Application issues of additive manufacturing in plaster mold casting of metals

Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, has emerged as a transformative technology in the field of manufacturing, offering unprecedented flexibility in creating complex geometries. This study investigates the practical application of AM in producing patterns for investment casting using plaster molds for aluminum components. The primary objective is to identify suitable filament materials for printing patterns that can meet the demands of the casting process while ensuring high-quality aluminum castings. As the process of investment casting in plaster molds involves burning out the pattern, it is important that the burn-out process of the 3D-printed pattern leaves as little residue as possible in the mold. An experimental approach was adopted to evaluate various polylactic acid (PLA) filament materials. Each material was assessed based on the amount of residue remaining after the burn-out process during mold making. The results indicated that some types of PLA filaments behave considerably differently from others. Some filaments leave significantly less residue and can ensure better casting quality. The study provides suggestions for using low-cost filament extrusion-based 3D printers in the plaster mold casting of aluminum products. The findings contribute to the broader adoption of AM in foundry applications by providing insights into material selection and process optimization. Future work will focus on refining the balance between print efficiency and casting quality.