Would you consider a plastic bender as precision machining?
Plastic bender? Sorry, I don’t know much about this tool or process. I would need to know more about it to determine if its what we would consider precision machining. I would caution you though to be careful - precision machining is only one of a few issues that could be considered not acceptable fabrication methods. When we decided to put this contest together, we tried to think of a way that would level the playing field for all of the contestants. In doing so, we decided that a kit of material that was easily fabricated with ordinary tools and equipment would keep the costs down and maximize the involvement by the students. That is why we advocate “bolt on” construction techniques and also require “no precision machining”. Bending plastic sheets by heating and using a break is considered “non precision”, a specialized piece of equipment that most schools would not have access to, is not. So, our answer depends on the method or equipment needed to bend the plastic.
The method we’re using is a plastic bender. It’s a bar that heats us, then we set the lexan over it, let it become soft and bend it. There are no jigs, clamps, or anything to bend it for us. Is that “percision”, and is that legal?
Where could a team purchase a plastic bender? That sounds like a really useful machine.
-Jason
This is allowable by my account. This can be replicated by anyone with a heat gun and a break.
The bender came from: FTM Inc. 6160 Cobblestone Rd. Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 626-1986. I could not find a web page.