6. Moulding and Casting¶
This week at the Fab Lab, we focused on molding and casting with different materials. Each group researched how to use their assigned material safely, including the necessary precautions and steps for using it.
Roland SRM-20 Overview¶
Desktop CNC milling machine. It can mill various materials, including plastics, and waxes. The SRM-20 offers high precision and is ideal for detailed milling projects. As a desktop machine, it is designed for users with limited space, such as university labs or home workshops.
“For beginners, the SRM-20 is relatively easy to operate with intuitive controls and user-friendly software. Compared to larger industrial CNC machines, the SRM-20 is more affordable and accessible for small-scale or personal use.”
Steps to Mouldind and Casting¶
1- First, I need to create a shape that the machine can process. Here are the steps for my part in Fusion 360:
i-Start with a square in a sketch and use the extrude tool to give the base a uniform thickness.
ii- Draw diagonal lines on the top surface of the extruded base to divide it into smaller triangular and rectangular sections. Use offset sketch tools to create the inner edges of the depressions.
2- After creating the shape in Fusion 360, the next steps are to send it to SRP Player software and adjust the settings:
the result
3-Fill our shape with water and measure its weight to determine the amount of Silicone Rubber A and B needed in equal mount, ensuring the mixture’s weight is slightly greater than that of the water.
i- Silicone Rubber B
ii- Silicone Rubber A
iii- After mix them very well, put our mix in the mold
4- After keeping it for two days, the mixture becomes cohesive, I make another mix to put in the new mold to get the final result
The new mold
i- I added 10g of Epoxy Resin Type A to the cup. The ratio of the Epoxy is 1:1.
ii- Then,I added 10g of Epoxy Resin Type B to the cup.
iii- After thoroughly mixing Epoxy Resin Type A and B, add Let’s Resin Mica Powder to enhance the color. Then, pour the mixture into the new mold.
5- After waiting approximately two days, this will be the outcome.
