Design guidelines for plastic casting using 3D printing

The main aim of the presented tests was to assess the possibility of using 3D printing and casting material to produce casting molds and prototypes, especially in production of existing models. The analysis was based on the assessment of dimensional accuracy and quality of the surface layer of a finished prototype and the intermediate elements made during the production process. The mold was made using the PolyJet Matrix additive technology, and then a silicone mold was cast which was used to prepare a finished sample for testing in accordance with the design assumptions. Based on the results of metrological measurements, the phenomenon of technological inheritance in terms of error transfer in the foundry industry was evaluated. The measurements obtained suggest that in case of casting process, the hereditary features are transferred from individual casting processes, which is especially prominent in the case of surface texture quality. This confirms the occurrence of the phenomenon of the so-called technological inheritance and the need to analyze it. The results of the tests can be a guide for technologists who design molds, core boxes, and casting models, concerning the corrections (shrinkage) that need to be introduced at the design stage in order to obtain a product (casting) of satisfactory dimensional accuracy and quality of the surface layer. The result can also be useful for casting materials reinforced with glass fiber, carbon fiber, which are common materials in 3D printing and textile industry.