Z Corporation ZPrinter 310 - Tm Zcast Direct Metal Casting

Appendix I
ZCast Design Guide - 2
Table of Contents
1 Introduction...................................................................................4
2 Cautions & Warnings....................................................................5
2.1 CAUTION..................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 WARNING.................................................................................................................... 5
3 ZCast
™
Advantages......................................................................6
3.1 The Materials................................................................................................................ 6
3.2 Design Freedom........................................................................................................... 6
4 Locating a Foundry.......................................................................7
4.1 Foundry Trial Parts....................................................................................................... 7
5 Designing with ZCast – Mold Design ...........................................8
5.1 Sources of Mold Design Information ............................................................................. 8
5.2 Selecting a Design Method........................................................................................... 8
5.2.1 Direct Pour................................................................................................................ 9
5.2.2 Shell Method............................................................................................................. 9
5.2.3 Combination Method................................................................................................10
5.3 Designing Molds in your CAD System..........................................................................10
5.3.1 Direct Pour...............................................................................................................11
5.3.2 Shell Method............................................................................................................11
5.3.3 Combination Method................................................................................................12
5.4 Printing Your Model.....................................................................................................12
5.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................12
6 Design Techniques with ZCast
™
................................................13
6.1 Direct Gating ...............................................................................................................13
6.2 Mold Parts Larger Than Build Volume..........................................................................13
6.3 Shelling your Mold.......................................................................................................13
6.4 Stiffening Ribs.............................................................................................................13
6.5 Venting........................................................................................................................14
6.5.1 Venting Cores ..........................................................................................................15
6.5.2 Venting the Mold......................................................................................................15
6.6 Parting Lines ...............................................................................................................16
6.7 Depowderability – Fixed Vs. Removable Cores............................................................16
6.8 Mating Surfaces...........................................................................................................17
6.9 Geometry Guidelines...................................................................................................17
6.10 Wall Thickness Guidelines .......................................................................................18
6.11 Pouring Sleeves & Risers.........................................................................................18
6.12 Chills........................................................................................................................18
6.13 Printing ....................................................................................................................18
6.13.1 Machine Settings......................................................................................................19
6.14 Degassing and Filtering Metal ..................................................................................19
7 Mold Preparation ........................................................................22
Mold Wash.............................................................................................................................22
Bake......................................................................................................................................22
Final Depowder......................................................................................................................22
Clamp....................................................................................................................................22