What is the best material for reusable molds?

1, High performance mold steel
High performance mold steel is a traditional and widely used material for manufacturing reusable molds. These materials usually have excellent hardness, wear resistance, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance, which can meet the needs of various complex mold manufacturing.
Austrian Bairu W360 is a high-performance mold steel, mainly composed of carbon, chromium, tungsten, and cobalt. This material has excellent hardness and can maintain its shape and size under high loads. At the same time, it also has excellent wear resistance and can withstand repeated use and high-speed friction. In high temperature environments, the Austrian Bayer W360 can still maintain its hardness and shape, with excellent thermal stability. In addition, it also has good corrosion resistance and can withstand chemical and moisture corrosion. These characteristics make the Austrian Bayer W360 an ideal choice for manufacturing high-quality plastic molds and die-casting molds.
Austrian Bairu M390 is another high-performance powder metallurgy mold steel, mainly composed of molybdenum, cobalt, chromium, and titanium. This material also has high hardness, excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance. Compared with W360, M390 performs better in heat resistance and is suitable for manufacturing high-precision plastic and metal molds.
2, Food grade silicone
In the field of food processing and production, food grade silicone molds have become an emerging environmentally friendly choice due to their non-toxic, odorless, and reusable characteristics.
Non toxic and odorless
Food grade silicone molds are a type of two-component addition molding silicone material that meets FDA food grade certification for environmentally friendly silicone. It uses platinum catalyst, which is non-toxic, odorless, safe and environmentally friendly. This makes food grade silicone molds the preferred material in the field of food processing and manufacturing.
High tear resistance and no cracking
Food grade silicone molds have higher tear resistance, can withstand multiple cleaning and repeated use, do not crack, and have a long service life. This feature enables food grade silicone molds to have better safety and stability during food processing and storage.
Easy to clean
The surface of food grade silicone molds is smooth, easy to clean, and will not leave any food residue or bacteria, ensuring the hygiene and safety of food. This characteristic makes food grade silicone molds widely used in baking, candy making, chocolate molds, and other fields.
3, Other materials
In addition to high-performance mold steel and food grade silicone, there are other materials that are also suitable for manufacturing reusable molds.
45 steel is one of the most commonly used medium carbon quenched and tempered steels, with excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. Although it has low hardenability and is prone to cracking during water quenching, its hardness and wear resistance can be improved through appropriate heat treatment processes. 45 steel is suitable for manufacturing molds that do not require high hardness and wear resistance.
6061 aluminum plate is one of the commonly used mold aluminum plates, belonging to aluminum magnesium silicon alloy. Adding silicon element to the alloy can make the aluminum alloy have better castability and corrosion resistance. 6061 aluminum plate has a relatively light weight and good processing performance, making it suitable for manufacturing molds that require weight and processing performance.
Q235 steel plate is a commonly used carbon structural steel with good strength and toughness. Through laser cutting and welding processes, it can be processed into various shapes of molds. Q235 steel plate is suitable for manufacturing molds that require strength and toughness, such as interlocking block soft mold.
4, Principles of Material Selection
When selecting materials for reusable molds, the following principles need to be considered:
Usage environment: Select appropriate materials based on the usage environment of the mold. For example, molds working in high-temperature environments need to choose materials with high thermal stability; Molds that work in humid or corrosive environments need to choose materials with corrosion resistance.
Usage requirements: Select appropriate materials according to the usage requirements of the mold. For example, molds with high requirements for hardness and wear resistance need to choose high-performance mold steel; For molds with high requirements for non-toxic, odorless, and easy to clean properties, food grade silicone gel should be selected.
Service life: Consider the service life and cost-effectiveness of the mold. Some high-performance materials, although expensive, have a longer lifespan and better performance, which may be more cost-effective in the long run.
Processing performance: Consider the processing performance and manufacturability of the material. Although some materials have excellent performance, they are difficult to process and costly, and may not be suitable for large-scale production.