Building a Cutaway
Visitech Communications is a professional cutaway house with skilled
and experienced technicians. We have worked with many diverse technologies
and products over the past 64 years. Our technicians have built cutaways
of every conceivable type, including motorized displays and product
demonstrators. We have worked with products as large as locomotive engines
and as small as fuel injectors.
Our vast product knowledge gives us another key advantage for supporting
our customers. Many times customers need a cutaway display but do not
have a complete product available. Not a problem. All we need are design
prints or computer files to fabricate the needed components in house
in our state-of-the-art machine shop. That comes in handy when the customer’s
model shop cannot respond fast enough to do the job. We can even build
a complete product display using only your plans.
Visitech’s parent company, Process Development Corporation, is a custom
tool and machinery builder with experience in the various engineering
disciplines. We can quickly make the prototype parts and models you
need for your exhibit. We excel at providing the highest level of quality.
Our customers have come to expect no less.
Air Conditioning Compressor
The following is an example of a cutaway procedure for a motorized
air conditioning compressor display. Many steps are involved, requiring
a great deal of attention to detail.
- Cut Lid and can for the required window of exposure.
- Stress causes deformation of the cross- sectioned area. So the can
is pressed back into the original shape, aligning it with the lid,
with no seam visible.
- Disassemble internal parts, including scroll, stator, bearing and
motor mounting parts.
- Align can vertically to prevent binding of parts and reduce noise
while the unit is rotating.
- Locate and pin upper bearing housing and stator to the housing.
- Deburr and grind all internal and external parts and cross-sectioned
cuts to ensure that no sharp edges remain.
- Grind vertical weld on the can exterior to remove visible seams.
- Remove and relocate outlet tube. Remove the hoist attachment. Hide
removal area.
- Paint surfaces, including the cut edges, inside and out, using a
three-part coating process (prime, seal and paint). The seal coat
is wet-sanded to provide an extremely smooth overall surface. The
finish coat is a two-part polyurethane paint that provides a high-gloss
and durable finish throughout the life of the display. All interior
components are clear coated.
- Color code the upper bearing housing, scroll assembly, seal and
winding using gloss black, gloss blue, argent, semi-gloss black, white,
copper, red and clear coat paints.
- Double-chrome and polish the mounting bolts for the scroll assembly
and spacers, motor shaft, scroll and base-mounting hardware.
- Polish aluminum ring.
- Assemble all internal parts within the can.
- Modify the rectifier leads to pass internally into the can.
- Attach and align the lid to the can and hide any seams.
- Cut, form and polish edges of three pieces of Plexiglas to prevent
access, avoiding injury that could be caused by internal moving parts.
- Align and install Plexiglas protection covers.
- Fabricate base from MDF board and Formica. Locate holes for lights
and switches.
- Fabricate internal mounting brackets for the transformer and motor.
- Fabricate aluminum spacers for the mounting.
- Mount timer, transformer, motor, switches and lights in the base.
- Attach perforated metal plate to the bottom of the base to allow
air circulation and protect the internal electrical components.
- Attach rubber feet to the base to prevent sliding and to reduce
operating noise of the display.
- Build custom shipping crate of ¾” BC plywood and bind it with 1/8”
X 1 ½” X 1 ½” angle iron. The crate was designed and built to stand
up to the rigors of frequent shipping and to minimize movement of
the unit inside during transit.
Note:Engineering time was required to design the wiring circuit; administrative
time was needed to order the necessary components.
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