Frank Peters

Iowa State University · company speakers →

There are many challenges for a foundry when trying to optimize the surface finish of a casting, especially those made utilizing 3D printed cores. In 3DPS, orientation of the core in the print box is the 1st step in trying to minimize the layer steps in the final product before even starting the print job. Other factors that are important in the printing process include media type and size, layer thickness, grey scale printing, etc. Different methods of applying paint/talc to either blown or the printed cores has shown promise in improving the surface finish but does add another layer of variability to the casting process. Consistent measurement of the surface finish is also a challenge when trying to develop the best process and gain acceptance from end customer. Inspection of casting surfaces has many sources of measurement error that limits is effectiveness. Current research is developing a digital standard to assess the casting surface. The method requires a 3D scan of the surface, but is agnostic to the type of scanner. This work is leading to a low cost scanner, integration into existing scanning systems used for dimensional inspections, and a new ASTM standard.

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