3DFabTech Announces Development of Low-melt Alloy Casting using Molds from the 3DFabTech's 3D Copiers
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) September 26, 2013 -- 3DFabTech announces that it is working with low-melt alloy Casting using Molds from the 3DFabTech's 3D copiers. Molding metal by conventional casting methods can be an expensive, time consuming endeavor. However, with an original part and 3DFabTech-based mold and low temp alloys, it is now possible to create 3D metal parts quickly and cost-effectively. The final molded pieces can be sanded, polished or painted and withstand more punishment than 3D printed pieces will. With 3DFabTech, a user can go from concept to metal casting in hours.
Starting with devices made from 3D printers or from existing parts, the 3DFabTech system makes a mold that can act as a template for high volume production of 3D parts produced by 3D printers or conventional manufacturing equipment. The technology provides a means of creating faster, less-expensive products or means for quick repair of conventional or high-temperature composites. In some or many applications, our technology may replace altogether tooling materials and approaches as currently used.
3DFabTech's mold-making system is based on a material that has been nicknamed “engineered quicksand,” and can provide such fast and inexpensive tooling to the emerging rapid 3D printing market. The technology can serve cost-sensitive consumer products as well as the exacting needs of medical, aerospace, and military applications. Ted Jacobson, the inventor behind the 3DFabTech system, notes that 3DFabTech solution fundamentally changes the economics and performance of current manufacturing solutions as follows:
Save customer time by reducing the prototyping cycle from 10-15 weeks (hard tooling), or 1-7 days (rapid tooling) to hours.
Save money by reducing the cost of tooling from $5,000-$10,000/sq ft (hard tooling), or $750-$1,000/sq ft (rapid tooling) to $50-$100/sq ft.
Provide new capabilities with flexible manufacturing option that greatly reduces tooling inventory ($) and space required ($).
The technology allows for an environmentally friendly and quick molding and replication of parts. Using a water-soluble, ceramic-based slurry, the 3DFabTech system can duplicate composite parts—currently items that can fit inside a brief case up to 6’x 9’—in a tool bed.
The company’s patented system is capable of copying 3D parts in as little as 15 minutes in an environmentally friendly way since materials can be recycled. This ability enables mass customization commercial production of 3D printed parts and devices. Due to this environmentally friendly 3D replication technology, 3DFabTech has been selected as a Cleantech 2013 Competition Semifinalist.
3DFabTech’s portfolio of intellectual property development has been accelerated using patent workflow solutions such as ProvisionalBuilder from PowerPatent Inc. Such tools enable 3DFabTech to file quickly and benefit from the first-inventor-to-file provision of the American Invents Act (AIA).
About 3DFabTech
3DFabTech changes the Value Proposition for the Composites Fabrication & Repair and Plastics Industries. 3DFabTech's patented and patent pending rapid tooling system enables near instant manufacture of detailed tools of any size. For more information, please visit http://www.3dfabtech.com.
About PowerPatent
PowerPatent Inc. is a privately held software applications company headquartered in Silicon Valley. Our company’s products are designed and developed by a team of legal, software, user experience, and Web design professionals. Our mission is to democratize the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem. Our tools provide a cost-efficient framework for inventors to participate in the IP system and be recognized and rewarded for their ingenuity. For more information, visit http://www.powerpatent.com, follow us @powerpatent on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Alan Tran, PowerPatent Inc., http://www.fovean.com, +1 (408) 528-7490, [email protected]
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