Enhancing Investment Casting Through 3D Printing of Silica Molds: A Comparative Study of Thermal Debinding and Sintering Processes
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| Publicat a: | ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (2025) |
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| Accés en línia: | Citation/Abstract Full Text - PDF |
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| Resum: | This research investigates the integration of additive manufacturing into investment casting by directly 3D printing silica molds, eliminating the need for traditional wax patterns. A novel approach using a photopolymer-silica slurry and Digital Light Processing was employed to produce complex ceramic molds with improved geometric flexibility and reduced tooling requirements. Two distinct thermal processing routes, thermal debinding alone, and thermal debinding followed by sintering, were applied to the printed molds to assess their influence on mold integrity and final casting quality.The molds were used to cast A356 aluminum alloy, and the resulting metal parts were analyzed for surface finish, dimensional accuracy, and mechanical performance. A comprehensive characterization protocol was applied, including tensile testing, Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, surface roughness, and hardness measurements. While both thermal processing methods enabled successful casting, sintered molds demonstrated improved structural stability, reduced porosity, and enhanced microstructural uniformity.Despite these improvements, the mechanical properties of the as-cast samples were lower than standard A356 benchmarks, primarily due to internal defects and experimental specimen geometry. Nonetheless, the results confirm the feasibility of 3D-printed ceramic molds for investment casting and highlight the importance of thermal treatment optimization in achieving consistent and reliable castings. This study contributes valuable insights into the adoption of 3D printing for patternless investment casting, with implications for faster prototyping, reduced costs, and expanded design possibilities in high-precision manufacturing. |
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| ISBN: | 9798314890998 |
| Font: | ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global |