Additive manufacturing | 2021
A review on the progress and challenges of binder jet 3D printing of sand moulds for advanced casting
Abstract
Abstract 3D sand mould printing using binder jet technology can enable many technical improvements in casting practice, including part consolidation, design of parts to optimise the consumption of materials and hazardous chemicals, and on-demand and flexible size part manufacturing near the customer. Incorporating artificial intelligence in optimising the design of moulds, printing process parameters, and solidification processes may help automate a production facility and reduce labour time. Elimination of hazardous chemicals from industrial use may be a challenge. Therefore, an alternative technology to fuse the sand particles during printing or an environmentally friendlier alternative option for the binders and other consumables should be utilised with the 3D sand printing process. Properties of parts produced using 3D printed sand moulds have the potential to be better than the properties of parts produced using traditional casting due to this technology s benefits. This technology is an enabling technology for traditional casting processes rather than a competing technology. It is causing a paradigm shift in casting design because of the mould geometries achievable by using additive manufacturing to produce the sand mould. This paper reviews the first twenty years of research and challenges in developing 3D sand printing processes as an innovation for sustainable manufacturing.