3D Systems expands its portfolio for precision investment casting with QuickCast Air

3D Systems has announced QuickCast Air. An advanced tool in its investment casting portfolio that maximises material removal from the interior of casting patterns. This enables reduced material consumption, lower pattern costs, shorter build times, cleaner burnout processes and improved emptying efficiency.

QuickCast Air enables casting patterns to be emptied more efficiently, resulting in lower consumption of materials. This is achieved by requiring less structure within the casting patterns, which also improves the burnout process. Customers benefit from faster production times and lower manufacturing costs compared to conventional moulds for wax injection moulding. The simplified dewatering process also means that more resin remains in the pressure vessels, resulting in additional savings.

“Since 3D Systems introduced QuickCast more than two decades ago, we have continued to evolve this unique tool and the capabilities it provides,” said Patrick Dunne, VP, advanced applications, 3D Systems. “Our customer-centric approach to innovation fuels this transformation by closely aligning with their unique challenges. As with many of our products, QuickCast Air was born from a specific customer’s application requirements. I’m pleased that we are now able to bring this advanced tool to market thus refining the design and production of investment casting patterns. I’m looking forward to seeing how the adoption of QuickCast Air will continue to unlock design freedom and accelerate production timelines.”

3D Systems integrates QuickCast Air into its 3D Sprint software, which enables users to customise the structure of casting patterns. This applies, for example, to the thickness of the walls or the positioning of valves and drains. Thanks to this flexibility, even complex geometries can be easily realised without any design restrictions.

The process of investment casting itself has a tradition dating back thousands of years, but modern 3D printing technologies are revolutionising this process. 3D Systems introduced the first 3D-printed casting models back in the 1990s and has continued to develop the QuickCast system ever since. The latest version, QuickCast Air, is now being used by some major customers, particularly in the aviation industry, to reduce material consumption by up to 50 per cent.

With the new tool, 3D Systems is helping to make the moulding process more efficient and cost-effective, which could provide a significant competitive advantage in an industry where precision and speed are crucial.