Patent ID: 6609043
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: B22F,B29C,B33Y,Y02P

Abstract:
A method for constructing a structural foam part from a polymer mold of the structural foam part, the method comprising:creating, using a rapid prototyping process, a first layer of the polymer mold, the first layer defining a first cross-sectional layer of the structural foam part; creating, using the rapid prototyping process, a second layer of the polymer mold, the second layer directly overlying the first layer and defining a second cross-sectional layer of the structural foam part that directly overlies the first cross-sectional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer each define a different number of internal support structures; filling the polymer mold with a material; and heating the polymer mold and the material to heat set the material and to remove the polymer mold thereby forming the structural foam part.