[Jewelry making - Article 00916] - Re: [Orchid] CAD/CAM and Rubber molds

[David L. Huffman]

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Hello Goo;

    There are a number of reasons why you don't want to cast with
    CAD/CAM'd models. First, if they are cut on a mill, they take quite a
    while to be produced, and they are a bit in need of further refining
    in most cases (stepped effect from the cutting bit). Sometimes these
    models are cut in a resin, which doesn't burn out very well (although
    there are new investments that attempt to correct that problem). The
    built-up resin models, often referred to as "rapid-prototypes", can
    take a long time for the machine to produce too, and again, the issue
    of residue left after the burnout process. So, because of the time
    needed to build or cut the model, it gets expensive, unless you have
    your own equipment. There is a new product called "HD" molding system
    which works very well with an intricate CAD/CAM model. It's capable
    of reproducing delicate detail, although it's a bit slower than wax
    injection as it is an ultraviolet light curing resin. If you are
    looking to do what I think you are interested in, I'd suggest some
    designs will lend themselves to the less expensive milling process,
    which can then be refined a bit by hand, and other designs, such as
    with undercuts, will need the deposition/curing method. From that
    point, that is, a fine prototype ready for reproduction, I'd get the
    HD system. Gesswien carries it. It's about as close to what you get
    with a metal mold as I've seen, and metal molds are quite costly to
    produce (again, if you've got the equipment, it's not so much so).
    MJSA has written a number of articles on CAD/CAM technologies.
    Perhaps someone here knows what issues, off hand. 

David
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