Fabrication of Mold and Part by Using SLA Master Models

The potential for growth and the future impact of Rapid Prototyping that it will have on the product development cycle are enormous. Since making tools, precedes making parts, Rapid Tooling becomes widely used in automobile, aerospace, electronic, and other industries. In this study, master models formed by Rapid Prototyping of Stereolithography have been applied for vacuum casting to obtain silicone patterns which have transformed into epoxy models. The epoxy models have been measured to check dimension errors, and tested their functions. These checking and measurement have provided information on plastic injection possibilities and data for die design, Temporary die making with the materials of Aluminum/Epoxy and powder injection metal (PIM) has also been discussed in terms of hardness, surface roughness, and SEM microstructures.