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Title: Additively Manufactured Single-Use Molds and Reusable Patterns for Large Automotive and Hydroelectric Components

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to reduce costs in the casting industry, particularly for large parts (i.e., components with any dimension > 12 in.). In this study, pilot-scale production case studies of hydroelectric and automotive parts were used to evaluate two AM-enabled casting methods: the direct printing of sand molds by binder jet and printing of reusable cope and drag patterns for sand casting. An additional benefit was found when additively manufactured patterns were used in combination with heat-treat free aluminum alloys, to produce castings of complex hydrodynamic surfaces. These parts previously required production via subtractive machining due to part distortion induced by the quench step of heat treatments. The machine types used for the three case studies are sand-binder jet, high-resolution polymer fused deposition modeling (FDM), and big area additive manufacturing (BAAM) FDM in combination with CNC machining. Each method demonstrated distinct advantages over traditional casting practices in particular use cases. Single-use molds show great reductions in start-up cost to produce one-off or legacy parts, and additively manufactured impression patterns show promise for innovating the tooling design process for complex geometry and large castings.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [3]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [4]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
  3. Emrgy, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)
  4. Eck Industries, Manitowoc, WI (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Manufacturing Office
OSTI Identifier:
1797668
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
International Journal of Metalcasting
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 14; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1939-5981
Publisher:
Springer Nature
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; casting; additive manufacturing; pattern; tooling

Citation Formats

Henderson, Hunter B., Stromme, Eric T., Kesler, Michael S., Sims, Zachary C., Chesser, Phillip, Richardson, Brad, Thompson, Michael J., Love, Lonnie, Peter, William, Morris, Emily, Rios, Orlando, and Weiss, David. Additively Manufactured Single-Use Molds and Reusable Patterns for Large Automotive and Hydroelectric Components. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1007/s40962-019-00379-0.
Henderson, Hunter B., Stromme, Eric T., Kesler, Michael S., Sims, Zachary C., Chesser, Phillip, Richardson, Brad, Thompson, Michael J., Love, Lonnie, Peter, William, Morris, Emily, Rios, Orlando, & Weiss, David. Additively Manufactured Single-Use Molds and Reusable Patterns for Large Automotive and Hydroelectric Components. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-019-00379-0
Henderson, Hunter B., Stromme, Eric T., Kesler, Michael S., Sims, Zachary C., Chesser, Phillip, Richardson, Brad, Thompson, Michael J., Love, Lonnie, Peter, William, Morris, Emily, Rios, Orlando, and Weiss, David. 2019. "Additively Manufactured Single-Use Molds and Reusable Patterns for Large Automotive and Hydroelectric Components". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-019-00379-0. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1797668.
@article{osti_1797668,
title = {Additively Manufactured Single-Use Molds and Reusable Patterns for Large Automotive and Hydroelectric Components},
author = {Henderson, Hunter B. and Stromme, Eric T. and Kesler, Michael S. and Sims, Zachary C. and Chesser, Phillip and Richardson, Brad and Thompson, Michael J. and Love, Lonnie and Peter, William and Morris, Emily and Rios, Orlando and Weiss, David},
abstractNote = {Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to reduce costs in the casting industry, particularly for large parts (i.e., components with any dimension > 12 in.). In this study, pilot-scale production case studies of hydroelectric and automotive parts were used to evaluate two AM-enabled casting methods: the direct printing of sand molds by binder jet and printing of reusable cope and drag patterns for sand casting. An additional benefit was found when additively manufactured patterns were used in combination with heat-treat free aluminum alloys, to produce castings of complex hydrodynamic surfaces. These parts previously required production via subtractive machining due to part distortion induced by the quench step of heat treatments. The machine types used for the three case studies are sand-binder jet, high-resolution polymer fused deposition modeling (FDM), and big area additive manufacturing (BAAM) FDM in combination with CNC machining. Each method demonstrated distinct advantages over traditional casting practices in particular use cases. Single-use molds show great reductions in start-up cost to produce one-off or legacy parts, and additively manufactured impression patterns show promise for innovating the tooling design process for complex geometry and large castings.},
doi = {10.1007/s40962-019-00379-0},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1797668}, journal = {International Journal of Metalcasting},
issn = {1939-5981},
number = 2,
volume = 14,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

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Additive manufacturing: A framework for implementation
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Recent development in aluminium for automotive applications
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Design for Additive Manufacturing: Trends, opportunities, considerations, and constraints
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Economic Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction by Vehicle Lightweighting Using Aluminum and High-Strength Steel
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Light weight materials for automotive applications
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High performance aluminum–cerium alloys for high-temperature applications
journal, January 2017


Additive manufacturing and sustainability: an exploratory study of the advantages and challenges
journal, November 2016


Modularization methodology for high pressure die casting dies
journal, January 2014


Plaster casting process for prototyping of die casting based on rapid tooling
journal, July 2006