FFIM Molds?

[rakkasan]

If anyone here does solid-modeling PM me with ideas and we can work together for fun.

I have, but keep in mind I use, and own a commercial licence for, MicroStation J. I'll have to know what mold equipment you have available to you for use, for compatablility reasons, and plan on using.....

 

[MK3Brent]

I have, but keep in mind I use, and own a commercial licence for, MicroStation J. I'll have to know what mold equipment you have available to you for use, for compatablility reasons, and plan on using.....

I was planning on making the first prototype mold with a 3D printer. We have a ZPrinter 450 from z-corp.

Taken from their site:

Casting Materials

Direct Metal Casting
The ZCast 501 Direct Metal Casting process enables you to produce cast metal parts from a CAD file faster and less expensively than traditional prototype casting methods. Printing molds and cores directly from digital data eliminates the pattern and core box production step used in traditional sand-casting processes. Metal is poured directly into the 3D printed molds. The technology allows engineers to prototype parts in metal that are too costly and time consuming to produce using traditional methods. Direct Casting Material can also be used to create sand casting molds for non-ferrous metals. This material is a blend of foundry sand, plaster, and other additives that have been combined to provide strong molds with good surface finish. It is designed to withstand the heat required to cast non-ferrous metals.

So some more planning is necessary... I guess I'll make some smaller scale molds first (1/4 - 1/8) whenever I get my next free time

 

[WhtMa71]

So will the actual product be made of plastic or aluminum?

 

[4U2QUIK]

I have a cad file generated from a cmm of the intake side of the 7m head if it helps.

 

[MK3Brent]

I have a cad file generated from a cmm of the intake side of the 7m head if it helps.

That would help greatly as I'm about 230mi away from my supra.

E-mail me at MK3Brent gmail . com

 

[4U2QUIK]

k, pm me your e-mail and I'll send it over.

 

[4U2QUIK]

tomarrow

 

[MK3Brent]

Did a little more doodling to get ideas how to fix the core piece to the mold base.

 

[SilverSupraT]

ABB

We make fun of them where I work

Nice work on the modeling! I do PLENTY of solid modeling/design/machining/CAM/whathaveyou and would be interested in working with you on things (cause I need an FFIM one of these days). Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot of time, but I could do as much as possible.

SilverSupraT on AIM, or PM I guess.

 

[MK3Brent]

We make fun of them where I work

Nice work on the modeling! I do PLENTY of solid modeling/design/machining/CAM/whathaveyou and would be interested in working with you on things (cause I need an FFIM one of these days). Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot of time, but I could do as much as possible.

SilverSupraT on AIM, or PM I guess.

You must work for GE... or an Amish farm.. :icon_razz

Yeah, the time is what I don't have either. If you want, try to think of some ways to mount a core assembly to a base plate etc... that's what I'm working on right now.

 

[williamb82]

awesome. but id want a long runner myself.

 

[SilverSupraT]

You must work for GE... or an Amish farm.. :icon_razz

Similar to an amish farm I guess haha. Small company, Schweitzer Engineering Labs.

I'll try to come up with something. Did you decide what you want to make the core out of? That would make a difference in mounting obviously.

Is there a reason that you're making it in 3 pieces? To keep the flashing off the mating surface? I would assume that would need to be machined afterwards either way.

awesome. but id want a long runner myself.

Me too....

 

[4U2QUIK]

I have the dxf ready whenever you want it.

 

[SilverSupraT]

I have the dxf ready whenever you want it.

Hey I would really like that .dxf also if you'd be willing to share. 87SilverSupraT@Gmail.com

Thanks

 

[MK3Brent]

Similar to an amish farm I guess haha. Small company, Schweitzer Engineering Labs.

I'll try to come up with something. Did you decide what you want to make the core out of? That would make a difference in mounting obviously.

Is there a reason that you're making it in 3 pieces? To keep the flashing off the mating surface? I would assume that would need to be machined afterwards either way.



Me too....

How else do you do it? This would be my first shell style mold, so I'm still learning. What I've done for instrument transformers is relatively simple (the entire piece become encapsulated similar to this: )

So I figured I'd have to make a mold that produces one solid core insert... then that insert would be centered within the other 2 pieces.

 

[SilverSupraT]

Err excuse me for not saying it correctly. When I said "3 piece" was was only refering to the outside casing. Yes, you will need a mold to make the core, then put the core into the shell mold.

So what I was trying to get at was: have the shell mold in 2 pieces. The shell mold would include the TB flange, plenum, runners and intake flange (2 sides). The runners of the core mold would continue past the flange(s) and be clamped by the sides to hold it in place. I'm not sure if that works with the setup you have but that was just the first thing that popped into my mind. I don't know how reliably you can actually bolt something to a core piece.

We have a new mold guy here, I have no idea what he knows about casting or cores but I'll ask on Monday. Hopefully I've cleared up what I meant to say, if not I'll draw a picture or make a model to better explain it.

 

[MK3Brent]

Yeah, I see now what you're saying.
I had planned on keeping the flange features in the final cast of the shell... which might be easier, I dunno.

I'll work on it more next week.
Thanks for helping out, definitely let me know what the new mold guy says.

 

[4U2QUIK]

Hey I would really like that .dxf also if you'd be willing to share. 87SilverSupraT@Gmail.com

Thanks

file sent

 

[MK3Brent]

file sent

mk3brent@gmail.com

Thanks!

 

[SilverSupraT]

file sent

Got it! Thanks, I really appreciate it.