Case study - Melron
Case study
Melron: FDM match plates for sand casting
Foundry · FDM
Melron uses match plates to make sand molds. The patterns often needed design changes.
The challenge
A subcontractor machined the match plates from aluminum for about $5,000, with a lead time of about three weeks. Other rapid prototyping methods could not withstand the ramming forces needed to pack sand, and lacked abrasion and chemical resistance.
The solution
Melron turned to Stratasys FDM to produce its sand casting patterns. Printed patterns come straight from CAD, so changes are made digitally.
“Laying out patterns is more of an art than a science.”
The results
- Design changes made digitally, without new machined match plates
- Guide figures for printed sand casting patterns: more than 900 molds from one pattern, 76% shorter lead time and 50–90% lower cost
Application: Sand casting patterns
Printed patterns and core boxes cut tooling lead time and cost, and allow shapes that wood or metal patterns cannot.
More about molding & forming tools
Source: Stratasys Application Guide and Stratasys case material. Photo: Stratasys.
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