found cool link to process but dont have it now. besides, its incomplete. would like to design and fab some promo toys. but all i know is large scale roto. not detailed small items. w colors and stuff. can someone point me to a resource? or give detailed process for those things? thanks.
couple of relevant links:
http://www.jeremyville.com/clothing_ranges/images/capsule1/products/books/bookvinylwillkill.html
considering getting the book. anyone vouch for it? share what kind of process info it has? enough to work with?
http://www.action-hq.com/cgi-bin/action-hq/Designer2.html
pretty general, but has a couple of links to factories
nice link. thanks.
The production process takes about 6-9 weeks, wax mould, master moulds, paint masters and production moulds all come next
wax mould - the final positive?
master mould - material? cost? cost built into piece part?
paint master - never seen one. guessing what it is. anyone explain more?
production mould? - aluminum? cost again?
If you are looking for amazing, high quality sculpts check out-
We just used them for some sculpts and their turnaround time is incedible…
no. information on the process. detailed information. care to share?
-Wax mold-- I never use wax molds anymore. If you deliver a sound sculpting package (ortho/exploded views) usually you won’t have to deal with wax.
-We use clay molds for building the prototypes. We pull molds off of them to
make painted samples.
- Master Mold-- This can be made of any hard material. It has to be able to have tooling made from it. The ones we get back have a consistancy close to the urethene foam that I used to make models with in college. Cost of this depends upon who does it. It could range from between $200 (china) to $10,000 (US).
-Paint master-- This is just a painted master mold. The details should be exact as they (you manufacturer) will make spray masks/stamps from this. Ususally you get one rate that includes the master mold and paint master at a set price.
Production mold-- Again depending on where you do the tooling- prices vary. I am not sure of the material on this- probably steel or aluminum…
Hope this helps the cause!
“-Wax mold-- I never use wax molds anymore. If you deliver a sound sculpting package (ortho/exploded views) usually you won’t have to deal with wax.”
cool
“-We use clay molds for building the prototypes. We pull molds off of them to make painted samples.”
confused. “clay molds”? do you mean use clay for building prototype model? then pull (master) mold off it? i read “clay mold” in other places. loses me. clarify please?
“- Master Mold-- This can be made of any hard material. It has to be able to have tooling made from it. The ones we get back have a consistancy close to the urethene foam that I used to make models with in college. Cost of this depends upon who does it. It could range from between $200 (china) to $10,000 (US).”
urethane foam? sounds like a film prop.
“-Paint master-- This is just a painted master mold. The details should be exact as they (you manufacturer) will make spray masks/stamps from this. Ususally you get one rate that includes the master mold and paint master at a set price.”
cool.
“Production mold-- Again depending on where you do the tooling- prices vary. I am not sure of the material on this- probably steel or aluminum…”
is the master part scanned in CAD? then used to CNC? i recall big rotomold toys starting as wood positives then aluminum mold cast off the wood. put aluminum on a spider, fill w resin, heat and spin. wouldnt vinyl toys use same kind of process?
“Hope this helps the cause!”
very much. thanks.
"confused. “clay molds”? do you mean use clay for building prototype model?
then pull (master) mold off it? i read “clay mold” in other places. loses me.
clarify please?
Yes, after the clay mold is done the master mold is made from it. I can’t think of the process right now but after I make comments on the clay, the next step is the painted “master mold”. But it wouldn’t have to be painted I suppose- we just wanted painted samples to expedite the process… especially if it is a licensed product.
“urethane foam? sounds like a film prop.”
I have had some of these come back broken so I am not sure- but they are certainly made from a hard material- could be plaster casts too…
“is the master part scanned in CAD? then used to CNC? i recall big rotomold
toys starting as wood positives then aluminum mold cast off the wood. put
aluminum on a spider, fill w resin, heat and spin. wouldnt vinyl toys use same
kind of process?”
Although the figural toys we make are not vinyl (most of ours are ABS or some other styrene)- I would assume they are injected as well. I can’t imagine getting that level of detail doing rotational molding. But like I said- I haven’t work in with vinyl- but with all the detail it rotomolding just doesn’t seem to register as being a plausable way to produce these things…
The toys we do are all made the old school way- they do not scan the part to make the tool. Whatever process they use to make it, I can tell you that sometimes (for whatever strange reason) our paint masters come back with all kinds of damage-- even though they had the unpainted master mold!
Wish I knew more about the manufacturering- actually if you get hooked up with one they can tell you more about their particular process… It varies between our vendors…
“mold” and “model” still confusing me.
okay. let me list the steps as i understand:
1 - make a clay model/prototype. this is a positive.
2 - make a master mold from that. this is a negative.
3 - cast samples from the master. these are replicas of the positive sample.
4 - using a sample, paint it and designate it the “painted master”.
5 - mark a sample (or the clay model if it survives the mold construction), and make a final master clay for scanning. this is for injection molded parts. not for vinyl.
close?
“I have had some of these come back broken so I am not sure- but they are certainly made from a hard material- could be plaster casts too…”
this part makes sense. sounds like they are like making film props. make a positive model. cover in alginate or urethane foam (i used to have some. beat it w a hand blender. not hard but captures details and survives minor undercuts. needs reinforcing). reinforce with plaster. separate. remove original. put release agent in the mold. create a new positive. how the make life casts. actors faces (think Terminator cutting his eye out - fake Arnold head).
on complex shapes they may sacrifice the “replica” painted masters before the original master. if i’m correct, the painted masters are not shape masters. they’re one generation removed. good way to test part line placement.
I think you got it!
cool. thanks.
now for the rest of the vinyl process…
ok. got that link i was hunting.
http://www.erinworks.com/splash.html (click on “More” and then on “Designing…”)
just got something nice in mail. but need the step from Master Model to the mold (aluminum i guess). how this happening in Asia? is it scanned like for injection (above)? cut on CNC? or is there a more direct process? molds cast off the part?
if i can piece this together i’ll put a process sheet together and post.
what are you making?
how small is a small run…
here is a roto vinyl figure that I desigend and manufactured.
10 points of articulation 8 interchangable hands to vary the design…
PAD PRINTS…
not sure yet. have some thoughts (and sketches). mostly self-promo. not sure on the run. anywhere between 100 and 1000. want to learn more about the entire process.
could get pricy…
but all depends on plan and design…
not looking at articulation or complex graphics. simple item.