Mold and Tooling
Producing large mold and tooling has quickly become the most popular application of FGF, as it offers significant advantages (particularly in reducing production lead time and costs) compared to traditional mold-making (e.g. CNC milling) techniques.
Generally speaking, 3D printed mold and tooling is categorized based on service temperatures, ranging from ambient up to 200+°C. Polymaker is quickly expanding its PolyCore™ family to cover an increasing range of composite tooling applications, and it currently addresses the needs for low-temperature and medium-temperature toolings.
Low Temperature Molds
(Ambient-80℃)
PolyCore™ ABS-5012
20% glass fiber reinforced ABS compound
PolyCore™ ABS-5012 is a cost-effective choice for 3D printed mold tooling that are used in low temperature range (ambient up to 80℃).
PolyCore™ ABS-5022
20% carbon fiber reinforced ABS compound
PolyCore™ ABS-5022 is a great choice of 3D printed mold tooling for low temperatures (ambient up to 80℃). The carbon fiber reinforcement offers increased stiffness, strength and resistance to deformation under pressure.
PolyCore™ PETG-1113
30% glass fiber reinforced PETG compound
PolyCore™ PETG-1113 is a 30% glass fiber reinforced PETG compound featured with outstanding printability, good adhesion to gelcoat, excellent mechanical properties and good cost effectiveness. It is suitable for low temperature mold tooling such as vacuum forming molds and concrete templates.
Case Study
Construction of the "Zai Shui Yi Fang" in Shanghai Fish Lake
In the construction of the "Zai Shui Yi Fang" in Shanghai Jinhai Lake, 3D printed concrete molds were successfully applied to the innovative practice of bloom columns. They were printed with PolyCore™ ABS-5012, a material with outstanding mechanical properties and excellent dimensional stability, able to withstand the heat released by concrete curing without deformation, making it a high-quality choice for printing and producing concrete forms with complex curved surfaces.
Materials usage: Approximately 10 tons
Date: Jun,2023
Medium Temperature Molds
(80℃-120℃)
PolyCore™ PC-7413
30% glass fiber reinforced PC compound
PolyCore™ PC-7413 is specially engineered for medium-temperature composite tooling applications, supporting autoclave curing at temperature up to 120°C. It has undergone comprehensive validation, demonstrating exceptional performance at every stage of the process.
This material features:
Excellent heat resistance: With a heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 136°℃ at 1.82 MPa, PolyCore™ PC-7413 is ideal for autoclave curing processes up to 120℃.
Exceptional printability: The glass fiber reinforcement minimizes warping during printing, and its finely tuned rheological behavior ensures smooth extrusion and excellent layer adhesion.
Cost effectiveness: PolyCore™ PC-7413 offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional carbon fiber reinforced materials, making it perfect for companies scaling up production without compromising on performance.
Case Study
Medium Temperature Molds for Aerospace
In composite manufacturing, medium-temperature composite molds play a crucial role. Poly-Core™ PC-7413 is specifically engineered for this application. This advanced material was used to print an aerospace mold, followed by precision CNC machining and autoclave curing at 120°C and 0.6 MPa, ensuring dimensional tolerances within 30.2 mm and achieving airtightness.
Collaborating with Helio Additive further optimized the process, resulting in a "First Time Right Print" and additional 38% reduction in printing time. This case highlights the successful application of PolyCore™ PC-7413 in medium-temperature composite mold manufacturing.
Materials usage: Approximately 80 kg
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