Advanced methods for manufacturing high quality parts should be used to ensure the production of competitive products for the world market. Investment casting (IC) is a process where a wax pattern is used as a sacrificial pattern to manufacture high precision casting of solid metal parts. Rapid casting is in turn, a technique that eases the IC process by combining additive manufacturing (AM) technologies with IC. The use of AM technologies to create patterns for new industrial products is a unique opportunity to develop cost-effective methods for producing investment casting parts in a timely manner. Particularly, stereolithography (SLA) based AM is of interest due to its high dimensional accuracy and the smooth surface quality of the printed parts. From the first appearance of commercially available SLA printers in the market, it took a few decades until desktop SLA printers became available to consumers at a reasonable price. Therefore, the aim of this review paper is to analyze the state-of-the-art and applicability of SLA based 3D printing technology in IC manufacturing, as SLA based AM technologies have been gaining enormous popularity in recent times. Other AM techniques in IC are also reviewed for comparison. Moreover, the SLA process parameters, material properties, and current issues are discussed.
This research paper aims to improve the quality of 3D printed parts made of the wax filament by implementing the Taguchi orthogonal array process optimization method. The manufactured parts can be used as cost-effective investment casting patterns. With the Taguchi method, it was concluded that the nozzle temperature has the most effect on the dimensional accuracy of printed parts. In addition, thermal, mechanical, and rheological characterization were performed on the wax filament, revealing several important findings. For instance, the rheological studies identified the low viscosity of melted wax at printing temperatures. This resulted in the rough surface of the printed parts. To improve the surface roughness, a post-processing procedure was implemented using a white spirit as a surface smoothing agent.
This research paper aims to improve the quality of 3D printed parts made of the wax filament by implementing the Taguchi orthogonal array process optimization method. The manufactured parts can be used as cost-effective investment casting patterns. With the Taguchi method, it was concluded that the nozzle temperature has the most effect on the dimensional accuracy of printed parts. In addition, thermal, mechanical, and rheological characterization were performed on the wax filament revealing several important findings. For instance, the rheological studies identified the low viscosity of melted wax at printing temperatures. This resulted in the rough surface of the printed parts. To improve the surface roughness, a post-processing procedure was implemented using a white spirit as a surface smoothing agent.
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