Moulds with integrated heating and methods of making the same
The present invention provides a method of fabricating a mold and the mold fabricated by such method. The mold is fabricated by providing a support structure having a predefined shape; applying a heat distribution layer on the support structure; applying a heating element network upon the heat distribution layer; applying at least one glass composition layer upon the heating element network; applying a resin composition to each of the heating element network and the at least one glass composition layer; and integrating the heat distribution layer, heating element network, the at least one glass composition layer and the resin composition to form a mold unit.
1. A method of fabricating a mould comprising:
providing a support structure having a predefined shape;
applying a heat distribution layer directly on the support structure;
applying a heating element network upon the heat distribution layer;
applying at least one glass composition layer upon said heating element network;
applying a resin composition to each of said heating element network and said at least one glass composition layer;
integrating said heat distribution layer, heating element network, said at least one glass composition layer, and said resin composition to form a mould unit; and
detaching the mould unit from the support structure.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat distribution layer comprises a glass fabric layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the said heating element network comprises carbon.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a mould plug.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating element network comprises fibers.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating element network comprises a drapable fabric.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating element network comprises a braided network.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating element network comprises a knitted network.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one glass composition layer comprises fibers.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one glass composition layer comprises a drapable fabric.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one glass composition layer comprises a braided network.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resin composition infiltrates through the heating element network and glass composition layer.
13. A method of fabricating a mould comprising:
providing a support structure having a predefined shape;
applying a heat distribution layer directly on the support structure;
applying at least one carbon network layer on the heat distribution layer;
applying at least one glass network layer upon said at least one carbon network layer;
applying a resin to each of said at least one carbon network layer and said at least one glass network layer;
integrating said heat distribution layer, carbon network layer, glass network layer, and said resin to form a mould unit; and
detaching the mould unit from the support structure.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the carbon network comprises carbon fabric.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the carbon network comprises braided form of carbon.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the carbon network comprises knitted form of carbon.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the carbon network comprises an undulation.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the glass network comprises a fabric form.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the glass network comprises a braided form.
20. A method of fabricating a mould comprising:
providing a support structure having a predefined shape;
applying a heating element network upon the support structure;
applying at least one glass composition layer upon said heating element network;
applying a resin composition to each of said heating element network and said at least one glass composition layer;
integrating said heating element network, said at least one glass composition layer, and said resin composition to form a mould unit;
releasing the mould unit from the support structure; and
applying a heat distribution layer to the mould unit surface after releasing the mould unit from the support structure.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the heat distribution layer is applied in the form of glass painting.