These are the designs of a typical 3-D printed sand core at Maynard Steel. All dimensions are in inches.
Tis opens the opportunity for
material with properties that are superior to solid steels in selected applications. Maynard Steel has been exploring cost effective steel foam and now can cast the material with consistent densities with predict- able properties with hardness values ranging from 100-400 BHN. Te properties could be attractive for ballistic-resistant applications not only in military structures but also in civil engineering structures such as buildings and bridges. Maynard Steel hopes the innovation opens a new area of research for material scientists to carry out material char- acterization and property determi- nation with the availability of test material of any desired density and properties with a hardness range of 100-400 BHN. Before Maynard Steel per-
forms further testing to definitively determine the process’ feasibility, it is looking for a partner to focus its efforts. As of now, the product is not considered ready for the market.
Manufacture of Variable Density Lightweight Steel Foam
At Maynard Steel, steel foam is
made using nobake sand molds and 3-D printed cores of proprietary design to incorporate the desired porous structure in the steel cast- ings. The method includes the steps
Shown is a variable density lightweight steel plate with 80% weight compared to a solid plate.
of: providing a 3-D printed sand core bonded with a furan nobake binder system, placing the 3-D printed sand core in a sand mold bonded with ester-cured nobake binder system, providing a suitable gating system for entry of molten steel into the mold, de-coring the casting after shakeout, and provid- ing suitable heat treatment after the casting is separated from the gating system. Te manufacture of steel foam plates and components with consistent desired densities and predictable properties on an indus- trial scale with a low-cost con- ventional sand casting process is unique. Maynard Steel envisions the new process could change how future designs of steel structures will be made giving the freedom of the important variable density. Te metalcaster has successfully made steel plates and billets in plain carbon and low-alloy steels. Te manufacturing process is standard- ized to achieve desired porosity
January 2017 MODERN CASTING | 35
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