Non-Standard Testing to Qualify 3D Printed Sands

Three-dimensional (3D) printing provides the flexibility and ease of reproducing the sand mold directly from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models. This eliminates the laborious pattern making steps, thus reducing total time to casting. The 3D printing provides advantages of minimal processing steps, higher precision and the capability to produce complex shaped sand molds with thin walls. The use of alternative granular media in 3D printing may provide casting advantages such as superior as cast surface finish and tighter dimensional tolerance. The purpose of this study is to characterize post cured 3D printed silica sand specimens with non-standard tests designed to measure the physical, mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties as required for castability. The aim was to evaluate properties and characteristics among six silica sands used in 3D printing. Further, gray iron casting trials were conducted. Results provide information beneficial to qualification of chemically bonded sand molds and casting quality.