Prototype Fabrication and Fitment - Mini Cooper Intake Development, Part 2

Prototype Fabrication and Fitment - Mini Cooper Intake Development, Part 2

In our last post for this project, we went through the stock system and left you with a teaser look at our initial design plans for the filter's heat shield. We now have a functional prototype fabricated, which will soon be ready for testing. Let's go through the interesting process of how we were able to make the heat shield and pipe.

Parts Fabrication

Usually, when it comes to creating the pieces to a heat shield, our process involved measuring twice and cutting once with the use of a band-saw, shears and a bender. It was laborious and time-consuming.

With this project, we took a slightly different approach during the design and prototyping phase of our heat shield R&D. After capturing the dimensions we needed from the vehicle, a prototype design was drawn in 3D modeling software. Once completed, we used our waterjet machine to cut the shapes out of the steel metal sheets.

If you don't know about the waterjet, it is an apparatus for

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