[TheMadScientist]

Hi guys,

I was wondering where I could post a thread on making a hydraulic press
for making acrylic discs molded into a custom design.

I want to start this project and need some advice on design and thickness
of the steel plating (L bar) that I'm going to use for the chassis design.
Also I need some advice on making an aluminum mold out of 6061-T6 aluminum.
I have a basic design in my head of the machine I want to build and will be posting up a design schematic in the next few days....

I was thinking of going with 2 10 ton hydraulics pushing up one platform
which would hold the aluminum mold. I plan to heat up the acrylic in a small
mini oven and then take it out when it's soft enough to mold and place it in the mold and send the hydraulic controller platform up to press the acrylic into shape. Of course I would leave it there until the acrylic cools. Thats
one reason why i'm using the aluminum mold to dissipate the heat quickly.

Any suggestions on how I should go ahead with this design?
Or any other comments anyone with experience could have for me?

Thanks in advance.

*Mad.

[Kevin_Johnson]

Hi guys,

I was wondering where I could post a thread on making a hydraulic press
for making acrylic discs molded into a custom design.

I want to start this project and need some advice on design and thickness
of the steel plating (L bar) that I'm going to use for the chassis design.
Also I need some advice on making an aluminum mold out of 6061-T6 aluminum.
I have a basic design in my head of the machine I want to build and will be posting up a design schematic in the next few days....

I was thinking of going with 2 10 ton hydraulics pushing up one platform
which would hold the aluminum mold. I plan to heat up the acrylic in a small
mini oven and then take it out when it's soft enough to mold and place it in the mold and send the hydraulic controller platform up to press the acrylic into shape. Of course I would leave it there until the acrylic cools. Thats
one reason why i'm using the aluminum mold to dissipate the heat quickly.

Any suggestions on how I should go ahead with this design?
Or any other comments anyone with experience could have for me?

Thanks in advance.

*Mad.

Hi Mad,

You might consider making the die for your disks out of aluminum or steel filled epoxy. I do not know how long the dies would last but you should be able to get good detail. Be sure to use mold lubricant. You could make some nice casino type chips or souvenirs for an event.

[TheMadScientist]

I really don't know how to make a steel filled epoxy mold. I thought it would just be
easier to make a press and just make them as described in my original post.

In fact I get them made for me already here in China which is were I'm currently living.
I have seen the way they make them so I just want to scale down exactly what they
are doing and start making them for myself at home. At least I will have 100% control
of the quality in production because they way they are doing it is they rush through the
process to quickly which effects the quality and I'm not exactly happy with their quality
job so time to get it done In-House!

[Kevin_Johnson]

How long do you need the dies to last? You don't have to be specific but are the plastic disks you are making embossed with a pattern like a coin?

It is easy to make the epoxy dies. If you keep a master then you could make replacement dies as they wear. It seems like what would matter is how many of them are being made and how quickly they need to be made.

[TheMadScientist]

Well, I guess to keep product costs down I would like them to last as long as possible. Currently they cnc a mold out of mdf and press it with that. But the
problem is they don't wait long enough for it to cool down and the edges of the disc warp. Thats why I want to get a mold cnc'd in a shop here. That way
the heat problem would be reduced and, I can make them in my home.
How fast I can make them is not an issue as these are made for a very
custom reason.

I have attached a picture of the discs that I get made for me.
They are 330mm in diam and 14mm in height.

[Kevin_Johnson]

Well, I guess to keep product costs down I would like them to last as long as possible. Currently they cnc a mold out of mdf and press it with that. But the
problem is they don't wait long enough for it to cool down and the edges of the disc warp. Thats why I want to get a mold cnc'd in a shop here. That way
the heat problem would be reduced and, I can make them in my home.
How fast I can make them is not an issue as these are made for a very
custom reason.

I have attached a picture of the discs that I get made for me.
They are 330mm in diam and 14mm in height.

Well, with the epoxy die you could actually make and place a cooling coil within it so the mold would cool from within. Simple copper line or automotive brake line would work.

Make sure you have a pressure limiting valve for your press.

[TheMadScientist]

would that valve be installed inline between the hydraulic and the pump?

[Kevin_Johnson]

would that valve be installed inline between the hydraulic and the pump?

Yes, many are. Note that you want an adjustable one. Always check with the manufacturer of the relief valve for installation details.

The hydraulic ram will probably already have a rubber plug in the outer wall. When that lets loose you would have probably already damaged the mold and bent your frame.

[TheMadScientist]

Cool, thanks for the advice on that... I hope to get my drawings up soon.