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It's something I'm really keen to know, what materials their designers use that are appropriate for masters production.

Anyone know?

Some of their things like Orks it looks like they could have built a lot out of plasticard, which in a pressurised mould would last a few seconds.

Plasticard is also very hard to join at the edges without it looking rough, something that is holding me back time and time again from making decent looking 'big things'.

Something I did consider is whether they make initial moulds (unpressurised), then do loads of tidying up, scraping off glue blobs and smoothing rough joins before adding detailed bits like rivets for a master cast?

I will definitely ask them this next time I can.

Actually, it's quite possible they are in fact plasticard. Keep in mind that they cast in resin, not plastic. Resin moulds are very easy to make, and don't require the high temperatures or pressures that metal or plastic moulds do. In fact, you can make them yourself pretty easily using kits from most hobby stores. FW, of course, uses rather better quality materials, but the same basic principle holds.

If nothing else, they could make the forms out of plastic card, then fill with resin.

I think the use balsa foam which can be found here!
http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/gbu0-catshow/balsafoam.html

most of the time they make 3up models out of wood,gs,putty...

afterwards they use a scanner to...well... scan the model and while scanning the computer scales down the 3up to actuall scale and a molding cutter cuts the mould.

some minis are designed completely on pcs (like last editions eldar weapon platforms).

there were a few wds that had the design process of the falcon and the land raider in it

I'm not sure how much FW use computors for designing.

I sent them an email and asked. It seems they use plasticard, high density board and plastilene, and loads of other things depending on the model or part.

That plastilene stuff looks really good. Reuseable and cheap!

Has anyone used that balsafoam . would it be any good for a knight {titan} ?

I imagine there master sculpts dont have any plastic some kind of GS or putty. If that. I think now alot of stuff they make is all on computers.

Forgeworld dont use 3d digi sculpting or 3 ups there only used for plastic multipart kits . all FW stuff is hand sculpted the good old fashiond way useing puttys premoulded plastics and plasticard etc then they use a rubber/laytex mould . this is why there stuff comes wrarped sometimes.
plastics are moulded in a metal spin mould .theses are laser cut and cost an fortune.

Greenstuff, plasticard and whatever is at hand:







BTW what is Balsafoam??? You can't foam wood, can you? It is light enough anyway.