Using SOLIDWORKS Mold Tools to Create All-Gloss

Using SOLIDWORKS Mold Tools to Create All-Gloss
Polyjet Prints
What is Polyjet?
Polyjet is an extremely useful 3D printing process. Because the process employs a UV-cured thin
film, it has a very high resolution and can create stunning visual results. The Objet line of printers
also has the ability to print in multiple colors through the same print. In general, polyjet prints are
superior when it comes to visual quality, but they suffer from one fatal flaw: the glossy polyjet
finish becomes a cloudy matte finish when it comes in contact with support material. Because of
this, any surface that points downward is going to result in a this rougher finish.
Polyjet print showing line where the finish goes from glossy to matte
To fix this issue, we are going to use the SOLIDWORKS Mold Tools to split our parts so they can be
printed in the ideal orientation for a glossy surface finish. This will result in the entire part being
glossy – not just the side facing upward.
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Step 1: Parting Lines
The first step to achieving this is to create the proper parting lines on your part. This can be done
using the Parting Lines tool on the Mold Tools tab of the CommandManager. When using this
tool, you will want to choose a direction of pull that is going to give you the cleanest split of your
part. In this case, the Top Plane works well for this example.
We will also want to make sure that the “Split Faces” (At +/- draft transition) option is enabled
incase the parting line isn’t clearly defined in your part. This was a necessary step in the case
study for this document.
Parting Line creation via Parting Lines tool
Step 2: Parting Surface and Split
Once we have established a parting line, we can use this parting line to create a parting surface. In
this case, I created a filled surface (CommandManager: Surfaces > Filled Surface) from the edges
created by the parting line.
Parting Surface creation via Filled S urface
After creating the filled surface, we will need to split our part with that surface. This can be done
using the Split feature (Insert > Features > Split) and using the Filled Surface as the cutting tool.
You will want to make sure that you keep both of the bodies after the split.
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Splitting of the part into two bodies
Step 3: Orientation for printing
After we have split our part, we can either orient it within SOLIDWORKS or orient it in the 3D
printing software. Either way, we will want to make sure that the lower halves are flipped 180
degrees so the part that was facing downward is now facing upward. In this case, we are using the
Objet Studio to orient our parts before printing (seen in the picture below).
After printing in this orientation, the parts can be assembled and adhered with CA glue so that the
matte surface created by the support material will be internal to the part. The end result being a
glossy finish around the entire outer surface of the part.
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