What is formative manufacturing?
Formative manufacture, as the name suggests, is when you manufacture something using a former. A former is an object, such as a template, gauge or cutting die, which is used to form something. For example in the image above, the plaster mould, which is used to create the ceramic mug, is the former.
In most formative manufacturing processes, a liquid is poured into a cavity, taking the cavity's shape as it hardens. Simple examples of the formative process are candle making or pouring cupcake batter into a tin.
When should I use formative manufacturing?
Formative manufacturing is most useful when you want to create multiple of the same part. In the example below of chocolate making, you can create a mould and then reuse that same mould multiple times to create dozens of chocolates.
Formative manufacturing is also the only way in uCreate you are able to create metal parts from pewter.
Which uCreate machines use formative manufacturing and how can I use them?
uCreate has a Mayku FormBox Vacuum Former and Flamefast Low Temperature Casting System, which are both types of formative manufacturing.
For more information on these machines, please see the other pages in the Formative Manufacture knowledge base.
uCreate has a formative manufacture training, which goes through how to use both of these machines. This training is mandatory in order to use the Flamefast Low Temperature Casting System.
