Challenges in Polystyrene Mold Making for Clay Panels Using Robotic Hotwire Carving

This paper examines a key challenge in mold-making for relief clay panels: the issue of heat-induced curling and surface damage caused by dripping molten plastic during the robotic hotwire cutting process. Our study specifically focuses on analyzing how the speed of the hotwire tool influences the look of the mold ridges. The emphasis is placed on the end-effector’s velocity pertaining to transition and orientation between the toolpath targets. We hypothesize that the time taken for the tool to travel between two targets is a critical factor, potentially leading to excessive heat buildup in the mold‘s ridges. By conducting a toolpath evaluation, we aim to determine if the prolonged travel time, rather than just the cutting speed, contributes to the excessive heat that causes edge curling and surface damage on the ridges. This research contributes to the mold-making process for clay panels, as it seeks to identify the speed-related factors that can be adjusted to mitigate these issues. Our findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the quality and precision of molds used for imprinting clay.