Indirect manufacturing of 3D printed products
The following Table summarizes the existing and the innovative Indirect manufacturing/production processes where Additive Manufacturing with SLA, DLP, LCD and Inkjet 3D printing technologies are being implemented (please adjust the zoom to read the Table):
3D printing |
Process |
Final product |
Final properties |
Benefits |
Limitations |
|
Direct investment Casting DC |
Metal cast objects |
Typical properties of Cast Metals |
Cost effective direct investment casting of metal objects |
Most castable competitor's 3D resins suffer from imperfections of fine detail finishes | |
|
Indirect investment casting IC |
Metal cast objects |
Typical properties of Cast metals
|
Less cost effective indirect investment casting production of metal objects with very high resolution | Slower process since there are several time consuming production steps | |
| Injection molding 3D resin | Direct plastic, ceramic and metal feedstock injection in 3D printed durable injection molds | Plastic, ceramic and metal objects | Typical properties of Plastics, Ceramics and Metals | Cost effective production of durable injection molds for simple shaped plastic, ceramic and metal injection | Not suitable for complex intertwined shapes |
| Sacrificial 3D resin | Direct plastic injection in 3D printed easy breaking & soft sacrificial molds | Soft plastic, rubber or silicone objects | Typical properties of soft Plastics, Rubbers and Silicones |
Cost effective production of easy breaking & soft sacrificial molds* for complex shaped soft plastic, rubber and silicone injection molding |
Not needed for simple 3d printed shapes, mold is lost during production |
| Sacrificial 3D resin | Direct plastic injection in 3D printed sacrificial molds | Plastic objects | Typical properties of Plastics | Cost effective production of sacrificial molds* for complex shaped plastic injection molding | Not needed for simple 3d printed shapes, mold is lost during production |
|
Direct CIM injection in 3D printed sacrificial molds |
Ceramic objects |
Typical properties of Ceramics
|
Cost effective production of sacrificial molds* for complex shaped Ceramic Injection Molding CIM, faster, more productive and without any maximum feature size limitation vs Direct 3D Printing or Production
|
Not needed for simple 3d printed shapes, mold is lost during production | |
| Sacrificial 3D resin |
Direct MIM injection in 3D printed sacrificial molds |
Metal objects |
Typical properties of Metals
|
Cost effective production of sacrificial molds* for complex shaped Metal Injection Molding MIM, faster, more productive and without any maximum feature size limitation vs Direct 3D Printing or Production |
Not needed for simple 3d printed shapes, mold is lost during production |
* sacrificial molds are needed for making intricate complex shapes where the mold and the injected material are entangled
