A review on additive manufacturing of sand molds by binder jetting and selective laser sintering

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current state of the art manufacturing techniques using sand molds for the casting industry by the means of additive manufacturing (AM). In particular, this review will cover two families of 3D printing in regards to sand mold fabrication. Design/methodology/approach This paper will discuss the sand casting manufacturing processes of AM by binder jetting (3D printing) and selective laser sintering. Scientific articles, patents and case studies are analyzed. Topics ranging from the technology types to the economic implications are covered. Findings The review investigates new factors and methods for mold design, looking at mechanical properties and cost analysis as influenced by material selection, thermal characteristics, topological optimization and manufacturing procedure. Findings in this study suggest that this topic lacks vigorous scientific research and that the case studies by manufacturers thus far are not useful. Research limitations/implications As demonstrated by the limited data from previous published studies, a more comprehensive and conclusive analysis is needed due to the lack of interest and resources regarding the AM of sand molds. Practical implications This study is a useful tool for any researchers with an interest in the field of AM of sand molds. Social implications Key perspectives are proposed. Originality/value This review highlights current gaps in this field. The review goes beyond the scientific articles by curating patents and professional case studies.

The potential of metal epoxy composite (MEC) as hybrid mold inserts in rapid tooling application: a review

“…Current technology of SC uses 3D sand mold printing as an application in the foundry industry and this is one of the modern mold manufacturing technologies and is capable of producing the complex geometry and intricate cavity, as well as having high accuracy (Bassoli and Atzeni, 2009). The technology shown in Figure 6 is based on the combination of CAD and digital control technology to produce sand mold without a wooden pattern and is chosen to fabricate sand mold directly using AM process (Bassoli et al, 2007;Upadhyay et al, 2017;Zhao et al, 2016;Bassoli and Atzeni, 2009;Le Néel et al, 2018).…”

Powder-Based 3D Printing for the Fabrication of Device with Micro and Mesoscale Features

“…PBBJ utilizes a liquid binding agent to glue the powders in selected regions of a powder bed. Generally, post-printing sintering is required to improve mechanical properties of the PBBJ-printed objects [ 63 , 66 , 78 , 82 , 83 , 84 ]. On the other hand, PBF technology, first introduced by Deckard and Beaman [ 85 ], utilizes energy source (thermal, laser, electron beam or infrared source) to melt or sinter powders in selected regions on the powder bed [ 23 , 86 ].…”

“…In this review, we will examine the capability of various powder-based 3D-printing processes in resolving micro and mesoscale features with a size ranging from 10 µm to 1 mm in size (with several examples slightly larger than one millimeter) and evaluate their suitability for various applications. At present, it is impractical to fabricate nanoscale features with powder-based 3D-printing processes [ 48 , 50 , 69 , 70 ], and the advances in macroscale powder-based 3D printing have already been extensively reviewed [ 4 , 12 , 27 , 28 , 37 , 39 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 68 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 ]. Therefore, these two areas are beyond the scope of this review.…”

Prediction Mechanical Strength of Sand Mold Samples Fabricated by Three-Dimensional Printing

“…Three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology invented by MIT as a rapid prototyping technique to build object is widely used in sand mold process. 1) During 3DP process, a computer aided design model is used as the input to build up a model layer upon layer, and by jetting resin at specific locations between layers, all layers are bonded together to form a solid. 3DP technology can build complex structural sand components which are difficult to build and produce in conventional way without specific tools or models, which can effectively simplify the production process, shorten the production cycle, and lower the economic cost, especially in the developing stage.…”