molding types injection (sprue, runner, gate, vent, parting line, flashing) insert, overmolding vacuum blow rotational, centrifugal slip casting vacuum, pressure assisted die, investment casting flexible, soft, short-run production mold, parts, frame, registration video vendors Smooth-On Reynolds Advanced Materials Dick Blick West Marine USG Jesmonite Chockfast Aremco Protolabs Neutec materials low-temp wax machineable wax DIY rigid foam gesso, epoxy, shrink wrap, hot air wood alginate gel urethane rubber, plastic, colorants clear rubber epoxy silicone, high-temp, PDMS, lithograhy latex thermoplastic, thermoset polymers calcium sulfate desicant, coagulant, plaster, gypsum, drywall Drystone Portland cement calcium silicate, aluminum/iron oxide, calcium sulfate Hydro-Stone Jesmonite metal Cerrotru, casting, heating, polishing aluminum, sandcasting glass ceramic food Playdough natural additives fibers (tension, compression, composites) fillers: density, conductivity, flexibility, ... processing workspace cleaning, contamination testing mixing water capacity weight vs volume consistency striations time work demold filling pouring starting vent location submerging bubbles stirring, pouring, vibrating, painting, heating, vacuum, pressure, time curing polymerization cross-linking hydration endothermic exothermic demolding draft angle release agents dilute dish soap, cooking spray, vaseline, talc, ... deformation storage shelf life safety warnings SDS ventilation protection disposal printing FFF SLA tooling speed machining surface finish rough, finish, stepover tool types flat end, ball end, bull nose extra long, long neck, tapered micro strategies cut depth, shank, collet, collision, slope software ShopBot VCarve Pro Fusion 360 Moldflow Solidworks Plastics FreeCAD mods rough finish assignment assignment assignment group assignment: review the safety data sheets for each of your molding and casting materials, then make and compare test casts with each of them compare mold making processes individual assignment: design a mold around the process you'll be using, produce it with a smooth surface finish that does not show the production process toolpath, and use it to cast parts extra credit: use more then two mold parts
