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Application of Stereolithography Based 3D Printing Technology in Investment Casting

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Application of Stereolithography Based 3D Printing Technology in Investment Casting micromachines Review Application of Stereolithography Based 3D Printing Technology in Investment Casting Muslim Mukhtarkhanov, Asma Perveen and Didier Talamona * School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Nursultan 010000, Kazakhstan; [email protected] (M.M.); [email protected] (A.P.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +7-(7172)-70-65-96 Received: 5 September 2020; Accepted: 13 October 2020; Published: 19 October 2020 Abstract: 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. Keywords: Stereolithography (SLA), investment casting; rapid casting; pattern; photopolymers 1. Introduction For thousands of years metal casting has been recognized as one of the main techniques for producing metal goods. Even today, it remains widely used by the industry. Holtzer et al. [1] indicated the constantly growing share of the foundry industry as a means of production for metal products. Despite continuous development of other production technologies, the foundry industry remains a significant and constant element of world economies. In regard to materials nomenclature, gray iron has a significant fraction of production volume. For example, in 2010 the global production in the foundry industry showed a 44 million ton production of grey iron, whereas the production of nonferrous metals showed 15 million tones, and steel 10 million tones. The market share of produced metals is shown in Figure1. From the diagram it can be seen that the automotive, general engineering, and construction industries are the main market players. According to Holtzer’s study, the highest priorities for further development are modeling, prototyping, and production. Therefore, the advances in such areas such as rapid prototyping (RP) and rapid casting (RC) are of particular importance to ensure competitiveness of the foundry industries. Micromachines 2020, 11, 946; doi:10.3390/mi11100946 www.mdpi.com/journal/micromachines Micromachines 2020, 11, 946 2 of 27 Micromachines 2020, 11, x 2 of 27 Construction and Others Infrastructure (Electronics, Systems Medicine, 10% Aviation) 10% Automotive industry (motorization) Engineering 50% industry 30% Figure 1. Main markets served by th thee foundry industry [[1].1]. The process of casting casting is is relatively relatively simple simple and and consists consists of of the the following following steps: steps: first first the the metal metal is ismelted, melted, and and then then poured poured into into prepared prepared molds; molds; after after metal metal is is solidified solidified and and cooled, cooled, the the mold is destroyed, revealingrevealing thethe castedcasted part. part. IfIf the the part part has has surface surface defects, defects, it it undergoes undergoes further further machining machining to finishto finish the process.the process. Along Along with otherwith castingother casting methods methods such as diesuch casting as die and casting sand casting,and sand investment casting, castinginvestment (IC) casting is regarded (IC) asis anregar indispensableded as an indispensable technology for technology casting metal for casting products metal that haveproducts intricate that shapeshave intricate with high shapes dimensional with high accuracy dimensional and accuracy superior surfaceand superior finish surface [2]. On finish the contrary, [2]. 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To eliminate defects of surface sand casteddefects parts,of sand secondary casted parts, machining secondary processes machining are needed,processes which are needed, require additionalwhich require labor additional and time. labor As far and as dietime. casting As far is concerned,as die casting it is is a concerned, better option it foris a manufacturingbetter option for high manufacturing or extremely high high-volume or extremely products. high-volume The highly products. automated The productionhighly automated pattern significantlyproduction pattern reduces significantly the cycle time reduces for diethe casting.cycle time While for die both casting. IC and While die casting both IC produce and die casting similar featureproduce products, similar feature IC is capable products, of castingIC is capable ferrous of and casting non-ferrous ferrous and metals non-ferrous alike. 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Depending of the pattern on theto generate production the volumeinner walls and of other the mold. requirements, The IC process engineers sequence exploit is numerous shown in Figure tools for 2. performingDepending casting.on the production However, whatvolume is commonand other for requirements, all types of casting engineers is the exploit difficulty numerous of tooling tools [3]. for The performing most difficult casting. part inHowever, the case ofwhat IC isis thecommon production for all oftypes the moldof casting for the is waxthe difficulty pattern itself, of tooling which [3]. is doneThe most through difficult manufacturing part in the ofcase a metalof IC die. is Thethe metalproduction die is injectedof the mold with waxfor the for patternwax pattern preparation. itself, Aswhich the technologyis done through is fast movingmanufacturing forward, of additive a metal manufacturing die. The metal (AM) die mayis injected ease and with replace wax thefor processpattern ofpreparation. manufacturing As the waxtechnology pattern is to fast a great moving extent. forward, AM is additive the process manufacturing of manufacturing (AM) objects may ease that and applies replace a layer the byprocess layer approachof manufacturing with no additionalthe wax pattern tools. Into thisa great method, extent. a CADAM is file the of process the object of isma creatednufacturing first. Then, objects the that file isapplies converted a layer to STLby layer format approach to accommodate with no additional the layer wisetools. building In this method, process. a TheCAD manufacturing file of the object itself is iscreated performed first. byThen, using the a 3Dfile printer, is converted that deposits to STL layers format of plastic,to accommodate metal, or any the other layer suitable wise building material inprocess. a repeated The manufacturing manner so that itself the cross is performed sections ofby the using object a 3D build printer, up on that top deposits of each other.layers Although,of plastic, theremetal, are or any numerous other suitable of different material AM in machines a repeated available manner onso that the market,the cross all sections of them of the share object a similar build manufacturingup on top of each concept other. of Although, building parts there layer are nume by layer.rous of different AM machines available on the market,Currently all of them there share is an a increase similar inmanufacturing the number of concept AM technological of building solutionsparts layer available; by layer. this is due to the massive interest in the technology itself, as the availability of these modern technologies and Micromachines
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