the windows were typically never clear. He did explain that they do adjust the design to make up for the distortion. I was more concerned about the ink/pain melting into the soft plastic, but I guess it just stays on top when the plastic is heated up.