Sand mold 3D printing: subverting traditional casting with “layer-by-layer sand bonding”
If traditional casting is “cutting wood into a boat”, then sand mold 3D printing is more like “gathering sand into a tower” – it does not need to carve molds, but directly “prints” complex and precise sand molds and sand cores by bonding sand grains layer by layer. This technology is quietly changing the manufacturing logic in the fields of automobiles, aerospace, etc.
In the foundry workshop, the sand core is a key component for forming the internal cavity of the casting. The traditional process requires making a wooden mold or a metal mold first, and then pressing the sand into the mold to form. The whole process is time-consuming and laborious, especially for complex structures (such as the internal flow channel of the engine cylinder block). The breakthrough of sand mold 3D printing lies in “moldless”, using high-temperature resistant silica sand and special adhesives to ensure that it can withstand the impact of thousands of degrees of metal melt during casting. The 3D model is “sliced” into thousands of layers, and the printing head is like a precision brush, spraying adhesives layer by layer to solidify the sand grains. The unbonded sand naturally becomes a support, eliminating the demolding step.
It only takes 25 days from the design drawing to the finished sand mold, which is nearly half the time of the 45 days required by traditional molds to complete the cylinder block sample. There is no mold cost and it can directly enter the bench test, which helps the car model to be launched quickly.
Traditional casting is limited by physical demolding, and the design must “accommodate” the process. For example, the cooling channel of the engine cylinder is often simplified into a straight line, which affects the heat dissipation efficiency. 3D printing completely breaks this shackles and can print honeycomb lightweight structures with unchanged strength and 30% weight reduction. Traditional complex sand cores that need to be spliced (such as the internal cavity of an eight-cylinder engine) can be printed in one go to avoid assembly errors. When new energy vehicle companies develop new motor housings, 3D printing can complete 5 versions of design verification within a week, while traditional processes take several months.
The many new products successfully developed by Zhengheng Power in cooperation with well-known domestic and foreign automobile OEMs are proof that sand mold 3D printing technology releases the design potential.
Zhengheng Power has been deeply engaged in sand mold 3D printing since 2017. From traditional engine blocks to new energy precision components, Zhengheng Power will continue to empower customers through the core advantages of sand mold 3D printing to push the industry into the “zero mold constraint” era, allowing customization and scale to be seamlessly integrated in intelligent manufacturing.
Post time: Mar-20-2025
