How do they make model kits?

try Bandai. They (at least in thier DVD's of their highly popular TV series) have a video montage set to music of how the models are desinged, sketched out, created in CAD/CAM, milled, machined, tooled and molded, then sorted and packed.  Its a great piece of video that highlights thier Japanese factory which is pretty much state of the art.

 Also many moons ago Finescale Magazine did a report on the Revell factory. At that time a Camero and some Batman related items were being produced and highlighted in the molding process.

Both of these revolve aroun scale plastic injected (the most common type) kits. 

Vacuform, resin and metal kits are created under different proceses than injected kits.

 HTH

David

David,

Thanks for the great tip!  I'm going to check that out for sure.  I just got a new job doing Pro/E solid modeling with plastics and I'll be helping to model some prototype parts.  Like I said, I know (on paper) all the processes but I just thought it would be neat to see how the model airplane, car, etc makers produce their kits.

Thank you again,

Eric

Many years ago I toured the AMT plant in Dyersville, Iowa and saw how kits were made and packaged.
After seeing the process and how many people were involved in it, I had a better understanding of why kits cost so much. The process started with bags of plastic pellets poured into a melting pot ( for the lack of a better term). The melted plastic was injected in the molds. Each tree was molded in a different machine. After each piece was molded, it was inspected and placed on a conveyer belt. The parts for the complete kit traveled along the conveyor belt to the packaging area. Each tree was put onto the belt by a different person. Then the packing process started. One person opened the box. Each tree was placed into the box by a different person. One person then put in the decal sheet and another the instruction sheet. The final person put the cover on. Then it went to an area where it was wrapped and ready to go to the shipping area. It took 10 to 12 people to pack one kit. At the time AMT was unionized. Nothing against unions but I believe this is why the kits cost so much because it took so many people to package each kit. Cameras were not allowed so I could not take any photographs.

Hi Gordon,

That was pretty interesting.  I was quite surprised to hear you describe how each step involved an actual person!  I wonder how much of it (throughout the industry in general) is robotic now rather than "human".

I wonder if Revell still manufactures anything in Illinois.  I'm in WI so I thought of taking a trip down there to see the works.  I guess I have to start contacting the companies directly to see if they offer tours.

Thanks!

Eric

The article in FSM was back in 1997

Most manufactering is done in China these day's

I may be wrong but as far as I can tell Glencoe is the only one still made in the U S

Thad

Just on a side note, I wonder if the people working on the line at the model plant fully realize that the kits they're making will go to some kid who, upon building the kit, will fall in love with it and have a hobby which will last a lifetime.

Just an idle thought.

Eric

I temped at an injection molding plant that was making plastic construction items.  The plastic-injection machines I worked on looked just like the ones features in the FSM article a few years back.  They are tall and narrow, and I had to check all the guages on the machine frequently to be sure all was working properly.  We also used plastic pellets that were fed into a hopper with various colors available. 

Dave 

Here's a good article I found on the web:

http://www.answers.com/topic/toy-model-kit

 I'm often facinated by the fact that sculptors and engineers concive and construct a model (nowa days on computer)then take it apart into several pieces,manufacture it and millions(hopefully)of us assemble the product into subjects we can be proud of.lots of tolerances that are stricly adhered to by some companys.kinda fun to put a kit together where all ya need is glue,paint,and decals.

Hey, maybe contact John Ratzenberger of the  Made In America TV Show.

How Its Made on the Science Channel/Discovery Channel

Season 4/episode 2  (according to IMDB)

They're in season 9 right now,   but the show is always in reruns