Something for Tamiya, Aoshima etc to think about

[Verminator]

Please read through before you start complaining its not about cars.

Just bought models of Thunderbird 1 & 2 by Bandai as a quick distraction and for the ridiculously cheap price they were from HLJ I was amazed at the idea of ' Multi colour ' parts. Not a new concept I know, all modern kits come in white, black, clear, grey etc etc but the thing that amazed me was that these multi coloured pieces of plastic were all on the same sprue, its a work of art and genious and some pretty nifty molding if you ask me. I then got to thinking that if the major players that supply our cars did the same thing then i'm sure we could have thinner boxes hence less waste (which can't be all bad) more stored in the cupbourd and the loft and for the new people and the first timers the chance to build something that looks good without too much painting. At present becouse of the way the sprues are set out and a major colour is used you always need to paint something silver on the black sprue for example, you see my point. If bandai can churn these out for 400 yen retail and still turn a profit then what could Tamiya do with the concept, cheaper models ? more purchases greater turnover, are you listening Mr T. If ive lost you with my babble then I apologise and suggest you go and buy one to see what I mean.

[Tikiman]

That sounds great. Have you got any pics for us of these wonder sprues?

[hirofkd]

The "Gundam" modelers are aware of the fact that Bandai is light-years ahead of any model kit manufacturer for the a few decades.

It's Bandai's System Injection technology, which has been around for more than 20 years. The similar technology is used in Tamiya's Porsche 962, where the windows and headlight covers are molded with the body.

This technology allows several different colors of molten plastic to be injected into one mold. It's also used for multi-material injection, like a combination of hard styrene and PVC, etc. The arm of the "Evangelion Unit 01" has a movable skeleton wrapped by soft rubber, and the whole assembly is molded as one piece.

The way this works is that a several molds are attached to a revolving disk, and different color of plastic is injected each time this mold is spun.

Result is something like this. (1/144 Strike Gundam)


Also check the second picture in this page.
http://homepage.mac.com/mibro/model/ganpla/mk2.html

Notice that the gray "178" is not done by a decal, but it's a white shoulder piece with the numbers molded open and gray styrene is added from the inside of the part. In other words, it is manufactured that way in the first place.

This can be applied to car models like a one piece multi-colored tail light, a windshield with black trim molded together, a body with embedded turning light and high-mounted stop light etc., but so far no one else but Bandai is using this technology in model kits.

[willimo]

I was quite skeptical at first, because painting would hide most parts molded in color, but Hirofkd's explanation makes it sound valuable. Things like the lights embedded in the car body sound like a nightmare of masking (though I could change my mind after seeing some clever engineering), but the single peice multi-colored taillights and the windows with black trim molded in both sound fantastic. How fine can this detail be? Sounds like it could also be a boon for instrument clusters if the color separation can be made small enough. Military, especially aircraft, modellers would benefit from this technology more than us, I imagine.

[flyonthewall]

Clever stuff but surely this technology was thought up for the benefit of modelers who don't bother to paint their models.

[sjelic]

Originally Posted by flyonthewall

Clever stuff but surely this technology was thought up for the benefit of modelers who don't bother to paint their models.

I agree but I would also like trimed windows and lights since that is the thing you should not mess up.
Personaly I like all in white.

[Verminator]

All valid comments I can agree, but the angle I was approaching this was more that it would be a great way to encorage the younger modelers to the hobby, who as everyone knows want instant gratification or they move on to something else, this I feel could be achived with existing technology. Anyone that attends any of the UK shows only has to look round at the average age of those attending to see there are far too few younger people taking an interest. I personally feel that the model companies need to take a greater interest in attracting and keeping new customers otherwise in the long run the interest may be lost forever. I don't feel that issuing a 20 year old kit with a tube of glue and a few pots of paint is going to keep this hobby alive, in the last few years there has been a decline in interest by retailers also, I am struggling to think of more than one or two good shops within a 50 mile radius of where I live and thats in the third biggest town in England!

[flyonthewall]

Start writing some letters Neil

[Guido]

as far as attracting new modelers is concerned, Revell Germany is doing some efforts with the pre-painted, snap fit, easy kit range of DTM's and rally cars.

[Honoturtle]

I originally thought that you meant each sprue is molded with all the parts that are recommended to be the same color, ex. all the flat black parts on one, silver on another, etc., this way whoever leaves the parts on the sprues and paint them will have an easier time.

But going back on topic, wouldn't this make kits more expensive? Also, I don't like the idea of multi-color lights because what if you want the turn signal lights to be red?

On the other hand, it would definatly attract more interest in younger modelers whose parents don't allow them to use spray paints.