Novel ultra-high performance concrete as mold material for the blow molding process

Molds for the blow molding process are usually made of aluminum. This relatively low-pressure process allows the potential use of other materials, such as epoxy or concrete reinforced with metallic powders. The purpose of the study is to fabricate and evaluate a three-section mold made of a new formulation of cement based concrete, known as ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Results such as mold fabrication time, thermal behavior, and dimensional stability are compared with an existing aluminum and reinforced epoxy molds. The cooling performances and the surface temperature distribution of the mold as well as the temperature of the part were analyzed using infrared thermography. The dimensional accuracy of the mold was investigated using a digital laser scanner on the parts. The analysis and the experimental results demonstrated that the composite tooling material is potential a good candidate for blow molding, in terms of its thermal properties, dimensional accuracy, and fabrication time.