Electroforming of 3D Digital Light Processing Printed Sculptures Used as a Low Cost Option for Microcasting.

  1. Cecile Meier
  2. Drago Díaz Alemán
  3. Itahisa Pérez Conesa
  4. Jose Luis Saorín Pérez 1
  5. Jorge de la Torre-Cantero 1
  1. 1 Universidad de La Laguna
    info

    Universidad de La Laguna

    San Cristobal de La Laguna, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01r9z8p25

Actas:
International Research Conference (IRC). Amsterdam, 2019

Editorial: International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation

ISSN: 0000000091950263

Año de publicación: 2019

Páginas: 289-293

Tipo: Aportación congreso

GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Resumen

In this work, two ways of creating small-sized metalsculptures are proposed: the first by means of microcasting and thesecond by electroforming from models printed in 3D using anFDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printer or using a DLP (DigitalLight Processing) printer. It is viable to replace the wax in theprocesses of the artistic foundry with 3D printed objects. In thistechnique, the digital models are manufactured with resin using alow-cost 3D FDM printer in polylactic acid (PLA). This material isused, because its properties make it a viable substitute to wax,within the processes of artistic casting with the technique of lostwax through Ceramic Shell casting. This technique consists ofcovering a sculpture of wax or in this case PLA with several layersof thermoresistant material. This material is heated to melt thePLA, obtaining an empty mold that is later filled with the moltenmetal. It is verified that the PLA models reduce the cost and timecompared with the hand modeling of the wax. In addition, you canmanufacture parts with 3D printing that are not possible to createwith manual techniques. However, the sculptures created with thistechnique have a size limit. The problem is that when printedpieces with PLA are very small, they lose detail, and the laminartexture hides the shape of the piece. DLP type printer allowsobtaining more detailed and smaller pieces than the FDM. Suchsmall models are quite difficult and complex to melt using the lostwax technique of Ceramic Shell casting. But, as an alternative,there are microcasting and electroforming, which are specialized increating small metal pieces such as jewelry ones. The microcastingis a variant of the lost wax, that consists of introducing the modelin a cylinder in which the refractory material is also poured. Themolds are heated in an oven to melt the model and cook them.Finally, the metal is poured into the still hot cylinders that rotate ina machine at high speed to properly distribute all the metal.Because microcasting requires expensive material and machineryto melt a piece of metal, electroforming is an alternative for thisprocess. The electroforming uses models in different materials; inthis case, 3D printed microsculptures, which can be subjected togalvanic baths that cover the work of a very thin layer of metal.This work will investigate the recommended size to use 3Dprinters, both with PLA and resin. In this study, first tests are beingdone to validate use of microsculptures, printed on resin using aDLP printer, for electroforming with low-cost kits.

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