There are several options available for the production of a pattern plate, but today CNC machining is most commonly used due to its speed, simplicity, and precision. The goal of this thesis was to integrate 3D printing with CNC machining, enabling faster and more economical production. Although 3D printing is becoming increasingly widespread, dimensional deviations can occur due to thermal warping of plastic. Therefore, we combined both techniques—CNC machining was used for the wooden base, while the model was 3D printed.
The pattern plate was assembled from the base and the printed model, and then used to create a mold from a bentonite sand mixture. Special care was required when removing the model from the mold, which we addressed by designing appropriate draft angles. The entire process was verified in Solidworks, where we also generated the final image of the pattern plate. Holes for the printed model were made in the wooden plates using a CNC machine, and gaps and edges were smoothed with filler. Some deformations caused by plastic shrinkage during printing were corrected by sanding. We also had to adjust certain draft angles that were miscalculated, which we successfully corrected with additional filler.
We concluded that combining CNC machining and 3D printing is highly practical, but some deviations require manual correction.
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