Abstract

Concerning investment casting, “decreased cost,” “reduced lead time” and “quick response to design changes,” are often required in the early stages of a project. Thus, stereolithography apparatus (SLA), a typical rapid prototyping technique, has been applied to the master pattern of investment casting prototype parts for our gas turbine engine. Accompanying this new application were problems peculiar to SLA, for example, adhesion of carbonized resin to the surface of the ceramic mold and SLA layer marks. The adhesion problem has been overcome by optimization of the burning conditions and the problem with the layer marks has been overcome with an improved surface finishing method. As a result, prototype parts, which satisfied the design dimension and configuration requirements, could be produced. At the same time, the cost and lead-time were reduced to 1/15 and 1/8, respectively, of those for the conventional method.

References

1. (1) Imamura, M.: Application of RP Models to Investment Casting, JACT News, June 20, 1998, pp. 27 – 36 (1998).
2. (2) Arato, K., et al.: Development of Investment Casting Parts by Rapid Prototyping, Miyagi Prefecture Industrial Technology Center Research Report No. 27, pp. 49 – 51 (1996).
3. (3) Arato, K., et al.: Development of Investment Casting Parts by Rapid Prototyping, Miyagi Prefecture Industrial Technology Center Research Report No. 28, pp. 62 – 64 (1997).
4. (4) Arato, K., et al.: Development of Investment Casting Parts by Rapid Prototyping, Miyagi Prefecture Industrial Technology Center Research Report No. 29, pp. 34 – 38 (1998).
5. (5) Narahara, H.: Current Status of Rapid Prototyping Technology, Precision Engineering Journal, Vol. 67, No. 3, pp. 403 – 406 (2001).

Author (organization or company)

• Sachio KAJIURA（Wako Research Center (HGF)）
• Sadafumi YOSHINO（Wako Research Center (HGF)）

Publication Information

Article of Honda R&D Technical Review Vol.13 No.2 (53 - 58)

PDF

Citation Information