Analysis of Mold Parting Principles and Key Technical Points for Complex GRC Shapes

Analysis of the Mold Parting Principles and Key Technical Points for Complex GRC Shapes

Driven by the dual forces of contemporary architectural aesthetics and engineering technology, GRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete) has become a core material for shaping the artistic quality of building envelopes thanks to its outstanding form freedom and structural performance. However, the mold parting process for complex GRC shapes, as the key link connecting design creativity with engineering implementation, directly determines the final presentation of a project. As an industry leader with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP, Qinglong Group has systematically outlined the core principles and key technical points of mold parting for complex GRC shapes based on the practice of hundreds of landmark projects, providing professional solutions for designers and engineering parties.

I. Core Principles of Mold Parting Design: Balancing Artistic Expression and Engineering Feasibility

Mold parting for complex GRC shapes must be built on the basis of 3D parametric design, following the dual principle of "shape fidelity first, production efficiency optimized". In the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project, for hyperbolic honeycomb curtain wall units, Qinglong's technical team adopted a "block division without texture splitting" strategy, using the Grasshopper parametric plugin to decompose the 1200㎡ curved surface into 138 standard modules, which both ensures the independent production feasibility of each component and preserves the continuity of the overall texture after installation. Three key indicators must be closely controlled during the mold parting process: single component weight not exceeding 500kg (for lifting safety), mold reuse rate ≥85% (to reduce costs), and joint width ≤3mm (to ensure visual integrity).

II. Key Technical Points: Full-Process Control from Digital Modeling to Precision Manufacturing

1. Application of 3D scanning and reverse engineering technology: In the Century Plaza renovation project on Nanjing East Road, the Qinglong team used laser scanning technology to capture the original building's curved surface data, processed the point cloud with Geomagic Studio software, and built a digital model with an accuracy of ±0.5mm. For openwork relief GRC components, an innovative "negative-form mold parting method" was adopted, converting complex ornamentation into detachable mold units and raising the production pass rate to over 98%.

2. Mold material and process innovation: For ultra-complex hyperbolic components (minimum curvature radius 300mm), Qinglong developed a dedicated elastic mold system using epoxy resin and glass fiber composite materials, which both ensures shape precision and achieves more than 100 mold turnover cycles. In a commercial complex project in Guangzhou, mold temperature field simulation technology was used to solve the hydration heat cracking problem during the casting of large-size GRC components.

3. Structural optimization of mold parting joints: BIM technology was used to simulate the forces on mold parting joints. In a cultural center project in Shenzhen, an innovative "mortise-and-tenon joint" design increased installation efficiency by 40%, while built-in RFID chips enabled full life-cycle quality traceability. For GRC curtain walls higher than 15m, mold parting design must simultaneously consider deformation compensation under wind loads, reserving an elastic deformation allowance of 0.3%.

III. Full-Chain Collaboration: Seamless Connection from Design Development to Installation

As a national high-tech enterprise and a drafting unit of GRC industry standards, Qinglong has established a trinity collaboration mechanism of "design-production-installation". During the design development stage, the technical team collaborates with design institutes on parametric models to resolve mold parting conflicts in advance; the production stage uses automated casting lines and robotic grinding systems to ensure component precision; the installation stage employs 3D laser positioning technology to achieve "millimeter-level" joint accuracy. This full-chain capability enabled Qinglong to control the on-site installation error of 2,800 special-shaped GRC components within ±2mm in a landmark project in Malaysia, setting a model for the implementation of overseas complex-shape projects.

The mold parting technology for complex GRC shapes represents a deep integration of materials science, digital technology, and engineering experience. Backed by 28 years of industry accumulation and 58 patented technologies, Qinglong Group continues to drive innovative breakthroughs in GRC mold parting processes and has participated in the formulation of multiple industry standards, including the Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC). In the future, with the development of UHPC/GRC composite technology, mold parting processes will evolve toward "thinner and lighter, more precise, and more economical", providing broader possibilities for building envelope art. Choosing a GRC manufacturer with full-chain service capabilities is a key guarantee for the successful implementation of complex-shape projects.