Rapid Prototyping

Vacuum Hot Casting

In a vacuum casting plant, wax-ceramic suspensions are casted into preassembled forms of plastic, silicon or metal. With this technique, complex shaped work pieces may be produced, highly accurate and with a high surface quality. Another advantage of this method is that the required plastic or silicon  forms may produced in the same plant  via vacuum casting.

3D Printing

3D-Printing is a so called generative technique, meaning that no forms are necessary to produce ceramic workpieces. Basing on a CAD data sheet, the workpieces are generated by 3D-printing out of ceramic granulates. This offers the possibility to produce highly complex and even interlaced pieces.

Please direct your request to: 3ddruck@werkstoffzentrum.de or call +49-2226-1698-10.

Your CAD Data as 3D-Model . . . .  over night

Testing CAD displays on a screen may often not be enough during product development. Even simple geometries often require a model in 3D. This is the best way to enable all persons involved in the development to have a clear idea about the new part. Concept models illustrate the development progress, avoid misunderstandings between the responsible persons and simplify the decision making.

Small and mid size models may be processed with the Z™ 310, available for you at the WERKSTOFFZENTRUM. The build size has dimensions of 200 x 250 x 200 mm. Models may be produced – in the simplest case – from a powder, based on gypsum.

The building process starts with the application of a new powder layer. First, the build surface drops down, making room for a layer of powder. Simultaneously, the platform of the powder chamber is lifted. Then the 3D Printer spreads a thin layer of powder on the build surface. Excessive powder is being collected.

Next, an ink-jet print head prints a binder according to the cross-section of the part being created. Hereby, the local solidification of the cross-section powder is achieved, including the lower layer. Once the part is finished, it is surrounded and supported by loose powder, which is then shaken loose from the finished part.

A part may be printed at a rate of approx. four layers per minute with a layer thickness between 0,09 and 0,25mm. In order to achieve a plain surface, mostly the lowest layer thickness will be selected.
After the printing process, excessive powder is being removed by compressed air or a vacuum cleaner. In order to provide the model with an optimum strength, it will be treaded with resin. This step allows a colouring of the model aswell. To produce your model, we need your CAD data in STL format. Once we have these data available – and all details were discussed – the model may be printed overnight and may be sent to you the next day. The cost mainly depends on the size of your model. For example, a model with the dimension 120 x 70 x 50 mm costs 165,33 €, excl. VAT, pack-ing and shipment.

Of course it is possible to produce multicoloured and larger models. This en-ables you to present FEM simulations even more effectively.
Please direct your request to: 3ddruck@werkstoffzentrum.de or call +49-2226-1698-10.