24 Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing: A Green Solution To Pattern Making in The Investment Casting Industry

24
Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing:

A Green Solution to Pattern Making in
the Investment Casting Industry
Pushkar Kamble1*, K. P. Karunakaran2 and Yicha Zhang3
Laboratoire ICB-CO2M (CNRS Lab), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard,

1
Sevenans, France
2
Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
3
Laboratoire ICB-CO2M (CNRS Lab), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard,
Sevenans, France
Abstract
Ice is a promising material for producing patterns for Investment Casting (IC). Wax and polymer
foam are traditionally utilized as pattern materials for IC. However, they produce polluting gases with
hydrocarbon compounds when they are heated or burnt for shell/mold evacuation. Additionally,
wax tends to expand during melting and exerts pressure on the shell walls. There may be crack
formation due to the pressure if the geometric features on the shell are too thin. The present article
proposes a novel technique named Subzero Additive Manufacturing (Subzero-AM) to produce ice
patterns for IC. The case studies confirm the feasibility of the technique. Ice overcomes the disad-
vantages of the wax/polymer foam since it does not create harmful gases. Due to its anomalous
behavior, ice contracts upon melting and it overcomes the problem of mold cracking. Ice being an
environment-friendly and economical material, it becomes a greener solution to the disadvantages
of wax and polymer foam. If implemented at a commercial scale, it will assure a greener future for
the Investment Casting industry.
Keywords: Additive manufacturing, subzero temperature, investment casting, green technology,

cryogenic 3D printing, ice
24.1 Introduction
The Investment Casting (IC) process uses wax or polymer foam as a pattern material tradi-
tionally. The ancient civilizations had been using this process since 5000 BC. The process
makes it easier to replicate intricate shapes from the original patterns in gold or other metals
with precise details. IC process is mentioned in ancient Indian literature titled ‘Manasara
Silpasastra’ [1].
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
Sandip Kunar, Jagadeesha T., S. Rama Sree, K.V.S.R. Murthy and M. Sreenivasa Reddy (eds.) Advances in Additive
Manufacturing, (419–426) © 2024 Scrivener Publishing LLC
419
10.1002/9781394238316.ch24, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781394238316.ch24 by Gazi University, Wiley Online Library on [22/10/2024]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
420 Advances in Additive Manufacturing
Wax Pattern
1. Injecting wax/plastic 2. Ejecting Pattern 3. Pattern Assembly

for pattern (Tree) 4. Slurry Coating 5. Stuccoing
Heat Molten
Metal
6. Shell/Mold Ready 7. Pattern Wax Meltout 8. Pouring Metal 9. Fettling 10. Cast Part
Figure 24.1 Lost wax process.
As per the standard practice of IC, the pattern for casting is made in wax or polymer
foam material such as polyethylene or polystyrene. It is followed by stuccoing which is the
process of coating the pattern with ceramic slurry and refractory materials to create a hard
shell around the pattern material. Pattern made of wax is melted and poured out once the
shell is hard. If polymer foam is used as a pattern material, it is directly burnt-off to create
the cavity, either by using burn-off furnace (a process known as lost foam casting) or by
pouring molten metal directly over the foam (a process known as flask casting). The detailed
steps of this technique are shown in Figure 24.1. Since IC can produce very fine details, it
serves to produce objects with delicate features like ornaments and biomedical implants.
Additionally, the procedure results in casting that is net-shaped or near net-shaped, making
it beneficial for precious metals to prevent metal loss. Additively manufactured wax pat-
terns are being used currently for jewelry and dental implants casting.
Although IC is a traditional casting process with several advantages over other casting
processes, there are some drawbacks related to it. Hydrocarbon compounds are released
into the air when wax and foam are burned. Inhaling these gases poses a health risk.
Additionally, additively manufactured wax models are currently used to create jewelry and
dental implants. Since the support wax is soluble in isopropyl alcohol (IPA), it must be dis-
solved in IPA to be removed. The IPA solution with support wax is discarded away, adding
to the chemical waste.
Mold cracking is another technical issue that arises during shell casting. After melting,
wax and polymers increase in volume. From the inside, it puts pressure on the shell walls.
When a geometric feature on a shell is exceptionally small, cracks can occasionally form
(Figure 24.2). Small cracks initiated this way result in breakage of the shell during casting
due to high metallostatic pressure.
The present article offers an innovative solution to address these problems and make
the process of IC environmentally responsible. The use of ice as a pattern material for IC
Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing 421
Figure 24.2 Cracking of the mold due to expansion of wax during melting.
can solve multiple issues. Authors propose an Additive Manufacturing process to make
these intricate ice patterns. The process of making ice objects at subzero temperatures is
therefore termed here as “Sub-zero Additive Manufacturing (Subzero-AM)”. The benefits
of employing ice as a pattern material, both technically and environmentally, are discussed
subsequently.
24.2 Process of Using Ice Patterns by Sub-Zero Additive

Manufacturing
There are few articles which describe the use of ice as a pattern material for investment
casting. M. C. Leu et al. use their Rapid Freeze Prototyping (RFP) device to demonstrate
ice patterns (Figure 24.4) [2–5]. They spray an interface agent on the ice patterns that helps
retain the geometry [6]. The catalyst-containing ceramic slurry for the mold can be refrig-
erated to below-freezing temperatures while still remaining fluid. It is then poured over the
ice pattern inside the flask. The slurry undergoes gelation to become the mold. Then the
flask is taken out from the freezer and sintered in the furnace. The mold thus obtained is
used to produce the casting as usual [7, 8].
As a part of preliminary experiments, UV resin was used as a mold material for the ice
pattern. UV monomer is poured around the ice pattern below 0°C and exposed to UV
light, which polymerizes it. Ice geometry is transferred to the UV mold which can be used
for casting low melting temperature alloys such as Pb-Sn. Figure 24.3 shows the schematic
diagram of the ice AM pattern, the mold and the casting made out of the mold.
(a) Ice pattern (b) Mould (c) Mold Evacuation (d) Pouring (e) Cast Part
Figure 24.3 Ice investment casting.

Y X - Motion
Multi-jet
Deposition
System
Y - Motion
Z Insulated
Chamber
Refrigeration
System
Rigid Frame
Water
Reservoir
(a) Subzero Additive Manufacturing System
(b) Ice Parts Created by Subzero AM Process
Figure 24.4 Subzero AM process to make ice patterns.
In the present work, authors have developed an indigenous multi-jet AM system that is
capable of producing ice parts of size 50 mm × 50 mm × 10 mm. It is shown in Figure 24.4a.
Ice is used as a model material (melting point 0°C) and 30% glycerin solution is used as a
support material (melting point -9.5°C). When the part is completely printed with supports
at -20°C, the temperature of the chamber is increased to -5°C, which melts away the support
and ice parts are obtained. These ice parts can be used as patterns for investment casting.
Figure 24.4b shows the ice parts printed by the system.
271.75
Pcritical
Pressure (P), atm
1.0000 Boiling
Freezing
Point Point
Liquid
Solid
Triple
Point Gas
0.0060
0.00 0.01 100.00 373.99

Temperature (T), °C
Figure 24.5 Phase diagram of water.

Ceramic slurry that contains an aqueous solution of colloidal silica is used as the shell
material. Since the ceramic slurry is cooled to a temperature of -2°C, when it is poured
over an ice pattern, the ice does not melt. The colloidal silica helps the slurry quickly gel
while maintaining the geometry of the design. The ice is gradually removed from the mold
through lyophilization, also known as the freeze-drying process. To do this, an ice-patterned
mold is placed inside a vacuum chamber with a pressure of less than 0.006 atm, which aids
in sublimating the ice before it becomes liquid (see Figure 24.5).
24.2.1 Case Study 1

The ice model is made out of subzero-AM system. The initials of the institute letters are
used as design. This ice model is maintained at -20°C after printing is complete. A mold
box is created around the ice part in which the slurry would be poured. The mold box along
with the ice part is kept in the insulated chamber at -20°C. The slurry is made of gypsum
cement, commonly known as Plaster of Paris (PoP) and colloidal silica as the binder. For
100 g PoP, 30 ml of colloidal silica is mixed. PoP and colloidal silica are kept at -20°C inside
the freezer before mixing them to prepare the slurry. As soon as the temperature of the
colloidal silica reaches -2°C, PoP is added to it and slurry is prepared by mixing it properly.
The slurry is poured into the mold box and it is maintained at -20°C for approximately
30 min until the gelation takes place. The mold box is maintained at room temperature
which slowly melts the ice and the mold is obtained. The mold is heated up to 200°C to
ensure it is completely dry.
In the present study, lead-tin (Pb60–Sn40) alloy is used for the casting as a proof of
concept (Figure 22.6). Pb-Sn is not a castable alloy, but it is chosen since it has a low melt-
ing point of 183°C hence it is easy to handle. The ingots of Pb-Sn are melted in a tabletop
14.5
(a) mm (b)
4m
m
(e) (d) (c)
(f) (g)
Figure 22.6 Rapid ice investment casting, (a) CAD model, (b) Ice AM model to be used as a pattern,
(c) Slurry poured over the ice pattern, (d) slurry after gelation, (e) mold after water removal and drying,
(f) Casting using lead-tin alloy, (g) cast part.
furnace and poured over the mold. The mold is then left to cool for an hour. After it is com-
pletely cooled, the casting is obtained from the mold. The mold is dispensable.
24.2.2 Case Study 2

A dome-shaped ice pattern is used to create a mold as per the above procedure. The mold
was then used to make a casting out of ice. Aluminum alloy (LM6) was used to create a
casting. As shown in Figure 22.7, a sound casting was obtained.
24.3 Economic Comparison

The current practice of pattern-making using wax/foam in IC employs three methods, (a)
machining (b) casting using silicon rubber molds (c) Additive Manufacturing (AM). The
raw wax for (a) and (b) costs up to Rs. 400 per kilogram in the Indian market, approxi-
mately $5 per kilogram. However, for AM, the imported wax costs up to $300 per kilogram
(Rs. 25000 per kilogram approximately). Jewelry and precision casting industry primarily
uses AM. In contrast to this, the Subzero-AM system uses demineralized water, which runs
about Rs. 10 per kilogram ($0.12 per kg).
Flashforge and 3D Systems produce the well-known wax AM systems. The Waxjet tech-
nology from Flashforge is popular in India, particularly in Mumbai. The cost of a Waxjet sys-
tem in Mumbai, including import fees and other costs, is roughly Rs. 4,500,000. ($54,000).
Figure 22.7 Process of ice model to casting (L – Ice model, M – Mould, R – Casting).
100000 54000
30000
Price in USD (approx. values)
10000
1000 300
100
10
1
0.12
0.1
0.01
Wax AM Subzero-AM
Raw Material Equipment
Figure 22.8 Economic comparison of pattern making via wax-based AM vs. sub-zero AM.
However, the multi-jet Subzero-AM machine developed in-house as a part of this study
costs Rs. 1,500,000 ($18,000). This price could decrease even further if a similar machine
were to be produced commercially. The current method calls for the creation of molds in
a refrigerator equipped with a vacuum system. The precisely controlled lyophilizer costs
Rs. 1,000,000 ($12,000 approximately). Therefore, the equipment cost for the subzero-AM
method is still lower than its wax counterparts. Figure 24.8 depicts the cost comparison
between Wax and Subzero-AM systems.
24.4 Conclusions
Using ice as a pattern material can revolutionize the IC industry. There are several advan-
tages of using ice:
• Ice is a non-toxic, environment-friendly material. When hydrocarbon-based

foam and polymeric waxes are burned, hazardous pollutants are released into
the atmosphere. Ice when melted, has no emissions.
• Water is cheap and abundantly available; thus, it is an economical alternative
to traditional materials.
• Since ice anomalously contracts upon heating, it helps in minimizing the
cracks in the mold which arise in the case of wax due to expansion of the wax
due to heating and exertion of pressure on the mold walls.
• The use of freeze-drying process in the present invention eliminates the liq-
uid phase and the ice pattern directly sublimates into vapor form, creating a
cavity in the ceramic coating; a mold where casting can be carried out.
Nevertheless, there are a few disadvantages to employing ice as a pattern material. The
drawbacks are detailed below:
• Special equipment is necessary to maintain the temperature and integrity of

the ice parts throughout the process.
• The process is highly control-intensive. There needs to be continuous moni-
toring to observe the geometrical integrity of the parts.
• There are difficulties in the inspection of the ice patterns since they cannot be
moved to the inspection equipment due to temperature constraints.
24.5 Future Scope

Further research is required in several areas of the Subzero-AM-based IC. There is still room
for improvement in the slurry composition. The best slurry to use for accurately imprint-
ing the ice pattern on the shell (mold) is one with a short gelation period. To examine the
shell behavior during the casting of the large portions, additional experimental research is
required. Studies on the mold’s permeability can be conducted to ascertain how well they
function in preventing blow holes. Subzero-AM-based IC has great scope to turn out as a
green manufacturing technique. If implemented at a commercial scale, it will assure a more

environmentally responsible future for the Investment Casting industry.
References
1. Hunt, L.B., The long history of lost wax casting - Over five thousand years of art and craftsman-
ship. Gold Bull., 13, 2, 63–79, 1980, doi: 10.1007/BF03215456.
2. Zhang, W., Leu, M.C., Ji, Z., Yan, Y., Rapid freezing prototyping with water. Mater. Des., 20, 2–3,
139–145, 1999, doi: 10.1016/S0261-3069(99)00020-5.
3. Richards, V.L. et al., Rapid Freeze Prototyping of Investment Cast Thin-Wall Metal Matrix
Compostites I – Pattern Build and Molding, in: The Materials Society Annual Meeting, pp. 143–
156, 2008.
4. Zhang, W. and Leu, M.C., Investment Casting with Ice Patterns Made by Rapid Freeze Prototyping,
Collection of the International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, 66–72, 2000, http://dx.
doi.org/10.26153/tsw/3020.
5. Liu, Q., Sui, G., Leu, M.C., Experimental study on the ice pattern fabrication for the investment
casting by rapid freeze prototyping (RFP). Comput. Ind., 48, 3, 181–197, 2002, doi: 10.1016/
S0166-3615(02)00042-8.
6. Liu, Q. and Leu, M.C., Investigation of Interface Agent for Investment Casting With Ice Patterns.
J. Manuf. Sci. Eng., 128, 2, 554, 2006, doi: 10.1115/1.2162902.
7. Liu, Q., Leu, M.C., Richards, V.L., Schmitt, S.M., Dimensional accuracy and surface rough-
ness of rapid freeze prototyping ice patterns and investment casting metal parts. Int. J. Adv.
Manuf. Technol., 24, 7–8, 485–495, 2004, doi: 10.1007/s00170-003-1635-9.
8. Huang, C., Leu, M.C., Richards, V.L., Investment Casting With Ice Patterns and Comparison.
NSF Design and Manufacturing Grantees Conference, pp. 1–7, 2004.

24 Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing: A Green Solution To Pattern Making in The Investment Casting Industry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

24 Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing: A Green Solution To Pattern Making in The Investment Casting Industry

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

24 Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing: A Green Solution To Pattern Making in The Investment Casting Industry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

24

Sub-Zero Additive Manufacturing:

Laboratoire ICB-CO2M (CNRS Lab), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard,

Keywords: Additive manufacturing, subzero temperature, investment casting, green technology,

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

1. Injecting wax/plastic 2. Ejecting Pattern 3. Pattern Assembly

Figure 24.1 Lost wax process.

24.2 Process of Using Ice Patterns by Sub-Zero Additive

Figure 24.3 Ice investment casting.

(a) Subzero Additive Manufacturing System

(b) Ice Parts Created by Subzero AM Process

Figure 24.4 Subzero AM process to make ice patterns.

0.00 0.01 100.00 373.99

Figure 24.5 Phase diagram of water.

24.2.1 Case Study 1

(e) (d) (c)

24.2.2 Case Study 2

24.3 Economic Comparison

• Ice is a non-toxic, environment-friendly material. When hydrocarbon-based

• Special equipment is necessary to maintain the temperature and integrity of

24.5 Future Scope

green manufacturing technique. If implemented at a commercial scale, it will assure a more

You might also like