SANDHELDEN Turns to Binder Jetting and ExOne for its Sustainable, Sand Projects

Sand binder jetting is increasing in popularity when it comes to end-use parts. This is due to a variety of factors. For one, binder jetting is one of the fastest additive manufacturing technologies and sand binder jetting, in particular, is even faster than its metal counterpart, as it involves significantly less post-processing. Additionally, using sand as a building material is more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective than many traditional options. For these reasons, among others, SANDHELDEN, a global leader in the production of 3D printed design elements made of sand, has turned to the leader in sand binder jetting, ExOne, to create its products.

SANDHELDEN is known for its sustainable bathroom products, including sinks and bathtubs, created using sand 3D printing. Since 2016, the company has been working with the sand binder jetting experts at the 1,800 m² ExOne Adoption Center in Gersthofen, in the heart of Germany. Though ExOne sand 3D printing is perhaps best known for metal casting molds and cores or other tooling purposes, this partnership has allowed both companies to advance the strengths of the technology.

SANDHELDEN showed their creations at ExOne’s booth at Formnext (photo credits: SANDHELDEN)

SANDHELDEN Uses the S-Max 3D Printer from ExOne for its Sand Binder Jetting Needs

But how are durable, waterproof sinks and bathtubs made from sand? As with any 3D printing process, it starts with a CAD model, a 3D image that serves as the basis for the printed molds. This is transferred to one of the 3D printers at the ExOne adoption center.