So, serious question. This link was posted over in the Makerbot thread just recently: Lost PLA Casting from 3D Prints

It shows how lost-material casting is possible with PLA filament. I'm not suggesting that you guys open your own metal foundry, however it suggests that the patterns for an investment-casting process can be produced very inexpensively in small quantities. The Makerbot Replicator Z18, which costs $6,500, can construct objects up to 18" x 12" x 12" in size.

 

Cool looks like lost wax without the centrifuge. How the the aluminum get in all the nooks and crannies w/o centrifugal force? Gravity? Seems like there would be porosities

 

Thats what the risers are for.

 

I don't know, actually. That link is really cool.

 

It might be cheaper to CNC foam in small volumes. Though CNCing an exhaust manifold sounds like a pain in the ***.


-Zach

 

I'm not sure you'd be able to.

Remember, the pattern needs to be hollow on the inside, as it's an exact representation of what the metal piece is going to wind up being. CNCing the inside of a complex shape like a pseudo-tubular manifold would require a 5-axis machine at minimum, and greatly restrict the internal geometry of the part.

 

Totally agree ... difficult or impossible (I hinted at this, didn't I?)

5 axis isn't always expensive. I work for a med-dev group and we have a small (but competent) connection with a 5-axis in his VT basement. Complex design surfacing parts cheap cheap cheap out of moderated expensive materials such as renshape.

FDM wax seems to make economic sense for jewelers. Large parts are still relatively pricey.

 

True, but now that it's possible to use PLA filament squirted from a consumer-grade machine for large, coarse parts which will be subjected to finish-machining on critical surfaces (like exhaust manifolds), this changes the rules.


Serious idea. Design the manifold, and then split the design in half between 2 and 3, and right down the middle of the turbine flange. Print the two halves on a cheap machine. Construct a fixture to hold them in alignment as they are glued together. Use the glued-together piece as the investment pattern.

 

And that PLA stuff can just be smoothed out with bondo. Or some other filler. Fill in the groove and just keep it flush with the ridges with a straight edge.

 

I was at the Maker Faire in San Mateo last weekend and I was in awe of the sheer number of vendors putting out 3D printers. And all the other cool stuff:

Maker Faire Bay Area 2014 photo recap | EDN

 

Only 600 threadcount? I thought this was America.

 

All the cool kids are machining the casting sand directly...

http://www.mmsonline.com/articles/straight-to-sand

 

I actually applaud your first post as timely and appropriate, even though it wasn't in the"meet and greet" section. Usually that's a problem but not this time.

 

Every time this thread gets posted in I think the kit has been released lol. What's the deal with it? Is it still in production? This was the whole reason I went EFR in the first place lol

 

Talking to foundries about the project right now. Talking to the shop I'm most excited about working with tomorrow morning, in fact. I will release manifold renderings and pricing when the supplier and ETA are finalized.

 

So will it be EFR 6258/6758 based? I understand if you don't want to make official promises or statements yet, just wondering. Based on your radiator that I have I can only assume the turbo kit will be just as refined and of high quality. Can't await to see this take off!

 

B1 frame, yes (6258/6758/7163).

 

The really cool kids are casting their own bananas.

Sand Cast Banana for Scale is So Metal | Hackaday

 

Is the manifold a log or tubular? Juicy details plz!

 

4-1 cast tubular.