Machining

[Jared1989]

Can anyone explain how the molds for production boats are manufactured? Hull molds to be specific. What CNC machines are used? How is the surface finish measured for smoothness?

 

[MTboatguy]

I don't know that many CNC machines are used in the manufacture of boat molds, take a look through all of these images it might give you and idea of how they do things.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Boa...bN5LHogT1-KGwCw&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1333&bih=598

Most of the molds I have seen were either wood or fiberglass, that have release agent sprayed on before they lay the boat hull up. In this day and age with all of the technology that has been developed, I imagine there are companies that are using automated routers to shape things.

 

[tpenfield]

I am curious as to why you are asking :noidea: Plan on going into the boat building business?

As stated, many are made from wood & fiberglass. Generally, there is a 'plug' made of the boat hull . . . this is like the master for the mold. Then a fiberglass shell is made over the plug, which is reinforced and eventually becomes the mold.

With many of the newer, more elaborate hulls, the plug is made from high density foam and then epoxied over to make a smooth finish. These hull plugs tend to originate on computer design software rather than a mock-up. The CNC routing machines do the cutting of the foam to the exact shape of the hull.

http://www.moldmakingtechnology.com...by-diversity-supported-by-software-technology