Introduction: Meeting the Need for Speed in Defence Manufacturing
With global defence budgets on the rise, with it it comes demand for faster, cheaper, and more adaptable manufacturing methods that can be used in the field. Drone technology in particular is seeing accelerated development—but traditional production methods for drone bodies can be slow and costly.
Using our PolyMorphic Forming process, we set out to demonstrate how a fully functional drone chassis could be designed, moulded, and assembled in under 30 minutes. The result? A practical, field-ready solution for rapid prototyping and low-volume production that’s ideal for defence applications and beyond.
From CAD to pins to Chassis: The PolyMorphic Workflow
1. Rapid Design Preparation
We began with a quick and simple drone body design. Nothing over-engineered, just a solid foundation for the sake of the demonstration. The design file was exported to our propitiatory PinPoint software to allow us to load this into the PolyMorphic Forming machine.
Key benefit: Minimal setup time and no need for complex reformatting between design and production.
2. PolyMorphic Mould Creation
After loading the file into the machine via USB, we pressed GO. In just 20 minutes the PolyMorphic Forming machine produced a fully reusable mould, accurately reflecting the CAD design we made.
Why this means for the defence indusry:
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Speed: Turnaround time can be mission-critical in the field, so speed here is everything.
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Adaptability: Iterate, over and over again, with 1 tool. This enables users to rapidly update designs without slow and rigid production methods.
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Cost efficiency: With each tool's infinite reconfigurable, the savings are massive compared with CNC machining or 3D printing moulds or tools.
Once the mould had finished forming, we removed the tool from the machine and carried it over to our vacuum former for the next stage.
3. Vacuum Forming for the Drone Body
We selected 3mm ABS due to its lightweight, strong, and cost-effective properties. Within a couple of minutes, the heated sheet was vacuum formed over the mould, producing a precise, rigid shell.
At this stage, several options are available:
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Direct part moulding: Injecting resin into the vacuum formed part for solid components.
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Vacuum-formed shells: Trim the excess ABS leaving just the chassis (the option we chose).
4. Trimming and Assembly
After trimming the shell by hand, the chassis was complete and ready for electronic components to be fitted. In a field setting, manual trimming is perfectly viable, but in a production environment, CNC trimming can be used for higher throughput.
Once you have the mould, you can produce multiple shells in rapid succession, ideal for both prototyping and small batch runs. Or should you need to iterate, you can reinsert the tool, reconfigure, then go again.
Advantages for Defence and Engineering Teams
Rapid Prototyping in the Field
PolyMorphic Forming enables design-to-part manufacturing in under an hour, making it invaluable for on-site engineering teams who can’t afford the delays of shipping parts from central facilities.
Low-Cost Tooling
Unlike CNC machining or traditional mould-making, PolyMorphic tooling is fast, inexpensive, and reusable. For projects with evolving designs, this is a major cost saver.
Material Versatility
While we used ABS for this demonstration, the process can work with a range of thermoplastics or be adapted for resin and composite moulding.
Conclusion: The Future of Agile Manufacturing
This demonstrates the power of PolyMorphic in a defense setting. A practical, field-ready technology for countless industries including where speed, adaptability and cost control are vital.
By drastically cutting lead times and enabling on-site manufacturing, PolyMorphic Forming opens the door to truly agile engineering workflows that previously were not possible.
Watch the Full Build Process
We’ve documented the entire process in a YouTube video, where Josh Shires (CEO) walks through each stage of the build and discusses the strategic benefits for defence manufacturing.