Repair of plastic parts

Repairing plastic parts:
Cracks in the Z1’s plastic parts are a nuisance and costly if the parts have to be replaced. As an alternative, I offer repairs using a technique known as plastic welding.
I must admit, I was sceptical about this repair method at first, and my initial attempts went completely wrong. However, I have since gained some experience and am now convinced that I have found the right approach.
Whether it’s just a ‘simple’ repair of clean cracks, or whether it involves, for example, sealing antenna holes or fabricating broken or lost parts and fusing them back in place. Many of the Z1’s thermoplastic parts can certainly be saved, and a repair is definitely cheaper than buying a new one.

Recently, thanks to 3D printing, I have also been able to print lost or irreparable parts using a material made from the same thermoplastics as those used in the Z1. This means there is no risk of the materials being incompatible, and the temperature resistance of the printed parts is significantly higher than that of standard filaments such as PLA or PETG.
The sheet metal nut holders on the seat shells have already been tested and are currently available. These new holders are ‘welded’ onto the seat shell in place of the broken ones. By fusing the repair part to the shell, a highly secure connection is achieved, and as this repair is carried out on the inside of the shell, no repainting is required afterwards. 

However, I can also print inserts that allow the delicate mounting holes on the front wings (as shown in the table below and in the images above) to be repaired by fusing a larger, V-shaped, sturdy part into place. The larger contact surface automatically provides greater strength, and the thinnest part of the hole is completely reprinted, making it very sturdy once again. 

I am currently working on the hooks that sit on the lower edges of the front wings and are inserted into the rubber bushings. An initial 3D model of the hook located on the front mudguard behind the wheel arch is complete. Unfortunately, I have so far only been able to test it on a standard scrap piece of Z1 material (as I don’t have a broken mudguard). However, it holds up very, very well there. 

If you have any questions about plastic repairs, please feel free to get in touch with me via the contact form.

Vorher	Nachher

As well as the thermoplastic parts (mudguards, door panels, bumpers, seat shells) of the Z1, I am also happy to repair most of the plastic parts on motorcycle fairings.

I can also offer to replace the blind rivet joints on the lower sealing strip of the door panels with tension-free screw connections as a preventative measure.
As almost all cracks in the door panels originate from these POP rivets, the riveted joint (alongside the embrittlement of the plastic parts) is probably the main reason for the formation of these cracks in the door panels. 

If you are interested in or have any questions regarding the repair of plastic parts, simply get in touch with me via the contact form, and I can answer your questions and explain the repair options in more detail.