GO-BLOG: How to Spin Cast

STEP 1 Preparing The Mold

Choose an appropriate mold rubber based on your needs. Place your models on the uncured rubber disc, using a pair of dividers to ensure a symmetrical mold. Insert a center plug into the middle of the rubber disc and arrange locknuts to ensure proper alignment of the two mold halves. Place the rubber disc in a ring frame and dust with mica powder before adding the second mold half.

STEP 2 Vulcanizing The Mold

Preheat your vulcanizer and mold frame to the correct temperature before inserting the mold. Place the mold frame into the vulcanizer and slowly increase the pressure on the mold using the jack to raise the lower platen. As the pressure increases and the heat is transferred from the vulcanizer platens to the mold, the rubber flows around your models, filling every void and capturing every detail

STEP 3 Gating and Venting

Once the rubber mold has been vulcanized, removing your models is as easy as removing the mold frame set from the vulcanizer and flexing the rubber mold. Gates are now cut into the rubber mold to direct the molten metal into the model cavities during casting. In addition, vents are cut i nto the mold to prevent the buildup of gasses. The gates and vents are easily cut using a sharp knife and are specifically shaped to take advantage of the spin casting process.

STEP 4 Spin Casting

With all of the gates and vents cut, the mold is placed into the spincasting machine. Adjustments are made for table spin speed, cycle duration, and clamping pressure and the cycle is starting by simply closing the lid of the spin casting machine. Molten metal is then poured into the funnel at the top of the machine. The centrifugal force created by the spinning of the casting table forces the molten metal into all of the cavities within the mold. The result is a perfectly cast part which retains all of the detail of the original model, right down to the surface texture.

If done properly, the cast parts can be snapped off at the gates without the use of tools and should require little or no finishing.

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