Succulent Scalp Massager - Silicone Molding

For the casting project, my partner and I wanted to make something that was both functional and fun. We took inspiration from scalp massagers because they are a complicated shape that we thought would be a good molding challenge. We decided to make a scalp massager that looked like a succulent in a pot.

We decided to cast our piece out of 2 different types of plastic. We did this because we wanted the spikes to be soft enough that they would not hurt the user's scalp but we wanted the body to be rigid enough to hold onto securely. We weren’t sure how the plastics would bond together but they ended up bonding very well. Using a service like Xometry, a Urethane casted prototype would cost $1,166.74.

Commercially produced scalp massager

CAD Rendering vs Final Product

Our final product turned out very similar to our CAD rendering. The spikes in the final product are not as defined as in our rendering. This could be improved through the use of a pressure chamber.

Molding Process

Before putting the 3D printed part into the silicone we coated the entire part in Smooth-On XTC-3D High Performance 3D Print Coating to make the surface smooth. We allowed this to dry overnight before continuing. We also sprayed the part with a mold release to ensure it came out of the mold smoothly. In order to keep the 3D-printed part from touching the bottom of the container in the molding process we used 3D-printed sprues to suspend it in the container.

Top view of the succulent leaves after pouring

We poured the brown polyurethane into the top pour hole 3 hours after we poured the succulent leaves. We decided on 3 hours because the cure time for the Xytaflex-30 is 16 hours and we decided that pouring the second layer when the first was only partially cured would improve its bonding ability. This proved to be effective because the part was bonded strongly when we unmolded it.

Casting the first half of the silicone mold

When our mold was completed we did the first layer of the green succulent leaves with the second half of the mold off so we could make sure that all of the spikes were filled.

The mold with everything curing together

Reflection

Prior to this project neither me nor my partner had done any silicone molding. Therefore, we had a significant learning curve. The main takeaways for me were:

Thoroughly mixing the materials you are casting is essential.
Timing the steps well is very important when you are on a deadline.
Using mold release makes everything work.
Most of the process is just waiting for things to set, it isn’t very labor intensive.

If I were to do this again I would take advantage of the 2 part mold more. Before doing this project I definitely had a hard time conceptualizing how the mold would work. Were I to cast this part again I would make the parting line of the mold at the base of the succulent leaves and taper the succulent pot so that it was smaller at the base to make it look more like a succulent pot. If I were to do this in a more professional setting I would definitely use a pressure chamber to get rid of the bubbles and make it look more professional.

It was really helpful to have a partner who was able to be there for all the steps with me. In processes that are technical and time-dependent like casting, having another pair of hands and eyes is really helpful.

Technical Drawings

Succulent Scalp Massager Drawing (1).pdf

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