Rapid Prototypes Go Hollywood in Transformers 2:
Revenge of the Fallen
2010 Chevy Camaro Pre-Production Bumblebee Source: worldcarfans.com
When we first received the request to create the prototypes, we had no idea how they would eventually be used. Normally it is nice to see a vehicle on the road, consumer product in the store or even a medical device and know that you played a part in bringing the concept to reality. It’s even more fun to see a product you had a part in creating up on the big screen.
Transformers was a major film, and Transformers 2 – Revenge of the Fallen was just as big of a hit movie. You can imagine our surprise in seeing the pre-production 2010 Chevy Camaro in the movie as the Autobot character Bumblebee.
What is Bumblebee?
Bumblebee is an Autobot who along with fellow Autobots are on Earth in search of the powerful All Spark. They lost it in a war with Decepticons who used it to destroy the Autobot’s home planet. Now they are on Earth trying to find the All Spark in order to use it to rebuild their home Cybertron and prevent the Evil Decepticons from using the All Spark to obliterate all Autobots.
Bumblebee while on Earth disguises his true Autobot form. In the first Transformers movie he chose to be disguised as a old 1969 Chevy Camaro. In Transformers 2 Bumblebee uses the pre-production 2010 Chevy Camaro as his disguise.
The Actual Plastic Prototype Program
2010 Chevy Camaro
Originally the three plastic components were for the GMX 511 platform. This is better known as the 2010 Chevy Camaro. They were to be used to form the center stack console of gages. The gages were for oil pressure, battery voltage, oil temperature and transmission temperature.
The Inner Retainer component was to be highly visible to the end user so it was given a Class A surface finish. The two other components were given Class B surface finishes due to their being hidden inside the console.
Aluminum Tooling and Resin
2010 Chevy Camaro Interior Center Stack | ABS | Noryl
We used a 7075 grade of Aluminum to create the individual molds for these three plastic parts. Two parts were made out of Black ABS material. The remaining component was made out of White Noryl.
| Description | CAD Model | Finished Prototype |
|---|---|---|
| Inner Retainer |  |
 |
| Black ABS Resin | ||
| Class A Surface Finish | ||
| Single Cavity Prototype | ||
| 7075 Aluminum Mold | ||
| mid housing |  |
 |
| white noryl resin | ||
| class b surface finish | ||
| single Cavity prototype | ||
| 7075 aluminum mold | ||
| back cover |  |
 |
| black abs resin | ||
| class b surface finish | ||
| single Cavity prototype | ||
| 7075 aluminum mold | ||
