Challenges and recent progress on the application of rapid sand casting for part production: a review

Abstract

Conventional means of producing material via metal casting have long been used for centuries. In spite of its advantages in producing durable parts with lower cost implications and the accommodation of large part production, this conventional approach is still characterized by the challenges of high lead time in patterns production, poor surface finish, and the need for secondary manufacturing operations, which always leads to material loss. Hence, the introduction of additive manufacturing (AM) to metal casting process has been immensely recognized because of its huge advantages in negating some of the challenges encountered in the conventional route. However, the inconsistency in the material properties (such as density, strength, elastic modulus, dimensional accuracies, surface finish), produced by one of the AM techniques (rapid sand casting), has not been yielding optimum results to be applied in high-tech application like aerospace and automotive industries. Furthermore, this technique lacks efficient qualification and certification, which contributes to their disadvantages. This review focuses on the challenges and recent progress in producing parts from rapid sand moulds and cores via binder jetting (BJ), as well as the need to incorporate efficient qualification and certification in the future production of parts from rapid sand casting.

Additive Manufacturing for Rapid Sand Casting: Mechanical and Microstructural Investigation of Aluminum Alloy Automotive Prototypes

“…On the other hand, this technique can be affected by inconsistency and variability in certain properties observed after different production batches [7]. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the literature on the properties encountered in components made via RSC is limited.…”

“…Some of the variability documented in the existing literature pertains to properties such as density, strength, elastic modulus, dimensional accuracy, roughness, etc. [7]. The thermophysical behavior of sand molds is a relevant property to be evaluated, both in traditional SC and RSC processes, due to its relevant impact on the microstructural evolution and defect formation (mainly related to gas release) [7,8].…”

“…[7]. The thermophysical behavior of sand molds is a relevant property to be evaluated, both in traditional SC and RSC processes, due to its relevant impact on the microstructural evolution and defect formation (mainly related to gas release) [7,8]. Looking at RSC, Toth et al [9] studied the thermophysical parameters and heat distribution kinetics of two different 3D-printed sand blends based on phenolic and furan binders.…”

“…Indeed, an important consideration regarding the RSC process with resin-bonded molds is the presence of binder. While a high binder content can enhance mold resistance, it may also have a negative effect on the mechanical properties due to gas formation, necessitating improved air evacuation systems and filling techniques [7]. For instance, P. Rodriguez-Gonzalez et al [11] analyzed the surface porosity of sand casting and 3D-printed (3DP) mold parts, finding a porosity of 0.95% for the former and 1.63% for the latter.…”

Study on the Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Sand Mold Specimens with Complex Hollow Structures

“…Sand casting is one of the basic metal processing methods, extensively employed in sectors such as aerospace, aeronautics, power equipment, automobiles, mechanical manufacturing, etc. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Currently, there is a growing demand for high-end castings such as single-crystal blades, rocket barrel bodies, missile hulls, etc.…”