3D Printing low-cost cast metal parts using 3D printer.
3D Printing low-cost cast metal parts using 3D printer.
Learn how castable FDM prints can be used to produce low-cost metal parts via investment casting.
Introduction
Castable FDM patterns, when used in conjunction with the investment casting process, can be used to produce large metal parts at very low cost, with features that would not be possible using traditional manufacturing techniques.
This article explains the benefits of using FDM 3D printed patterns.
For high volume investment casting a mold is machined and then the pattern is created using mold casting wax. The mold is a very expensive investment and the production of the mold usually takes a long time (2 - 6 weeks).
3D printing is now often used in conjunction with various investment casting applications to produce patterns from castable materials. Castable 3D printing is common in the dental and jewelry industries and is typically produced via the SLA / DLP printing process. This is a vat photopolymerization technology that is capable of producing parts with very smooth surfaces and extremely fine details. The main limitation of SLA is the size of the printer build volume, or the high cost of larger models. For larger metal parts, castable FDM offers a cost-effective and fast solution.
Small, complex designs are well suited for SLA investment casting.
For larger metal parts, castable FDM offers a cost-effective and fast solution.
Castable FDM
For larger parts, creating patterns via SLA is no longer feasible due to the high cost of resin and the large build volume of most SLA machines. Castable FDM offers a low-cost solution to print parts quickly. FDM is a material extrusion technology. After printing, the surface of the part is smoothed by micro-droplet polishing, which produces a model with a very smooth surface (a requirement for high-quality investment casting).
A series of FDM prints patterns, molds and final castings.
There are several advantages to using FDM to produce investment casting patterns. These include:
Low cost: FDM is the lowest cost 3D printing method and does not require expensive tooling.
Large build size: FDM printers generally have larger build sizes (dowell 3d printer can reach up to 1600*2400*1600 mm) compared to DMLS or SLA printers. Due to the low material cost, FDM is especially competitive when the size of the part increases.
