The Weed Whipper

Several rounds of SLA prototypes were made to check the fit of the assembly. Because of a few snap fit features, a flexible SLA material was used on the bottom shield. Once the design was proven out, the challenge was to get 20 functional prototypes in 30 calendar days.

The goal was achieved using rapid tooling and RTV molding. Cast urethane was used for non-functional parts that would not be exposed to heat in excess of 220 degrees F. For the functional parts, rapid tooling was used to injection mold ABS for all the testing requirements. The bottom shrouds, the assist handle, the cap and the impeller were all created with rapid tooling.