In the era when there was no 3d printing, how was the mold made? CNC positioning grinding? There was 3D software in the 1990s? Just ask about the general process.

First, 3D printing is an old technology, which existed decades ago, but it was not named at that time. For more than 20 years before the Gulf War, the US military used this technology to repair tanks on the battlefield.

Second, molds have never been made by 3D printing. Anyone who studies mechanical manufacturing knows that 3D printing is a joke.

People who don't study mechanics may not know that metal processing is far from a forming problem. In order to obtain high quality parts, it is necessary to heat treat and press the metal. The products of 3D printing are mostly powder metallurgy products, with low strength and poor hardness, and the surface quality and accuracy are difficult to compare with cutting.

Mold processing technology-computer CAD modeling-programming and CNC machine cutting-heat treatment-finishing (steps can be adjusted according to requirements).

So, Sao Nian, if you come from a mechanical manufacturing class, you will understand that 3D printing is nothing, just a big toy to make a model, but in recent years, there have been relatively cheap 3D printers, only with ignition.

In the foreseeable future, 3D printing equipment will not become the main equipment in manufacturing industry.

Due to the irreplaceability of heat treatment and pressure processing, at least at the current known technical level, unless there is a major theoretical breakthrough, there is no essential difference between mechanical manufacturing after decades and hundreds of years and what we see now-metal cutting is a reliable manufacturing method with high cost and high quality.