Turn the toy that lets you create 3D impressions of object into a 3D printer alternative.

- Upload your 3D model.

- Machine sets each pin into place

- Pour molten material is poured inside the hollow area

- Wait for it to harden.
-- ixnaum, Apr 01 2014

It's going to be a one time use device - and you'll never get the two parted. Other than that, it's a great idea.
-- normzone, Apr 01 2014


Those objections are solvable, [norm]. You just need the gap between pins to be small enough that the molding material is viscous enough to not flow (significantly) between them, and a retract stroke that is strong enough to pull them out of whatever molded material remains.

My concern would be with //- Machine sets each pin into place//. How are you doing that in anything resembling an economic manner?
-- MechE, Apr 01 2014


Use a prophylactic.
-- JesusHChrist, Apr 01 2014


//economic manner

I thought this is half bakery.
-- ixnaum, Apr 02 2014


I like that side way stripe idea. It could be used to make much larger molds.
-- ixnaum, Apr 02 2014


The smaller the pins, the better. Smaller and smaller converges on a smooth sheet. Could one use a sheet? You could have the machine pull it magnetically into shape. That would limit the depth of the mold at any one place but it would be much smoother than pins would allow.

Plus the sheet could have a nonstick surface and normzone would nod approvingly.
-- bungston, Apr 02 2014


The shapes you could make would be limited: no undercuts, no hollow spaces, and a big flat* bottom face.

*flat, here meaning 'sunken, irregular shrink cavity'
-- afinehowdoyoudo, Apr 03 2014


I think you could tweak this idea and get a workable vacuum-forming system.
-- Loris, Apr 03 2014


This is good. You could have a manual option where the pins are locked into position after pressing it against another object and then swirling a fast-set liquid on the inside. For hollow objects like masks.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Apr 04 2014



random, halfbakery