How Transfomers are Made?

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by gabumon, May 23, 2008.

  1. gabumon

    gabumon papertoy designer

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    Has anyone seen any documentary (Mr. Rogers neighborhood even!) on how transformers are produced?, especially the post-design production parts. I'd love to learn how they are put together on the assembly line, are they all hand assembled? are they robot assembled? Maybe the Discovery channel? pbs or TLC?
     
  2. diablien

    diablien Banned

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    These are all hand assembled. And hopefully not by children.

    I have felt that a documentary on such a subject is necessary.

    For instance, if you did it right, you could start the film by showing botcon and people clamoring over the exclusive figures which are repaints / remolds of other figures.

    Then flash back to how the figure was created from start to finish. Show the idea process, the mold making process in China, the back and forth, and the final assembly and how long it takes to make 1000+ of these figures.

    Would be interesting indeed and change a lot of people's mind on these toys.

    There is not a "robot" that puts together your animated bumblebee. That would be far more complex than building the toy in the first place.
     
  3. Abrogate

    Abrogate Nondescript Former Poster

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    when a mommy transformer and a daddy transformer love each other very much, Aaron Archer comes along and has sex with them
     
  4. Jeremy.B

    Jeremy.B Leader Blackout LIVES!!!

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    :lol  bleh. That is gross, man, gross..

    Actually, these elves in this big tree bake....oh, wrong documentary.

    They are made in Santa's sweatshop by 6 yr old orphans.
     
  5. Geminii

    Geminii Toyetic multiformophile

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    I would have thought automated assembly would be faster, more accurate, and able to work 24/7. Maybe not cheaper, though...
     
  6. Backscatter

    Backscatter Autobot Brainmaster TFW2005 Supporter

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    I'd just like to see the concept and design stages of Transformers. Computers and some heavy duty CAD programs must be used. Some group of experts (for lack of a better descriptor) must evaluate the prototypes. I think these steps alone would make an awesome DVD.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2008
  7. Ramrider

    Ramrider TF Art Lad

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    Once it's set up, possibly. But considering all the different pieces that have to go together, the robots would have to be programmed with a lot of highly precise motions, and that's for each Transformer mould designed. Seems a lot more efficient to just pay a few people who can see what they're doing.

    And yeah, I have to say, I'd love to see some kind of presentation on the process myself. We see little snippets here and there occasionally, but a mini-doc on the whole process, maybe start-to-finish of a single Transformer, from concept design to packaging, would be brilliant.
     
  8. gabumon

    gabumon papertoy designer

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    Glad to hear I'm not the only one who'd appreciate a behind-the-scenes Tf show. Maybe I'll snoop around hasbro.com and find an email address to suggest this to. Or...maybe tfw2005 should send a film crew to tour their factory.!!!!! :)  ...admins...are you listening?
     
  9. netkid

    netkid Where's my Goddamn shoe!

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    Ask the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" or "Some Assembly Required" to do it.
     
  10. lars573

    lars573 Well-Known Member

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    Since TF's aren't made in Quebec "How it's made" is out. :D 
     
  11. juise

    juise TFW2005 Token Negro

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    That's a damn good idea. I'm sure if we all sent the request they'd pick it up.
     
  12. Valkysas

    Valkysas Attack Buffalo

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    Nope, they're hand-sculpted, according to what hasbro says.
     
  13. bobby_C

    bobby_C Well-Known Member

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    Probably not entirely anymore, because I remember that in a somewhat recent Transformers featurette, possibly on the TF movie DVDs, when they talk about Hasbro you can see a guy working on the movie Optimus leader toy in a CAD program.

    EDIT: there:
    [​IMG]
    Searching a bit on google identified the CAD software Hasbro uses as Pro/ENGINEER.
    You can also see some pieces being created by a CNC milling machine in the previous shot.

    That being said, thanks to the various interviews and presentations we have we do know a whole lot of the design process is made on paper. I suspect CAD is for the final design phases, and probably in combination with a few hand-sculpted parts.
     
  14. Ramrider

    Ramrider TF Art Lad

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    I would assume that CAD is used for designing more technical and functioning components, that need to be precise. Things like gear mechanisms, joints and gimmicks would be a nightmare to work out by hand, and the work it'd take to achieve the fine detail you'd need would be far more prohibitive than just programming it in CAD and milling it.
    On the other hand, surface work and detailing would probably best done by hand; this is particularly true of organic-style alt-modes obviously, but just as sensible for other things too.
     
  15. Batman

    Batman The Dark Knight TFW2005 Supporter

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    I'd love to see a documentary from design to toy shelves. Everything from coming up with the idea, designing the figure, legal limitations, cost limitations, creating the molds, mass production etc. It would be very cool to see.
     
  16. bobby_C

    bobby_C Well-Known Member

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    Well, the thing that approaches it the most currently is the botcon panels and Hasbro visit, which are pretty informative if simple.
     
  17. diablien

    diablien Banned

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    I kind of find it sad that people have to put these together under the pretense of somewhat slave labor in China.

    But I assume the people building Hasbro toys have it better than the people in the knock off factories. Who knows though
     
  18. bobby_C

    bobby_C Well-Known Member

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    Well, it's a choice between better work conditions and low price. Can't have both.
     
  19. MEGATR0N

    MEGATR0N New Member

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    my guess would be 90% production line 10% human
     
  20. Eric

    Eric VOTE.

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    Epic win. :lolol 

    But yeah, I think it's machines that make the toys. I guess there's SOME human labor, but not much.