Thermoforming as Rapid Prototyping Strategy of Fishing Lures

Abstract:

Conventional hard-bait lure prototyping relies on manual shaping, full-body additive manufacturing or early-stage injection moulding, each associated with limitations in geometric repeatability, development time or tooling cost. This paper evaluates a hybrid approach combining thermoformed PETG outer shells with additively manufactured internal frames to produce batches of geometrically consistent lure bodies with tuneable internal mass layouts. Across several educational development projects, the process enabled fast replication of outer form, systematic variation of ballast and harness configuration, and prototype assembly suitable for qualitative hydrodynamic observation. Compared with full additive manufacturing or manual crafting, the method reduced fabrication effort for multi-variant batches and delivered mould-like surface quality. Joining reliability of shell halves emerged as the dominant limitation, with elastic polyurethane adhesives outperforming brittle cyanoacrylate and poorly controllable low-energy fusion. The results position thermoforming as a methodologically valuable prototyping tool where external geometry is stable but internal behaviour requires iterative adjustment. Future work should address seam design, cage-shell tolerances and sealing repeatability to support quantitative hydrodynamic testing and assess whether the process has potential beyond prototyping applications.

• Periodical: Defect and Diffusion Forum (Volume 451)
• Pages: 11-22
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-4Gy9SE
• Online since: April 2026
• Authors: Andreas Loth*, Ralf Förster, Jan Rösler
• Keywords: Fishing Lures, Prototyping, Thermoforming

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