Reviews: Guide to Inhibiting Cure of Addition-Cure Silicone in 3D Printed Molds (16 comments)

I'll summarize the issue of platinum silicone curing inhibition in 3D printed master model: Platinum-cured silicone's curing inhibition only occurs in areas that come into contact with contaminants, and the extent of uncured areas is directly proportional to the level of contamination. For the same 3D printed model, letting it sit for 3-5 days will result in fewer uncured areas compared to just 1-2 days, because the more completely the resin on the model's surface cures, the less it affects the platinum silicone's curing. Therefore, extending the resting time to address curing inhibition issues can be effective, and appropriately baking or exposing the model to sunlight can accelerate the curing of the resin on the model's surface.

Spraying primer on the model will alter its dimensions and may even obscure fine details. This solution is unacceptable to me as I need the molds to produce precise and intricate parts.

I have given up using platinum-cured silicone for mold making. I have been consistently using tin-cured silicone instead, as it doesn't have issues with curing inhibition.

I have tested a 4% PVA solution and found it effective for my project. I applied two layers on my 3D-printed resin model and let it dry and cure. The results were very good, and I have been using this solution to solve the issue of platinum-cured silicone not curing.

My approach involves placing the model for 10-15 days after cleaning, curing, and polishing. I haven't encountered any issues with mold not curing using this method. If you're unsure whether you've waited long enough, simply mix a small amount of platinum-cured silicone gel and observe if it cures after your model has been left for a period of time.

After 3D printing, drying the resin model and letting it sit for 2 to 4 weeks seems to reduce the inhibition issue to some extent.

I have tried Inhibit X, and although it is effective, it did not give me the surface quality I desired. Instead, I let my 3D-printed resin model cure, then I polished it and placed it under UV light for another round of curing before leaving it for a few months. This is the method I discovered to prevent platinum-cured silicone from curing inhibition.

Clean the uncured resin on the UV resin model. 2. Heat the model at 150°C for 2-3 minutes. 3. Expose the model to UV light as usual. 4. Roll the model in Inhibit X for 5 minutes. 5. Dry and cure the model before use.

We only need to bake the UV resin mold at 60°C (140°F) for 30 hours, and then pour in the platinum-cured silicone mixture.

Sure, I'd be glad to share my method. First, I clean the mold surface with IPA or ethanol, and then cure the mold at 80°C (176°F) for 4 hours. I evenly spray a release agent on the model surface, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then pour the prepared clear liquid silicone into the mold. After that, I cure it at 80°C (176°F). In the end, the silicone can fully cure without any issues.