Motorsport Composite Fundamentals: Demoulding
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Demoulding
01.47
| 00:00 | After our parts are fully cured, they're ready to be released from the mould. |
| 00:04 | In some cases, this can be done by hand, but often the use of demoulding tools can make the process much easier. |
| 00:10 | Plastic wedges designed specifically for this job can be inserted around the flange of the mould, under the part and forced in to release it. |
| 00:18 | A smooth, low friction plastic helps them slide in easier, and they often have a blocky structure at the thick end so they can be persuaded with a hammer. |
| 00:27 | Another way of demoulding parts is through compressed air. |
| 00:31 | Essentially, we just need to put the nozzle of the air gun in between the mould and the part and blow compressed air between them. |
| 00:38 | Depending on the part and the mould design, as well as how tight they're sealed, this can help to force them apart. |
| 00:44 | Then we have a tool called a demoulding wedge that strikes a balance between the methods we just discussed, functioning as a nozzle for the compressed air. |
| 00:52 | Basically, we attach our air line to the inlet on the thick end of the wedge, and there's an outlet for the air on the skinny end of the wedge that's wedged deeper into the flange. |
| 01:03 | Due to the relatively simple nature of the tools, this is one of those jobs where we can get away with using general tools that weren't designed specifically for demoulding, like large screwdrivers or metal scrapers, chisels and wedges. |
| 01:15 | These can work if they're all we have available, just be careful not to damage the mould or the part with the sharp metal edges. |
| 01:22 | That's all there really is to it, so the key takeaways here is that the demoulding process can be aided by basic wedges that we drive in between the flange of the part and the mould. |
| 01:33 | Compressed air can help and there are also wedges available with this functionality. |
| 01:38 | We can also use conventional tools we already have, we just need to be careful not to damage the part or the mould. |
