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Printing vs Machining Mold

Plese find my group assignment page here for an overview outlook of our molding and casting process.

Reflection

Based on our group exercise, I know that both 3D printing molds and machining molds have their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

3D Printing Mold Making

Pros:

  • Rooms for customization & rapid protoyping: What I like from this process is the fact that we can iterate and change our design in case things go wrong. And with the mold construction method that we use as I also explained in my page, it allows us to reuse the same mold box over and over again if we want to change the design. 3D printing mold making technique enables us to rapid prototyping, allowing for quick iterations and modifications to the mold design without the need for costly tooling changes.
  • Reduced room for technical errors: with machining, many things can go wrong, we might broke our endmill, we might apply the wrong setting, etc. I find this process to be more intimidating and requires full focus and attention as we’re dealing with machine. But using 3d printing molding making method, we don’t have to be as precise.
  • Cost-Effective for Low Volume: For low-volume production runs, 3D printing can be more cost-effective than machining, as it eliminates the need for expensive tooling and setup processes.
  • Reduced Material Waste: With 3D printing, material waste is minimized since only the material necessary for building the mold is used, unlike machining where excess material is often removed.

Cons:

  • Surface Finishing Time: Require post-processing for smooth finishes. This would be a problem if wew would like ro produce larger materials.
  • Limited Materials: Fewer material options.
  • Size Limitations: Limited by printer size; large molds may need assembly

Machining Mold Making

Pros:

  • High Precision: Machining can achieve extremely high levels of precision and surface finish, making it suitable for molds that require tight tolerances and smooth surface finishes.
  • Wide Range of Materials Selection: Machining allows for the use of a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, and composites

Cons:

  • Time-consuming: Well maybe the milling part is not that time consuming, but if we take into account the process of generating the toolpath and machining in total, I would say machining molds can be a more time-consuming process, especially for complex designs, as it involves the removal of material through milling, turning, or other machining operations.
  • High rooms for errors: with all the machining steps and tooling that needs to be precise, there are many possibilities where things can go wrong, like broken endmill.

In the end, each method offers its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the optimal choice will vary depending on the specific needs of the project. Personally, I found the 3D Printing molding process to be more enjoyable, offering more room for customization and adjustment according to our needs. While the process may take longer than milling with a machine, it is much more relaxing and fun. Machining involves numerous potential issues that can arise, making it more stressful. So, despite the longer time commitment, the more leisurely and customizable nature of 3D printing mold making offers a much more desirable process and promising outcome.