Conclusion
The application of 3D printing to produce patternless moulds is researched and proved to be a viable means of rapid casting of light metals. Effects of significant factors such as mould materials, coatings, and pouring temperature on principal casting characteristics are experimentally evaluated and sta- tistically analysed together with a few light alloys. The best combinations of factors and their corresponding levels are identified for different conditions. The mechanical properties of aluminium and magnesium castings produced are compa- rable to those reported in the traditional casting literature. The following are some of the important observations:
• ZP131 moulds are best suited for processing Al and Mg in combination with a magnesium oxide based mould coating and a pouring temperature of 690C (1274F).
• The best surface roughness obtained is 5.84µm, us- ing ZP131 with SC1, which is better than the nor- mal 6-13µm.
• The optimum percent elongation is 2.56%, ob- tained in ZP131 moulds, again with SC1, which is also above the normal value of 2%.
• The best UTS is 170 Mpa, obtained while casting AZ91 in ZP131 moulds, which is also above the expected 160 Mpa.
• Overall, light metals can be cast in rapid proto- typed moulds, without any significant loss of es- sential mechanical characteristics
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