I have been reading the blogs trying to find out more on the manufacturing process for the Barber Osgerby (beautiful) olympic torch.
First impression is that the outer skin is made in sintered metal and then somehow polished and plated, although i don’t see how the holes wouldn’t look jagged. Any ideas on how it’s made? some sort of awesome seamless sheet metal forming technique?
Of course another possibility is that there IS a seam, but they don’t show that facet.
Maybe bepster has a better idea, but here is my shot at it.
From Dezeen:
Design: The Torch is made up of four key pieces – an inner and an outer aluminium alloy skin perforated by 8,000 circles that are held in place by a cast top piece and base.
I would go for hydroformed or airformed tubular skins (like a bike frame), then use photomasking and chemical machining for the holes after the ends were joined, then plate with gold. Logo would be a separate badge.
They took a piece of gold, machined it, and took a machine gun to it.
I have no idea, and nxakt is probably right.
Yep, that sounds plausible, although you would have to apply a 2d sticker to the 3d surface for the photomasking, which would be quite tricky, or is there another way?
The machine gun solution would surely be the most fun.