ACTech, based in Freiberg, Germany, is a leading company in prototype and casting production. For nearly 30 years, ACTech has delivered high-precision metal prototypes to industries such as automotive, mechanical engineering, and aerospace. With over 240,000 prototypes produced and a broad range of materials, the company offers tailored solutions for demanding components. Utilizing cutting-edge technologies like sand printing and metal 3D printing, ACTech sets new standards in quality, speed, and innovation.
The Perfect Partner: ExOne
The introduction of printed sand cores through collaboration with ExOne exemplifies how modern technologies are reshaping prototype manufacturing. As an innovative leader in casting production, ACTech integrates ExOne’s advanced sand casting systems. These machines have revolutionized production processes, increasing efficiency and speed while enabling the realization of complex components in record time. This success story highlights the seamless integration of sand printing technology at ACTech and its pivotal role in modern casting production
Challenges: Complexity and Time Constraints
In prototype manufacturing, ACTech’s core business, precision and speed are essential. The produced castings often feature complex geometries and intricate structures to meet the high demands of the automotive, mechanical engineering, and aerospace industries. Traditional methods struggled with these challenges, particularly in the production of molds and cores. To remain competitive, ACTech required new technologies that could shorten development cycles without compromising on quality and accuracy.
Solution: ExOne Machines and Sand Printing
The introduction of ExOne machines marked a turning point for ACTech's production. With the innovative sand printing process, sand molds and cores can be produced directly via 3D printing. These machines, in use for nearly a decade, excel with large build platforms and high printing speeds. Featuring build volumes of up to 1800 x 1000 x 700 mm, they enable the printing of large-scale sand molds in a single pass, significantly reducing production cycles.
The process also allows for the realization of complex geometries and undercuts that are often difficult to achieve using traditional methods.
Results: Higher Precision, Speed, and Flexibility
The implementation of sand printing technology has drastically reduced production times and significantly enhanced the quality of the castings. By eliminating the need for physical models, costs and lead times are reduced, while even the most intricate components are produced with exceptional surface quality—minimizing post-processing efforts.
An additional efficiency boost was achieved through the use of the Cold Phenol Process (CPP):
- Reduced Cleaning Effort: The low adhesion tendency of phenolic resin ensures a smoother finish for sand cores, minimizing mechanical post-processing.
- Eco-Friendly Processes: Higher recycling rates of adhered molding materials make post-processing more sustainable.
- Optimized Core Removal: In combination with ACTech's in-house finishing technologies, this process is further optimized to make decoring efficient even for the most complex geometries.
ACTech combines printed cores with conventional sand casting processes to flexibly meet individual customer requirements, even for larger production volumes. This versatility provides a significant competitive advantage, particularly for time-sensitive projects.
Through its close partnership with ExOne and the continuous advancement of manufacturing processes, ACTech reinforces its leadership role in prototype and casting production.
