SLA Mold Test

There is a software called mold flow that can make that determination for you. Usually only very large molding operations have it because it costs (last time I checked) over $100k. Some baisic mold making considerations however can give you a rough idea. I am going to assume that you are saying that the actual mold is plastic that was made on an SLA machine. The usual process for using SLA for a prototype mold is that you use the SLA part as a pattern for an investment casting to make a steel or aluminum prototype mold. If that is not what your are doing you must consider very carefully the danger before you proceed. The plastic that is formed in the SLA process is not nearly as dense as cast sheet or extruded bar stock. Normal plastic molding pressures are around 1000psi. Most mold makers don't have sophisitcated software for desigining molds. So, as a general rule for saftey and quality molding they have at least 2 inches of steel all around the cavity. Realize that every square inch of cavity space is going to have 500lbs of force trying to open that mold or blow out the sides. This is why molding presses are rated by clamping pressure rather than injection pressure. So you can figure if the press has the ability to keep the mold from blowing open. I once had a situation where the walls of a molded part were comming out too thick. We put an indicator on the side of the mold and found that the molding pressure was pushing out the sides of the mold. The walls of the mold were 2 inch thick P20 die steel. Very scary! You could try filling the cavity at 60 or 100psi, our you could have the mold made of aluminum, but please be very carefull. Hot wax in the face at 500psi would be very bad!

Another possibility that just occured to me is that you could have an aluminum or steel block machined that would contain the sla part safely within.

Thanks Gary!

I pretty much thought the same thing - not very feasible. Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated