Yakov Wrote:
2) How efficient is the TekCast spin-casting system for creating good metal
parts from RP masters?
Thanks.
Y.H.
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Yakov Horenstein Tel/Fax: +39 2 2900 6208
Milano, Italy E-mail: yakov@planet.it
Yakov
We have just started a study to optimize the use of RP masters as so-
called master patterns for use in a Tekcast spincasting system.
With the local available technologies (SLA, FDM and Sanders), the
traditional route would be through making RTV moulds (suitable for
spincasting) with Teksil RTV, which can handle limited amount of
metal castings. This in turn could be used for making
vulcanized Teksil rubber moulds, for production.
This would result in the loss of detail, as well as through the
shrinkage factors, dimension changes. The direct making of
vulcanized molds from RP masters would solve the problem.
We started out with Teksil silicones (vulcanize at 200 C at 20 MPa)
and Wacker silicones (vulcanize at 200 C at 5 MPa) with masters grown
in ABS (FDM) as well as SLA.
What amazed us, was that the ABS gave way under the pressure and
temperature, and that we were capable of making perfect molds from
SLA.
This gives us an effective route to reproduce RP masters in metal
alloys - much more drable than the "expensive" prototypes, as well as
a way of quickly duplicating the original, with less than 1%
shrinkage.
So-in my opinion- through a typical spincasting setup (which often
costs less than a fairly complex mold), we now have a new route to
Rapid Tooling.
I will keep you posted on our progress.
Deon de Beer
*******************************************
* Deon de Beer *
* Department of Mechanical Engineering *
* Technikon Free State *
* PBag X20539 *
* Bloemfontein *
* 9300 *
* South Africa *
* *
* fax 27 51 4073199 *
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