Inoxyda

3D Printing

3D Printing - 3D printed sand molds

For sand casting aluminium bronze parts, everything starts from a pattern, regularly including cores . Today this step is made based on 3D digital files of finished part used to machine wooden patterns which are stored between production batches .

For Prototypes, but also for small series of complexe parts, another technology is used based on 3D sand printing (also called additiv manufacturing) which avoids creating and storing patterns.

Since 1924, Inoxyda has been sand casting complexe aluminium bronze parts ranging from 2kg to 8To and is regularly integrating new technologies , such as additiv manufacturing, in particular for sand printing complexe pattern shapes and cores. We find that standard sand casting technology and 3D sand printing are complementary to meet our customer’s requirements.

The best approach to this new technology consists in using standard sand casting for simple shapes where patterns are available and to use the 3D printing on top for the complex geometries as well as for components where the customer doesn’t hold the pattern any more.

In many situations, 3D sand printing is a reliable solution in combination with standard sand casting, in particular for prototypes. This technology ,besides reducing the global cycle time, helps improve the dimensional accuracy as well as the surface quality .

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