Silicone Chocolate Castings Made With 3D Printing

This reading reshaped the way I thought about my chocolate casting project. The section on molding reminded me that “cast objects are made by pouring material into a mold, then curing and de-molding the object”, a process that relies as much on mold design as on the material itself. I realized that my silicone mold was not just a container but a designed object that determined surface quality, release, and repeatability. The examples of Coral Cup and Other Vessels showed how “good mold design was key to the successful outcomes,” requiring attention to parting lines, materials, and finish. I also connected with the idea that designers often rely on “multiple, partial, and ambiguous representations.” My sketches and Fusion models did not fully capture the texture or behavior of silicone and chocolate. Finally, the reading highlighted that parametric design should address geometry, machine settings, and material behavior together, which pushed me to think of fabrication not as separate steps, but as an interconnected workflow from design to casting.

1. Fusion
2. 3D Printer
3. Silicone
4. Chocolate

I began by sketching how I wanted the chocolates to look, remembering that the final form would mirror these designs.

Using Fusion’s sketch tool, I created my designs while considering the dimensions of the casing (38 mm). To fit properly, each design had to stay within a 30 mm diameter, leaving a 4 mm clearance from the outer edge.

I press-pulled the sketches into 3D forms, keeping in mind the casing height of 37 mm. The top of each form had to stop at 30 mm, and I added a minimum 3° draft angle to ensure smooth release from the silicone mold.

Using Fusion’s fillet command, I rounded and softened edges, creating more complex, organic 3D shapes beyond simple extrusions.

I saved the designs as mesh files and queued them for 3D printing.

Once printed, I super-glued each 3D form to the casing lid, then snapped the lid and casing together securely.

Measure and mix the silicone ingredients, carefully stirring to remove air bubbles.

The silicone mixture was poured into the casing and left to cure fully.

After removing the cured silicone mold from the casing, I filled the cavities with melted chocolate and let it set.

Finally, I removed the finished chocolates from the silicone mold and enjoyed my chocolate 3D designs.