01-28-2015: Kai Parthy unveiled MOLDLAY Wax 3D printing filament

The first FFF material dedicated to casting production

On January 28, 2015, Kai Parthy, the legendary creator and innovator in 3D printing materials, introduced one of the most exotic and experimental filaments: MOLDLAY. This material was designed specifically for producing casting molds using FDM/FFF 3D printers. It allowed users—at least theoretically—to create molds for lost wax casting as well as permanent molds in a simple manner.

MOLDLAY was a thermoplastic material with properties resembling wax. It featured virtually zero shrinkage, the ability to print without a heated bed, and an optimal working temperature of 170–180°C. Once a mold was printed with MOLDLAY, it was encased in concrete, which was then cured and placed in a furnace at around 270°C.

During this process, MOLDLAY melted and drained out of the mold, leaving a precise cavity in the concrete. This cavity could then be filled with molten tin or brass. After cooling, the concrete mold was broken, and the casting was cleaned of any residual concrete.

Of course, both the material and the casting method it enabled were relatively "crude." In subsequent years, as photopolymer 3D printers and specialized casting resins became more widespread, the FDM/FFF method ceased to be taken seriously for smaller casting applications. For the production of large objects unsuitable for SLA-based 3D printers, the natural limitations of FDM/FFF technology also prevented widespread adoption. (Note: this doesn’t mean no one uses it—only that it is not a particularly popular manufacturing method.)

MOLDLAY remains a historical curiosity that played a role in the development of specialty materials. However, the man behind it, Kai Parthy, deserves even greater recognition...

Kai Parthy’s story is as intriguing as his inventions. Born in East Germany in the 1980s during the waning days of communism, he emigrated to Hamburg. There, he started manufacturing shoes for theatrical dancers while simultaneously developing ideas and registering patents—of which he holds at least a dozen.

A pivotal moment came when he visited the Euromold trade fair in 2011 and saw a 3D printer for the first time. The machine he purchased inspired him to experiment with materials in his garage. It was there that he created legendary filaments such as LAYWOO-D3 (wood-like filament), LAYWOO-D3 FLEX (flexible wood), LAYBRICK (sandstone-like filament), and LAYFOAM (sponge-like filament).

Thanks to his innovations, Kai Parthy revolutionized the 3D printing materials market. His filaments enabled the printing of objects with unique visual and tactile properties, significantly expanding the possibilities of additive manufacturing technology.

Source: www.3ders.org