Metal Rapid Prototyping

Metal rapid prototyping is the method whereby the prototype is created out of metal. There are four basic methods for rapid metal prototyping, they are: Selective laser Sintering (SLS), Investment Casting, Plaster Cast Metal Parts, Sand Castings and Metal Coated Prototypes.

Selective Laser Sintering uses a tool steel or a high carbon steel in extremely thin layers to create a rapid metal prototype. The minimum thickness for the layers is .040”.

Investment Casting creates the mold around the master pattern using ceramic. The metals most often used in investment casting are aluminum and bronze alloys, carbon steel and stainless steel.

Plaster Cast Metal Parts are created by plaster casting. This is really the best method for creating metal prototypes that will be used to create parts for die cast production. This method produces a more smooth surface than the produced by sand casting.

Sand Casting is the most economical method of producing metal prototypes. The metals most commonly created by sand casting are iron, and alloys of aluminum or zinc.

Aluminum is the most common metal used in metal rapid prototyping. Any of the casting methods can use aluminum.

There are definitely some benefits for metal rapid prototyping. They are:

• Quickly and easily evaluate the actual design of a metal part
• Just about any metal can be used to produce metal prototypes
• A metal prototype allows the part to be tested in the actual production metal
• Enables production of parts that do not require expensive tooling.

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