Plastic production techniques

For a long time the only production technique available for producing plastic parts was die-casting. Die casting plasting parts means to press molten material into a closed, openable casting mold. The casting mold stays closed until the part is cooled off enough to stay in form, then it gets thrown out.

Die casting forms and tools have to resist high thermic and mechanic loads anf are therefore made big, heavy. Also they have to be milled with high precision and that makes them very expensive. Mostly they are made of steel and when the casting mold is produced properly the machine is capable of working constantly.

Using this technique we can produce huge amounts of cheap parts. Mass production. If there are only a few parts needed, two hundred for instance, the production costs get exorbitant expensive because oft he constant cost for the casting mold and needed tools. In the end customers must pay a higher price for a product.

Die casting vs. 3D printing

When we focus on 3D printing, the situation reverses. The 3D printer is the ultimate tool to produce plastic parts. 3D printers give the opportunity to print almost every form you can think of out of a filament. For some forms (bridges and overhangs) the printer must print a supporting construction which hast o be removed after printing. A 3D costs a fraction of a casting mould and can get to production out oft he raw 3D model..

One problem that has to be solved is the fact, that the production of a 3D printed part takes much more time than classical die casting.

But with printing in 3D, we can realize parts which aren´t produceable in one piece with die casting. The trivase we use to present our filaments for instance is tighter at ist neck than at ist bottom.

The same die castet trivase must have a inflatable core which can be deflated after casting. Practically the trivase would be castet out oft wo parts that would get glued or welded together.

Die casting for large batch production

Comparing both methods with eachother we find, that die casting is perfect for large badge producing non-complicated and cheap, large numbered parts. For small batch production, single parts or very complex parts the 3D printer is the technique to choose.

Because of ist low acquisition and operational cost 3D printers offer the oppurtunity to produce parts with low investions for private also for private people, designers and very small contractors.

3dk.berlin would like to support you with know-how and well fitted filament for your 3D printer.

Contact us!