Molding (process)

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One half of a bronze mould for casting a socketed spear head dated to the period 1400-1000 BC. There are no known parallels for this mould.

Molding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a mold.

A mold or mould is a hollowed-out block that is filled with a liquid like plastic, glass or metal. The liquid hardens or sets inside the mold, adopting its shape. A mold is the opposite of a cast (see casting). The manufacturer who makes the molds is called moldmaker or mouldmaker.

Types of molding include:

• Powder metallurgy and ceramics
• * Compaction plus sintering
• Plastics
• * Injection molding
• * Compression molding
• * Transfer molding
• * Extrusion molding
• * Blow molding
• * Rotational molding
• * Thermoforming
• ** Vacuum forming, a simplified version of thermoforming
• * Reaction Injection Molding
• * Laminating
• * Expandable bead molding
• * Foam molding
• * Rotomolding
• * Vacuum plug assist molding
• * Pressure plug assist molding
• * Matched mold

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