Abstract: Methods involving adding a removable fixating material to a partially manufactured workpiece to stabilize a plurality of partially formed objects therein for subsequent manufacturing. In one example, valleys are formed in a workpiece between adjacent partially formed objects so that interconnecting portions remain to interconnect the partially formed objects. Then, the removable fixating material is installed in the valleys, and once the removable fixating material has hardened, the workpiece is further processed to at least remove the interconnecting portions. In some embodiments, a mold is used to install the removable fixating material into the workpiece. In some embodiments, a prefabricated temporary frame is used for installing the removable fixating material into the workpiece. In some embodiments, a temporary frame is formed from the workpiece along with the plurality of objects during manufacturing.

Abstract: Methods for providing a workpiece computer model including a plurality of objects defined in a body of material. A temporary support frame is provided as part of a two-sided machining process in which the workpiece is partially milled from an obverse side. The machine-control instructions are also based on one or more occupying structures added to the workpiece to fill in one or more excess unoccupied regions of the workpiece that would otherwise be machined away during machining of the objects. Providing such occupying structure(s) reduces the amount of machining that needs to be performed.