All You Need to Know About Sand 3D Printing

You have almost certainly already heard about plastic and metal 3D printing. But did you know that sand is also a potential 3D printing material? Indeed, it can be a cost-effective solution for a wide range of sectors, and is particularly complementary to traditional sand casting. But how does 3D sand printing work, and how can traditional sand casting benefit from this additive process? We take a closer look at these questions in this article.

To understand the importance of sand 3D printing for casting, it is first necessary to understand the traditional sand casting process. Sand casting is a casting process used to produce final parts in metal and other materials. The mold into which the liquid material is poured is made of sand, which withstands high temperatures. The original casting process has been tried and tested for millennia, dating back to around 3,200 BC. Of course, the manufacturing process has undergone various stages of development, but the basic concept has remained unchanged.

In the sand casting process, a liquid material (usually metal) is poured into sand tanks (photo credits: BigRep)

The process begins with a 2D drawing of the object to be manufactured. Based on this concept, a model is produced, but if it is to be used for final metal parts, its dimensions are increased to allow for shrinkage. In addition, the model must include casting channels. The manufactured negative mold is pressed into a construction box filled with sand. An image of the model – the mold – is then formed in the sand. The liquid material (aluminum, steel, magnesium, iron) is poured into this mold and removed as soon as it has cooled. As part of the finishing stages, the runners and feeders must also be removed.