A lot of answers. Thank you .. Just jumping into 3d printing for mold making . Wish I could print a stake and fry . Someday every house will have a 3d food printer . It is the future and there is.no way back . I have made 1000s of dollars making products with fiberglass molds . This new affordable 3d printing should put me over the top
That's what I was trying to make a Quadcopter! Learning more of recent innovation i want to make my vision forr future transportation reality. I ask investors to imagine next step from traditional life like ford imagined a car when others wagons I WILL have a price tag on tomorrow's market today .
FDM type ABS mould with one step post process of acetone smoothing for a shiny surface (not sure what class), then cast it with polyurethane resin without any mould release. Two piece mould with pin interlocks for positioning, 0.06mm layer heights and some blutack for a seal against excessive flashing or leaking. Good enough to do replicate thorlabs optics to reasonable tolerances...
One way of doing it is too use eqaul amounts of glycerin and gelatin mixed on medium heat until thin, let cool slightly and pour over 3d printed part. The mixture cools and hardens just like silicone. Then cast a mold in soy wax, smooth it up and use the soy wax cast as new part. Oh, and gelatin/ glycerin mix is reusable
Great video! I really think the vast majority of cases would be better suited to 3d printing the object you want, cleaning it up, and then making a silicone mold of that object. When your silicone mold eventually wears down, you can just make a new one from the original.
Hi! Thanks for the video! Though I have questions, is it possible and how much would it cost to make a 2x0.3m mold that could resist high temperatures ?
Great video. Can we use this mold in injection molding machines? Will temperature and pressure effect the mold? What type of material for mold you have in your product? Thanks
We don't specialize in injection molding so we can't give you any technical advice on this topic. Our products are cast at close to room temperature and with very low pressures.
In the Cura slicer there is a built in function to automatically convert a normal STL into a mold, IE it inverts it. Not tried to actually print something like that, but the function is there.
Finished a two part mold today. Clamped them together and poured in material. Leaked EVERYWHERE, lol. My wife is not happy.....luckily it was a DIY gelatin liquid that is literall edible and will pull right up as soon as it cools.
Jon Dixon yes, having a mold that seals well is very important and can be difficult with 3D printed molds. You will likely need to add a thin gasket to the flanges to prevent it again.
If you are referring to casting a 2-part rigid polyurethane foam like we mention in the video, then yes. Typical white beaded foam is formed in a completely different process involving steam and metal tools. See this video here: czcams.com/video/KweiHPE4Ftg/video.html
We have used both with success. It really comes down to using sufficient mold release as mentioned in the video. We like to use a base layer of paste wax and then apply a spray release on top of any rigid mold material, whether it is aluminium, tooling board, or 3D Printed material.
Hi Taffie, there does appear to be people using 3D printing for candle making. You need to choose your wax carefully and build a leak-proof mold like this Instructable: www.instructables.com/3D-Printed-Candle-Mold/
as a project during the ongoing corona lockdown, I've decided to try making dice. i thought about 3d printing molds using TPU filament since it's flexible. have you had any experience with this method?
Yes, it's possible and has been done. The main issue will always be applying sufficient mold release or the cast urethane will try to bond to the TPU. We usually like to first apply a wax (paste or liquid) to seal the porosity/lines, and then follow up with an appropriate spray release like our E236 Urethane Release or E302 Rocket Release.
You can honestly use multiple types of filament depending on what your printer does best or what level of material performance you may need. PLA works fine, but you need to make sure you use sufficient mold release. ABS, PETG, or even Nylon can be used as well if you need additional heat capability (curing cast parts in an oven for example). Great question and thanks for the comment.
It depends on the "resin" you are using. If you watch our other 3D printed mold video, we explain in detail at around 4:50 what mold release methods work well for polyurethane: czcams.com/video/KweiHPE4Ftg/video.html
since im just trying to use 3d printed molds to cast silicone as prototypes to check functionality before moving to production, i feel like theres no real downside to just using a 3d printed mold straight up
P Pugalia 3D printed molds are typically used for product development to make functioning prototypes and also to make short run production that may not require a large number of parts. Molding and casting itself is used widely throughout manufacturing for many decades for prototyping, short to medium run production, and also in applications where injection molding may not be possible (like skateboard wheels).
I believe you are thinking of ABS which can be smoothed with acetone vapor. PLA does not have a common method for chemical smoothing. Most people sand/prime/or coat with epoxy.
Great video but unless I'm missing something, the types of plastic used to make the molds were not addressed. That's pertinent information to the topic.
The common filament materials are all fine to make molds; PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon... you just need to apply a proper mold release which we go over in more detail in the drone video linked in the i-card. When it comes to SLA, DLP, or MJF type resin printed molds, you may need to seal them with a good primer to avoid any chemical incompatibilities when casting something like Platinum Silicones (which are sensitive to UV cured resins). Good question and thanks for the comment! -BJB
@@BookOfMorman No problem, always happy to help. Our Tech support is also a great resource to ask questions like this if you are working on a molding and casting project. info@bjbenterprises.com
I didn't understand why you were so against printing molds until I read the section, " - Shop our selection of mold making materials or speak with our technical staff to help you pick the right one. We have a huge selection of silicone mold materials and castable polyurethanes for making parts in the mold; from soft, flexible gels, tough rubber, on up to rigid plastics! " Now I understand.
We do sell a range of products for mold making, casting, mold releases, and accessories. We also deal with a huge range of clients that use a variety of mold methods, including 3D printed molds for casting materials into. On top of that, we receive a lot of tech calls from new customers looking to learn how to make 3D printed molds or to find out if it's practical to do so. The video highlights many of the pros and cons of both processes based on our customer feedback, company experience, and common issues with the process from failed mold attempts. We don't take a stance on whether we are for or against, the application and expectations of the end user determines what method may work the best. To date, the biggest rapid prototyping companies (that also design and develop 3D printers) still use a majority of silicone molds for their short to medium run production parts for the reasons mentioned in the video.
@@bjbenterprises As stated before, I didn't know what your company sold until after the video. I skipped a lot of the early parts of the vide to get to the meat of it. All, but without knowing anything more it seemed like you favored not using 3D printed parts for molds. That's just what I got from watching the video regardless of what the intension was. If you meant to be impartial I think you might have tried but missed the mark - but I could be wrong. I would certainly encourage people to watch it. I should have mentioned that I did enjoy the video and learned some things from it. I appreciate that regardless of other comments I have made. I would certainly consider watching other videos you have made because of the quality of the explanations in this video. You did a good job with most everything. I would certainly consider your company if I were in the market for the material you sell. And I should have included this in my original reply, "Thank you for the video."
Ah yes, the early 2000's. When people still took the time to make thoughtful, informative videos instead of click-bait that just goes for views. Got it!
This video isn't that old, but tbh their printer sucks. I could spot numerous errors. Those build lines arent there on almost any FDM printer above 0.1mm resolution. When I print molds, I print on the Flashforge Finder at 0.05mm. No build lines.
You have valid points. The sample molds shown were not printed at the best resolution or settings, but it's also a common sight from end users that contact us looking for help getting 3D printed molds to work for them. We have also seen some fantastic mold work like the molds you describe from your Flashforge. Ultimately, the video touches on the topics we receive a majority of common questions on and equipment and techniques are always evolving. Thanks for your comment!
I saw that too. Those build lines indicate either a lack of experience or a lack of trying. It's part of the reason I posted my response. Otherwise it's not a bad video.
I love 3d printing, but I hate how so much of the community will do 10x the effort to 3d print an entire thing badly, when 3d printing works so much better as a tool to assist the design, not the end all solution to everything.
Yes, we find this as well. We know that 3D Printing is a powerful tool and is changing our world fast, but like any tool it needs to be understood when and where it works best for a given application. We typically hear from customers after they are struggling to make something work when we may have solutions to achieve results quicker, easier, and repeatable. It's great to have so much enthusiasm and creativity using new technology so we enjoy showing where we can enhance or be relevant in the process. Thank you for the comment!
Great video! Thanks for putting out so much info on mold making. It's filling the gaps of knowledge I have for uses I haven't tried yet.
This video was very informative and answered me a lot of questions. Thank You.
These vids are very professional in my opinion. Thank you guys so much for sharing your knowledge. I have learnt a bunch of stuff.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
A lot of answers. Thank you ..
Just jumping into 3d printing for mold making . Wish I could print a stake and fry . Someday every house will have a 3d food printer . It is the future and there is.no way back . I have made 1000s of dollars making products with fiberglass molds . This new affordable 3d printing should put me over the top
lots of great info thanks
Thank you I needed this. great information .
Glad you found it useful.
Great video. Thanks.
Outstanding
That's what I was trying to make a Quadcopter! Learning more of recent innovation i want to make my vision forr future transportation reality. I ask investors to imagine next step from traditional life like ford imagined a car when others wagons I WILL have a price tag on tomorrow's market today .
FDM type ABS mould with one step post process of acetone smoothing for a shiny surface (not sure what class), then cast it with polyurethane resin without any mould release. Two piece mould with pin interlocks for positioning, 0.06mm layer heights and some blutack for a seal against excessive flashing or leaking. Good enough to do replicate thorlabs optics to reasonable tolerances...
Thanks for the comment! Sounds like you found a successful technique for your parts. Were these clear parts you cast or something else?
Clear parts - essentially copies of commercial lenses using their own provided CAD files
That's great, thanks for sharing!
Wow, 3D molds for optics? That’s amazing! I wonder what the limitations are...
And don't forget flexible filaments
One way of doing it is too use eqaul amounts of glycerin and gelatin mixed on medium heat until thin, let cool slightly and pour over 3d printed part. The mixture cools and hardens just like silicone. Then cast a mold in soy wax, smooth it up and use the soy wax cast as new part. Oh, and gelatin/ glycerin mix is reusable
obligatory "the real info is in the comment section"
This is literally what FDM 3D Printer made for! Thanks for sharing.
I'm using a nylon mold printed using sls to inject(low pressure) my medical silicone.
thanks alot
Great video! I really think the vast majority of cases would be better suited to 3d printing the object you want, cleaning it up, and then making a silicone mold of that object. When your silicone mold eventually wears down, you can just make a new one from the original.
That’s what I do but in the long run it’s better to print the actual mold and cut expenses.
Hello, great videos. Can you tell me how to prevent resin to stick to 3d pla printed cookie cutters. Thank you.
Hi! Thanks for the video! Though I have questions, is it possible and how much would it cost to make a 2x0.3m mold that could resist high temperatures ?
Are you asking about a 3D printed mold or silicone mold? How high is "High Temperatures?" You don't provide enough details to provide an answer.
Great video. Can we use this mold in injection molding machines? Will temperature and pressure effect the mold? What type of material for mold you have in your product? Thanks
We don't specialize in injection molding so we can't give you any technical advice on this topic. Our products are cast at close to room temperature and with very low pressures.
Would printing in a flexible material help to skip a step? How would one create a negative of an existing STL or OBJ object?
In the Cura slicer there is a built in function to automatically convert a normal STL into a mold, IE it inverts it. Not tried to actually print something like that, but the function is there.
Finished a two part mold today. Clamped them together and poured in material. Leaked EVERYWHERE, lol. My wife is not happy.....luckily it was a DIY gelatin liquid that is literall edible and will pull right up as soon as it cools.
Jon Dixon yes, having a mold that seals well is very important and can be difficult with 3D printed molds. You will likely need to add a thin gasket to the flanges to prevent it again.
Would 3D printed molds be suitable for generating forms out of insulation foam (or similar product) for "lost foam" metal casting?
If you are referring to casting a 2-part rigid polyurethane foam like we mention in the video, then yes. Typical white beaded foam is formed in a completely different process involving steam and metal tools. See this video here: czcams.com/video/KweiHPE4Ftg/video.html
at 5:30 is it a toy rubber tyre, if so is it possible to make the tyre mold in 3d printer?
Yes, this is what we did at 4:33. The mold was printed in many parts.
What about printing the mould in PVA filament? Cast your mould, cure and then submerge in water to dissolve the PVA.
We have had customers do very similar techniques. This would be great for quick prototypes and proof of concept parts.
Would 3D printed gaskets using TPU work against mold leakage?
Yes, that's possible. You may still have a fair amount of flashing to clean up on the part, but better to stop a lot of leakage.
What material should we use for printing the moulds? PLA, ABS ???
We have used both with success. It really comes down to using sufficient mold release as mentioned in the video. We like to use a base layer of paste wax and then apply a spray release on top of any rigid mold material, whether it is aluminium, tooling board, or 3D Printed material.
Hey, can you use these for candle making?
Hi Taffie, there does appear to be people using 3D printing for candle making. You need to choose your wax carefully and build a leak-proof mold like this Instructable: www.instructables.com/3D-Printed-Candle-Mold/
as a project during the ongoing corona lockdown, I've decided to try making dice. i thought about 3d printing molds using TPU filament since it's flexible. have you had any experience with this method?
Yes, it's possible and has been done. The main issue will always be applying sufficient mold release or the cast urethane will try to bond to the TPU. We usually like to first apply a wax (paste or liquid) to seal the porosity/lines, and then follow up with an appropriate spray release like our E236 Urethane Release or E302 Rocket Release.
thank you!
This video is so 90s, haha. Great information, though - thanks for sharing.
What filament is recommended for molds?
You can honestly use multiple types of filament depending on what your printer does best or what level of material performance you may need. PLA works fine, but you need to make sure you use sufficient mold release. ABS, PETG, or even Nylon can be used as well if you need additional heat capability (curing cast parts in an oven for example). Great question and thanks for the comment.
what is the best release spray for releasing PLA mold from resin ? thanks
It depends on the "resin" you are using. If you watch our other 3D printed mold video, we explain in detail at around 4:50 what mold release methods work well for polyurethane: czcams.com/video/KweiHPE4Ftg/video.html
@@bjbenterprises thanks a lot
Can we use composites epoxy resin and glass fibre as mold for molding a waterwheel???
You can do whatever you want man..
since im just trying to use 3d printed molds to cast silicone as prototypes to check functionality before moving to production, i feel like theres no real downside to just using a 3d printed mold straight up
so we can use it? does it have disadvantage?
Is PETG compatible with silicon casting ?
Yes, PETG is typically compatible with Tin or Platinum based silicone materials.
Hola con que material puedo hacer moldes pero en alta, temperatura que dure,
por favor, póngase en contacto con nuestro equipo técnico para responder a este tipo de preguntas. info@bjbenterprises.com
Is this technique used only for making toys ? Or is it used in industries ?
P Pugalia 3D printed molds are typically used for product development to make functioning prototypes and also to make short run production that may not require a large number of parts. Molding and casting itself is used widely throughout manufacturing for many decades for prototyping, short to medium run production, and also in applications where injection molding may not be possible (like skateboard wheels).
thanks man i suddenly have business idea after watch this video.
3d printing molds??
oky....
I like and subscribe, but this video could of done with a bit of follow through and some Macro photos.
on pla you can chemically smooth you molds
I believe you are thinking of ABS which can be smoothed with acetone vapor. PLA does not have a common method for chemical smoothing. Most people sand/prime/or coat with epoxy.
Great video but unless I'm missing something, the types of plastic used to make the molds were not addressed. That's pertinent information to the topic.
The common filament materials are all fine to make molds; PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon... you just need to apply a proper mold release which we go over in more detail in the drone video linked in the i-card. When it comes to SLA, DLP, or MJF type resin printed molds, you may need to seal them with a good primer to avoid any chemical incompatibilities when casting something like Platinum Silicones (which are sensitive to UV cured resins). Good question and thanks for the comment! -BJB
@@bjbenterprises WOW! So informative and such a quick response! Thanks so much!
@@BookOfMorman No problem, always happy to help. Our Tech support is also a great resource to ask questions like this if you are working on a molding and casting project. info@bjbenterprises.com
I didn't understand why you were so against printing molds until I read the section, " - Shop our selection of mold making materials or speak with our technical staff to help you pick the right one. We have a huge selection of silicone mold materials and castable polyurethanes for making parts in the mold; from soft, flexible gels, tough rubber, on up to rigid plastics!
"
Now I understand.
We do sell a range of products for mold making, casting, mold releases, and accessories. We also deal with a huge range of clients that use a variety of mold methods, including 3D printed molds for casting materials into. On top of that, we receive a lot of tech calls from new customers looking to learn how to make 3D printed molds or to find out if it's practical to do so. The video highlights many of the pros and cons of both processes based on our customer feedback, company experience, and common issues with the process from failed mold attempts. We don't take a stance on whether we are for or against, the application and expectations of the end user determines what method may work the best. To date, the biggest rapid prototyping companies (that also design and develop 3D printers) still use a majority of silicone molds for their short to medium run production parts for the reasons mentioned in the video.
@@bjbenterprises As stated before, I didn't know what your company sold until after the video. I skipped a lot of the early parts of the vide to get to the meat of it. All, but without knowing anything more it seemed like you favored not using 3D printed parts for molds. That's just what I got from watching the video regardless of what the intension was. If you meant to be impartial I think you might have tried but missed the mark - but I could be wrong. I would certainly encourage people to watch it.
I should have mentioned that I did enjoy the video and learned some things from it. I appreciate that regardless of other comments I have made. I would certainly consider watching other videos you have made because of the quality of the explanations in this video. You did a good job with most everything. I would certainly consider your company if I were in the market for the material you sell.
And I should have included this in my original reply, "Thank you for the video."
@@jbbw667 we appreciate the feedback. It helps us continue to keep relevant to the market and technology that is used in the industries we serve.
@@bjbenterprises You are welcome. I am going to subscribe. I think it's worth it.
at first I was doubting if this was a video from the 90's early 2000 or something lol
Ah yes, the early 2000's. When people still took the time to make thoughtful, informative videos instead of click-bait that just goes for views. Got it!
@@bjbenterprises yeah indeed, love it haha
This video isn't that old, but tbh their printer sucks. I could spot numerous errors. Those build lines arent there on almost any FDM printer above 0.1mm resolution. When I print molds, I print on the Flashforge Finder at 0.05mm. No build lines.
You have valid points. The sample molds shown were not printed at the best resolution or settings, but it's also a common sight from end users that contact us looking for help getting 3D printed molds to work for them. We have also seen some fantastic mold work like the molds you describe from your Flashforge. Ultimately, the video touches on the topics we receive a majority of common questions on and equipment and techniques are always evolving. Thanks for your comment!
I saw that too. Those build lines indicate either a lack of experience or a lack of trying. It's part of the reason I posted my response. Otherwise it's not a bad video.
e
I love 3d printing, but I hate how so much of the community will do 10x the effort to 3d print an entire thing badly, when 3d printing works so much better as a tool to assist the design, not the end all solution to everything.
Yes, we find this as well. We know that 3D Printing is a powerful tool and is changing our world fast, but like any tool it needs to be understood when and where it works best for a given application. We typically hear from customers after they are struggling to make something work when we may have solutions to achieve results quicker, easier, and repeatable. It's great to have so much enthusiasm and creativity using new technology so we enjoy showing where we can enhance or be relevant in the process. Thank you for the comment!
This video assumes 3d prints are always rigid. There are flexible resins.