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There are several modular mold pieces that you can use to create the general shape of your robot's shell. Ask one of the 152 TAs where these modular mold pieces will be kept. You are encouraged to add extra 3D printed parts or wooden pieces or create your own custom shape for your shell. Keep in mind that the vacuum former has limits for how far you can draw down the heated plastic before it rips or begins webbing. For example, don't expect to vacuum form a 6-inch cube cleanly with zero webbing. There are creative ways to minimize webbing or stack two vacuum forms together, but this will be part of your creative discovery of how vacuum forming works.
There are several modular mold pieces that you can use to create the general shape of your robot's shell. Ask one of the 152 TAs where these modular mold pieces will be kept. You are encouraged to add extra 3D printed parts or wooden pieces or create your own custom shape for your shell. Keep in mind that the vacuum former has limits for how far you can draw down the heated plastic before it rips or begins webbing. For example, don't expect to vacuum form a 6-inch cube cleanly with zero webbing. There are creative ways to minimize webbing or stack two vacuum forms together, but this will be part of your creative discovery of how vacuum forming works.
The following image shows the mold I used to attempt the shape of Darth Vader's Tie Fighter. I used the dome-shaped 3D print mold in conjunction with a scrap piece of wood that I cut and modified in the wood shop. Notice that after vacuum forming, the plastic did not draw down all the way between the dome and the two wood pieces.
What is webbing? See the following image. Webbing refers to the creases that form in the heated plastic as a result of internal stresses as the plastic is stretched over a mold. Webbing is more likely to occur if the plastic is overheated.
The following image shows the mold I used to attempt the shape of Darth Vader's tie fighter. I used the dome-shaped 3D print mold in conjunction with a scrap piece of wood that I cut in half and modified in the wood shop. Notice that after vacuum forming, the plastic did not draw down all the way between the dome and the two wood pieces.
[[File:Robot Mold Example.jpg|500px|none]]
[[File:Robot Mold Example.jpg|500px|none]]
I drew several shapes in Inkscape that would compose the features of the tie fighter. These shapes would be cut out on the vinyl cutter and act as a mask during spray painting later in the process.
After cutting away the excess plastic and smoothing the edges of the shell, I began applying the vinyl pieces to the inside of the shell.