Kansas Castings produced 40 castings using the plastic pattern Great Plains produced on its 3D printing machine.


testing process took between two and three weeks before we were satisfied with the cast design.” Full production for the castings—


with production aluminum patterns— is expected to begin in the fall.


Future Plans Pleased with the results of the first


Great Plains used a 3-D printer to produce plastic patterns capable of making sand molds.


sand casting prototype project, Spaeny said Great Plains already has another component in the works for design and testing. “It was kind of fun to try some-


thing new. I don’t think it could have gone any better,” he said. “Tis will help us get to casting testing much quicker. And in the ag business, if we


miss a season of testing, we may miss the whole year.” Spaeny said building a weldment in the shop for new product develop- ment may be simple and easy, but in the long run, many components would benefit from being designed as a casting. Te process would eliminate multiple pieces, save man-hours in the


26 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Jul/Aug 2012


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