Week 14: Molding and Casting¶

Week 14 Assignment:

Group Assignment
1. Review the safety data sheets for each of your molding and casting materials, then make and compare test casts with each of them
2. Compare mold making processes
Individual Assignment:
1. 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
2. Extra credits:
  - Use more then two mold parts
  - Make your own materials

Notes from the Lecture

Molding -> The Tool: Molding is the process of creating a negative cavity or tool (mold) that holds a reverse impression of an original model.
Casting -> The Product: Casting is the process of pouring or injecting liquid/pliable material (resin, metal, plaster) into that mold, allowing it to solidify to create a positive, finished part.
Bio-based -> Derived wholly or partly from renewable biological sources such as plants, algae, or microorganisms Advantage: Potential reduction of fossilfuel dependency and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Not necessarily biodegradable.
Biodegradable -> Designed to break down through microbial activity into natural substances such as water, carbon dioxide, and biomass under specific environmental conditions. Advantage: Capacity to reduce environmental persistence where recovery or recycling is impractical. They can be derived from biological and/or fossil sources.

GROUP ASSIGNMENT¶