Moulding process

1. A method of forming a molded item, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a mold former comprising an indentation having an inner surface and a bottom face and made of plastics and manufactured by a 3-dimensional printing process, said mold former being shaped to form a mold having:

a series of holes extending between the inner surface and the bottom face of the mold former indentation,

(b) forming the mold in said mold former from a plastics material, wherein the mold has an indentation corresponding to a desired shape of said molded item;

(c) positioning an elongate member in and extending out of said mold such that a first end of the elongate member is received within said mold indentation and a second opposite end of said member is located outside said indentation;

(d) introducing a volume of liquid into said indentation receiving said first end of said elongate member;

(e) positioning a cover over said mold including said mold indentation receiving said first end of said elongate member and sealing the cover to the mold; and

(f) causing said liquid in said covered mold indentation receiving said first end of said elongate member to solidify about said first end of said elongate member.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the 3-dimensional printing process is performed by means of fused deposition modelling (FDM) or fused filament fabrication (FFF).

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mold former is made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (b) a sheet of thermoplastic material is placed over the mold former ( 6 ) and a pressure differential is created at either side of the sheet while the sheet is heated above its softening point.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (e) said cover comprises a plastics film.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said cover further comprises a metal foil.

7. A method according to claim 4 , wherein in step (e) said cover is sealed to said mold by plastics welding.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said cover is sealed to said mold adjacent the periphery of said indentation.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (f) said liquid is caused to solidify by means of a cooking process.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (f) said liquid is caused to solidify by means of a polymerisation reaction.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said elongate member is edible.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said elongate member is a wick.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein said mold item is a frozen confection and wherein in step (f) said liquid is caused to solidify by means of freezing.

14. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said mold item is a confection and wherein said liquid comprises molten chocolate and wherein in step (f) said liquid is caused to solidify by means of cooling.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said elongate member is formed of biscuit or hard candy.

16. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said molded item is a bakery product and wherein said liquid comprises a cake or dough mix.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said elongate member is formed of biscuit or hard candy.

18. A method according to claim 8 wherein said molded item is a candle and wherein said liquid comprises molten candle wax and said elongate member comprises a wick.