| As with any
rotational molding project, the challenge is to balance
the features required by the customer while keeping the
project easy to mold for the rotational molder. In
addition, you need to keep an eye towards how the tooling
will be manufactured to keep initial costs and ongoing
maintenance as low as possible.
This project required true creativity. One of the keys
to a successful design is to work closely with the molder
and mold maker to develop the product around their process
capabilities.
An outdoor advertising kiosk that incorporates speakers
to play a tape loop, it can be back-lit for graphics, on
either side of graphic area are 8-nozzles that spray a
water-mist to cool patrons and two ports so that you can
mist scent, such as popcorn or coffee. Air is pumped
around the nozzles for an enhanced cooling effect.
Ad Island Kiosk Overview
• Outdoor advertising kiosk
Features
• Speakers to play a tape loop
• Back-lit for graphics
• 8-nozzles that spray a water-mist to cool patrons
• 2-ports so that you can mist scent, such as popcorn or
coffee
• Air is pumped around the nozzles for enhanced cooling
• Handle for ease in moving
• Water-cooler shelf
• Control panel recess
On the backside is a handle to tilt the kiosk for ease
when moving. The kiosk
also features a water-cooler shelf, recess in the back for
the control panel and mold-in graphic areas on the sides
and across the front of the kiosk.
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Challenges/Issues:
The customer had developed the concept and exactly how the
product would function, but a lot of design was required.
The customer had overall general dimensions, but the
design had to fit all the specified parts without
interference, bridging and remain within the line of draw.
To ensure that there was no place to set cups to detract
from the look of the product, everything was molded
tilting away as much as possible.
This was a big project, literally, 4ft wide, 6-1/2 ft
tall. The front panel required provisions for a ¼” plexi-glass
graphic panel to slide in and be backlit and also have to
slide in a 1.5” thick, 3D moving panel similar to an
animated hologram. The pins needed to be adequately spaced
from each other and the misting face to ensure that there
was no bridging and enough room for the mold maker to
install a busing
Kiosk had to fit inside the base with .0625” clearance. A
lip was designed to hide any mismatch and also let water
drain off. The base was big with little detail – ideal for
warpage. To get around any potential problems we added a
rock texture. The texture also reduced the mold cost since
the as cast finish didn’t require polishing. Also to save
cost, the rock texture was not modeled but added into the
wooden model by the pattern maker.
The base needed to hold the correct amount of water to
feed the pump for 48 hours. In addition, the base, a
double-wall part, needed to support the weight of an 80 lb
cast iron blower/pump. Since the core, was extremely deep
the molder was concerned about the inner wall thickness,
therefore air amplifiers were specified on the mold.
The core in the base restricted the shrinkage while the
kiosk had unrestricted shrinkage. On this project, we
decided not alter dimensions but work with the mold and
the part. The first kiosk out of the mold shrank smaller
than we ever anticipated. After the molder shielded the
tool and burnished the teflon, he was able to get the part
to fit snuggly into the base.
Overall, this was a great project to work on and a
perfect fit for rotational molding.
I would welcome the opportunity to quote on any design
work that you may have. Please feel free to contact
me at
phone/fax: 330.688.1324 or
email
gstout@blue-reed.com
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