These molds are designed for molding
small samples, cross sections, or similar. In these types of samples the area of the
sample makes up a small proportion of the surface area and
polishing becomes limited by the large surface of embedding
media. Also, with small samples it can be difficult to monitor
the polishing progress. These molds drastically reduce the
surface area of exposed resin while providing a much
better view of thin, tall samples such as electronic circuit
chips and boards. The more economical volume of resin required and smaller surface area also results
in a significant reduction in the consumption of
polishing supplies.
The optimal sample size for these molds
is 3/8" (10mm) or less in thickness (for cross sections). The central portion of the mold accommodates the device during the resin pour and set up. The large blocks on either side exclude resin to funnel it into the central channel around the device and into the channel around the perimeter. This reduces the surface area of the cast resin by up to 48%,
with a dramatic reduction in the grinding and polishing time
required to reach the feature of interest.
Resin volumes to fill molds (nominal):
8mL, 15 mL, 20 mL compares favorably with 20 mL, 30 mL, 50 mL
for standard molds. These molds are compatible with any of our Embedding Resins. |