From: Alex Do (do@oxy.edu)
Date: Wed Aug 10 2005 - 01:50:06 EEST
I once read a journal paper (International Conference on RP) about some grad
student who coated Z-Corp plaster mold cavities and injection molded into
them but I was dubious about his description of the outcome.
I'd like to try something similar with SLA. I'm proposing to create a
core/cavity set that can be secured to aluminum blocks for molding (mainly
for mold design review) with a very small injection molding press. Since
SLA materials are not thermoplastics, the worst thing that will happen is
that the polymer (I'll probably use ABS) will stick to the mold or the mold
surface will oxidize and degrade from the heat/pressure.
What do people think about trying this out with Somos Nanoform which is
post-cured? SLA is getting so much cheaper now than it used to be that
this could be a neat way to "prototype" molds in the future. I'll probably
just use Quickparts.com or some very low-cost vendor since this is just a
quick experiment really.
Any recommendations on polymers which might not be too sticky?
I'm trying to mold a small flat part which is about 2 in^2 in projected area
and about .1" thick.
~alex
Alexander Do
Research Assistant
Ford Prototyping Studio
University of California, Berkeley
http://kingkong.me.berkeley.edu <http://kingkong.me.berkeley.edu/>
2117 Etcheverry Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-1750
(510) 643 9486
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