QuickCast® (a registered trademark of 3D Systems) is a 3D printing method for the tool-less production of casting patterns for the investment casting and lost wax foundry industries. The QuickCast buildstyle can also be used to create large, lightweight parts and prototypes. At ProtoCAM, we utilize Stereolithography (SLA) to create QuickCast patterns.
What is QuickCast
QuickCast is an ideal method for producing patterns for investment casting. ProtoCAM offers rapid production of small to large 3D-printed casting patterns via Stereolithography (SLA). SLA is a cornerstone of our 3D additive manufacturing processes, capable of producing a high-quality aesthetic finish with tight tolerances.
QuickCast functions as an alternative to traditional investment casting patterns, which can be costly and take additional time to complete parts. QuickCast is an SLA buildstyle that consists of a hollow SLA pattern with an internal hexagonal support structure. The structure adds strength to the pattern, allows for easy drainage, and facilitates collapse of the pattern during thermal expansion to help avoid shell cracking.
QuickCast patterns offer large pattern sizes and smooth surfaces that can be printed and used to create your custom part at a fraction of the cost and time of using traditional investment casting patterns.
The QuickCast buildstyle can also be used to create large, lightweight parts and prototypes. Using the QuickCast buildstyle in this way helps to reduce part volume, weight, and material needed to create a solid part. The lower volume can also yield a lower part cost, which equals savings for the customer.
These parts can be finished and painted so the QuickCast honeycomb structure is hidden, yielding a large, lightweight, and professionally finished part. Applications include large-scale models for demonstration purposes, artwork-related projects, and larger parts with simple geometry.
QuickCast in Action
QuickCast vs. Traditional Investment Casting
Investment casting (also called lost wax casting) is a manufacturing process which that has been used for hundreds of years to create near-identical metal parts. While traditional investment casting is a successful process, the high cost and time involved in the creation of tooling have limited the casting industry.
Turn-around time
SLA QuickCast parts can be completed in as little as one to two days, with larger projects taking fewer than five
Tolerances
SLA QuickCast parts can achieve tolerances +/- 0.005″ (0.127mm) for the initial inch, plus an additional 0.002″ for each additional inch; this is not possible with the tooling utilized in traditional investment casting
Finish and detail
SLA QuickCast parts typically have a cosmetically superior finish to traditional casted parts, and allow for additional detail and geometries that are simply not possible with traditional investment casting
Tooling
SLA QuickCast offers a tool-free, fast, reliable and accurate alternative to patterns created using tooling, reducing the costs of creating patterns significantly
Typical QuickCast Use Cases
Casting patterns for the investment casting industry | Casting patterns for the lost wax foundry industry | Tool-less production |
Presentation-ready parts | High detail and finish |