RP Process Reduces Lead Times for Investment Caster.The process of developing prototypes and creating short production runs typically takes 7 weeks to complete for Eagle Precision, a steel and copper-base alloy Noun 1. copper-base alloy - any alloy whose principal component is copper alloy, metal - a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten; "brass is an alloy of investment caster supplying a range of industries from automotive to food processing Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food for consumption by humans or animals. The food processing industry utilises these processes. . Muskegon, Michigan-based Eagle also assists its customers in the design of original components, modifies existing designs and makes blueprints with an in-house design department using CAD and 3-D solid modeling for solidification so·lid·i·fy v. so·lid·i·fied, so·lid·i·fy·ing, so·lid·i·fies v.tr. 1. To make solid, compact, or hard. 2. To make strong or united. v.intr. analysis. The foundry, which produces castings from a few ounces to 175 lb, would see a real advantage in the marketplace if it could significantly reduce the lead time for customers. Brandon Kramer, an engineer at Eagle Precision, commented that "the casting industry is very competitive and our turnaround time (1) In batch processing, the time it takes to receive finished reports after submission of documents or files for processing. In an online environment, turnaround time is the same as response time. for customers is extremely important. The cost and quality of the job are also two very important factors in our business to help retain customers now and in the future." "We heard about Z Corp.'s Z402 3D Printer, and decided to buy the technology because of its suitability to the investment casting investment casting Precision casting for forming metal shapes with minutely precise details. Casting bronze or precious metals typically involves several steps, including forming a mold around the sculptured form; detaching the mold (in two or more sections); coating its process," reports Kramer. "We have found that the materials go through our process extremely well. It is my belief that the materials perform the best when casting parts because the powder simply burns out, leaving a small residue of ash, and the parts do not expand or warp." The investment casting process is accelerated using the rapid prototyping Building a part one layer at a time using a method of additive fabrication such as 3D printing. Such parts are used for concept modeling to determine if the product design meets the customer's expectations. system. The investment tooling and injection and extrusion phases are combined, since parts printed on the system can be coated in the dipping phase. What traditionally takes 2-5 weeks can be accomplished in 1-10 hr using the new system. This means that the foundry can create finished models in 3-4 weeks, approximately twice as quickly as before, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the supplier. The surface finish of the casting matches the surface finish of a part made on the new system. For a smooth surface on the finished piece, the part can be sanded after it has been waxed. The part must be burned out of the mold, using temperatures between 1850-1950F (1010-1065C) for a few hours. To ensure good removal, the process must include oxygen and good combustion, and 1-2% residual ash will remain in the mold. "Because we're able to bypass the investment tooling phase, this saves our customers a minimum of $2000-15,000, depending on the part," Kramer said. |
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