Purpose
The major concern technologies during the processing through three-dimensional printing (3DP) are the mechanical and boundary properties of sand models. The parameters such as activator content, resolution X, layer thickness and re-coater speed play a vital role in 3DP sand components. The purpose of this paper is to recommend the optimal process parameters for the best sand mold properties.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, taking the parameters of the activator content, resolution X, layer thickness and re-coater speed as the influence factors, an orthogonal test of L16(44) was designed to discuss the influences of those parameters on the mechanical and boundary properties. Three-point bending (3PB) test was used to characterize the actual bending strength, and the boundary accuracy was assessed by the deviation of the three-point bending samples compared with its design scale.
Findings
The experimental results showed that the resolution X and layer thickness are the main parameters affecting sand mold properties. The strength will attain its maximum when the resolution X and layer thickness are the minimum. The optimal parameters were screened and verified by the confirmation test. The optimal process parameters for best strength and less gas evolution are the activator of 0.19%, resolution X of 0.1 mm, layer thickness of 0.28 mm and re-coater speed of 210 mm/s.
Originality/value
The novelty of this paper is the select of significant parameters on 3D-printed sand model properties. A mathematical model was built to analyze the effect of these parameters. The optimal process parameters for the best properties were got.
The effects of heat treatment parameters including solid solution temperature, transfer time, delay time, aging temperature and time on mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of Al4.8Si1.2Cu0.5Mg alloy were studied by independently altering variables. The experimental results showed that with the increase of solid solution temperature, the tensile strength gradually increases, and the elongation and electrical conductivity monotonously decrease. There is a little effect on the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity when the transfer time is less than 40 s. As the delay time increases, the tensile strength decreases quickly and then increases continuously while the elongation and electrical conductivity increases rapidly and then decreases gradually. The effects of aging temperature and time on the tensile strength and elongation have the same tendency. The electrical conductivity always decreases with the aging temperature while it presents an upwarddownward-upward change with the aging time. When the solid solution temperature is 525°C, the transfer time and delay time are below 20 s and 2 h, and aging temperature and time are 160°C and 35 h, the alloy can achieved satisfactory properties.
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