Office Chair Prototyping Tutorial

Here is the office chair prototyping tutorial:

I. Creating 1:1 Templates for Each Component Print the component drawings at actual size based on the CAD engineering drawings in a 1:1 ratio. Glue the drawings onto the surface of the laminate, use a band saw to cut along the drawing outlines to create the shapes, and then sand them to make large-scale templates. The template dimensions must strictly match the net dimensions of the product. When marking the lines, leave a machining allowance (usually 3-5mm) to ensure room for correction during subsequent processing.

II. Production Process for the Chair's Rear Legs

1. Template Rough Material Production: Paste the segmented rear leg drawings onto a thin board. After the glue dries, use a band saw to cut, leaving a 5mm machining allowance to obtain the rough material. Then sand it to the precise dimensions using a belt sander.
2. Square Timber Gluing: To improve the utilization rate of solid wood, short square timbers are joined into large-area panels to reduce material waste.
3. Rough Material Cutting and Allowance Handling: Mark the lines on the joined panels according to the template. Use a band saw to cut out the rough material and leave an allowance. Mark the lines again to confirm the machining range and then cut off the excess parts.
4. Planing and Sanding: First, use a planer to machine the reference surface, and then use a thickness planer for thickness adjustment. After that, sand to remove burrs and fix the two rear legs with U-shaped staples.
5. Manual Sanding of Irregular Surfaces: For the curved irregular surfaces on the front and back of the rear legs, manually adjust the tension of the sanding belt on the belt sander and place a curved template under the sanding belt for fine sanding.

III. Model Production (Seat Cushion, Backrest, and Support Frame)

1. Seat Cushion and Backrest Models: Use ABS sheets as the raw material. After shaping them through carving, sand the edges and corners into rounded corners with sandpaper.
2. Support Frame Models:
   • ABS Rods: Heat the bending area with an alcohol lamp until it softens. Bend it to the predetermined shape and then cool it to set. Spray a metallic paint on the surface.
   • ABS Tubes (Alternative Solution): Fill the tubes with sand to prevent deformation before bending.

Key Precautions:

• The machining allowance should be adjusted according to the material properties (e.g., for solid wood which is prone to shrinkage, the allowance can be appropriately increased).
• Sanding of irregular surfaces should combine the use of templates and manual operations to ensure smooth curves.
• During model production, ABS materials need to be processed by filling with sand or heating to achieve complex shapes.