printing a sand casting

[dnalot]

I have been following with great interest aonemarine's posts on lost plastic casting. Here is a You-Tube clip of an extension of that idea ~ printing the mold directly.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8MaVaqNr3U[/ame]

Now that is a printer I would like to own.

Mark T

 

[Tin Falcon]

interesting they are certainly not afraid to use risers.

looks like the print head spreads sand and then deposits bonding resin in droplets. so they are 3-d printing a 3-d negative image or mold section,.rather than a positive pattern. Any area where resin is not deposited just falls away at the end certainly an interesting way to make a casting.
in essence you have only a digital pattern that is easily modified based on the 3-D QC scan of the finished part. so relatively easy to adjust dimensions as needed to reduce weight and material or add strength and machining allowance.
in 20 years this could hit the home shop .
Tin

 

[littlelocos]

That's incredible. The printed sand process would offer almost-endless possiblilities for prototypes and short runs. Not sure how it would work for full production at this point.

My 3D CAD system already has output to 3D printers -- and they're available at Staples for about $1200!! Give it 5 years and they will be on the same model as the inkjet printer is now - give'em the printer, sell'em the ink.
Todd.

 

[Herbiev]

Unbelievable. Thanks for sharing.

 

[aarggh]

Amazing stuff!

Did anyone notice the guy at 6:30 not wearing gloves when handling/pouring several litres of molten metal?

cheers, Ian