12. Molding and Casting

Week assignment is..
○ design a 3D mold, machine it, and cast parts from it

12-1. Desgin a 3D mold

I decide to make a button because it is a simple shape. I have never made a mold with milling machine before. This is good practice for me.
First, I design 3d mold. The software I used is Rhinoceros. because Rhinoceros is good for editing stl.file.
Download : button.stl

12-2. Making G-code file with Fabmodules

1. Import “mesh file( .stl )”
2. from right side menu, change the units inchi to mili. type “25.4”
3. click, “calculate height map”
4. from top menu, select output format “G-codes.nc”
5. from top menu, select process “foam rough or finish cut(⅛)”
6. from right side menu, change “output” parameters

    cut speed is 20mm/s
    plunge speed mm/s is 10mm/s,
    jog speed is 40 mm/s

7. from right side menu, change “process” parameters

    tool diameter is rogh cut : 3mm / finish cut : 1
    cut depth is 1mm
    tool type is ball endmill - it is only finish cut

8. click "calculate", and "save"

Download : b_rough.nc・b_finish.nc

12-3. Cutting a wax

I used two endmills

    square endmill 3mm when rough cutting
    ball endmill R0.5mm when shinish cutting

left is square endmill 3mm , right is ball endmill R0.5mm

Rough cutting took only 15 minutes, but finish cutting took 2 hours.
Finish cutting takes many times..

12-4. Molding

I used a clear silicone 造形村 透明シリコン 1kg（clear silicone）and 食用シリコン1kg（silicone for food）

12-5. Casting

I tried to make a gummy candy.
First, I wared up Gummy candies in the microwave and picked up from the machine. Then I pour liquid candies into the mold quickly because candies will become hard very soon.

White : Muscat taste （only candies.）
Red : Grape taste ( I mixed with a little warter for making candies more soften. )

Next I put them into the fridge for 8 hours.
After that, I get it!
Grape gummy is more stickly than white one.
White gummy has simillar texture close to Gummy candies. It was yammy!