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Abstract:
Use of Rapid Prototyping (RP) for Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is one of the important areas of
research today. RP and its various techniques has fast become an indispensable part of
modern manufacturing. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) process of rapid prototyping is
very easy to use and maintain as it is non laser based technique. Feasibility of
manufacturing the customized/ tailor made part using the said technique is the main focus of
the paper.
The paper highlights the research work being carried out at VNIT to address the issue of
manufacturing cost effective, defect free customized part.
Introduction:
The techniques based on layer-by-layer manufacturing i.e., rapid Prototyping are extending
their fields of application, from the building of aesthetic and functional prototypes to the
production of tools and moulds. In particular, additive construction applied to the production
of dies and electrodes, directly from digital data, is defined as rapid tooling (RT).
Traditionally, in order to produce cast prototypes a model and eventual cores have to be
created, involving time and costs that hardly match the rules of the competitive market
(figure 1). For this reason, functional tests are typically performed on prototypes obtained by
metal cutting (Rooks, 2002), which are not effective in outlining issues related to the
manufacturing process. In this field, innovative solutions are now available based on 3D
printing process, which can extend RC possibilities to the lower costs with respect to
previous technologies such as selective laser sintering of sand (Gatto and Iuliano, 2001). One
such technological solution consists in investment casting with the help of ABS-plastic
patterns produced on Fused Deposition Modelling technique of Rapid Prototyping.
Predicting the required parameters like temperature, time, and wall thickness for
getting the cavity inside the mould.
If ABS-plastic part is kept in the muffle furnace for 10 minutes openly by varying the
temperature up to 490 0C in stages then ABS-plastic is vaporized.
If increase the more temp then Block become more brittle and Crack occurs in mold.
If block keep vertically basin in bottom position then choked occurs because of
gravity.
If shell thickness reduces then chance of crack occurs in mold means mold will not
wear/sustain the pouring of molten metal.
As the present research work is still under progress, all details of results cannot be disclosed
at this stage. Hence a glimpse is presented in the following tables.
Table 1
Volume of RP
(cc)
3.72
3.72
3.72
Shell thickness
Time set(minute)
15
15
15
Temp set (0 C)
480
520
530
Result
(Verify)
1.5
1.5
1.5
Unburned
Half burn intact
Completely burn
& Cracked
Table 2
Volume of RP
(cc)
Shell thickness
Time set(minute)
Temp set (0 C)
Result
(Verify)
25.12
25.12
25.12
15
20
40
520
520
520
1.5
1.5
1.5
100.53
40
520
1.5
125.67
40
520
1.5
Unburned
Half burn intact
Completely burn
Intact
Completely burn
Intact
Completely burn
Intact
4
Conclusions
The feasibility of investment casting starting from FDM manufactured ABS-plastic patterns
was proven in the case of wall thickness of 1.5 cm, excluding problems of very small residues
(Carbon deposited) after the pattern burning out. The technique provided satisfactory results
for block moulding. Compared to traditional investment casting process, this technique
ensures a much lesser time to get the product and higher geometrical freedom.
The proposed solution of ABS-plastic as invest in block type investment casting process is
proved to be effective for the production of cast technological prototypes, in very short times,
without complex tooling.
References
Ingole D. S., Kuthe A. M. (2009), Rapid prototyping- a technology transfer approach for
development of rapid tooling, Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol.15 No. 4, pp.280-290.
Elena Bassoli, Andrea Garro, Luca Iuliano, 3D printing technique applied to rapid casting,
Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 148-155.
Bak, D. (2003), Rapid prototyping or rapid production? 3D printing processes move industry
towards the latter, Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 340-5.
Bernard, A., Delplace, J.C., Perry, N. and Gabriel, S. (2003), Integration of CAD and rapid
manufacturing for sand casting optimisation, Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 9 No. 5, pp.
327-33.
Ippolito, R., Iuliano, L. and Gatto, A. (1995), Benchmarking of rapid prototyping techniques
in terms of dimensional accuracy and surface finish, Annals of the CIRP, STC E, Vol. 44
No. 1, pp. 157-60.
Rooks, B. (2002), Rapid tooling for casting prototypes, Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 22
No. 1, pp. 40-5.