How Audi Etches its Side Blades
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Late last month Audi revealed that R8 buyers could gain an extra degree of individualization with a new etching process that carves just about any design into the R8’s side blade. Now Audi’s UK press office has helpfully given us an insight into how the process works.
A string of tweets sent out this morning shows how the process of etching works. Although it looks a little labor intensive, it also looks remarkably simple.
The process starts with a a plastic film that has the desired design cut out of it. Someone then cuts the film to size and it’s ready to go on the side blade.
Step 1: Work starts in the Audi Individual department, where a plastic film with the individual design is cut to size #etchasketch #NewR8 http://pic.twitter.com/MSH1tLSbVh
— Audi UK Press Office (@AudiUKPress) February 7, 2017
Next the film is stuck onto the blade and steam is used to make sure that it’s well truly on and that no air bubbles are trapped under the film. Side blades may be small, but they’re made of carbon fiber, so screwing this up has consequences.
Step 2: A film is applied using steam to ensure a firm and even fixture #etchasketch #NewR8 http://pic.twitter.com/2mQIb4GJVE
— Audi UK Press Office (@AudiUKPress) February 7, 2017
Then the blade is placed in a chamber where it can be blasted with a fine powder. The powder roughens up the lacquer, creating a matte design. Even though the design is etched into the lacquer, it has no appreciable impact on the longevity of the blade, because the design is less than a tenth the thickness of a human hair. Essentially, it’s just modifying the brilliance of the paintwork.
Step 3: A fine powder is blasted over the sideblade via four nozzles in a vacuum to slightly roughen the clear lacquer #etchasketch #Audi http://pic.twitter.com/EJyo0lB5Lv
— Audi UK Press Office (@AudiUKPress) February 7, 2017
Finally, the masking is removed and the side blade is cleaned up and ready to be fitted to the car. Audi says that they can etch just about any design with this process, not just letters and words.
Step 4: Finished and ready to fit. Just 8 microns of clear coat is removed but the image creates a lasting impression #etchasketch #Audi http://pic.twitter.com/3vZeiXzP37
— Audi UK Press Office (@AudiUKPress) February 7, 2017
Audi says that it eventually wants to introduce this process to more cars in its lineup, so you may eventually get to etch any Audi you like, just remember that resale value might be affected by the giant picture of your face on the hood of your A4.
Practically any pattern can be replicated using partial matting, including crests, signatures, symbols and even photos #etchasketch #Audi http://pic.twitter.com/w1MUiw4K81
— Audi UK Press Office (@AudiUKPress) February 7, 2017
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February 7, 2017 at 03:21AM