Case Studies: Tail Cone Rapid Prototype

Key Design Parameters

• Application: Tail Cone (Ordinance)

• Material: A356 (Modified), Heat Treated to T6

• Over dimensions:  Apx 38”H x 22” Dia.

• Radiological Inspection Requirement:
  ASTM E155, Grade B

• Weight: (71 apx.  lbs)

• Strength requirement: Tensile greater 
  than 42 ksi

• Critical Dimension Tolerances: 005”

• Tooling Lead Time: 2-3 Weeks

Project Highlights

This Rapid prototype was created in 12 days. Starting with the customers CAD model  our tooling engineer converted the part design into mold design with Solid Works ™ CAD software. (3 days)

The mold was constructed directly from the Solid Works CAD model, using  state of the art RCT™ mold printing system developed by ProMetal.

ProMetal RCT™ printers selectively dispense micro-droplets of foundry-grade resin into paper-thin layers of specially engineered permeable casting media. This additive process creates complex sand casting cores and molds direct from CAD data, eliminating the thousands-year-old requirement of a physical pattern to create a core or mold. The process produces extremely accurate, uniform cores and molds rapidly, reducing the typical lead time for aluminum castings by as many as several  months. The flexibility to modify and customize mold designs is presently used to improve casting performance, reduce casting weight, and add complexity to cast components. To learn more about the RCT process go to www.prometal-rct.com/en/technology.html.   (5 days)

The casting produced from the mold was heat treated and passed stringent X Ray inspection and mechanical properties testing including hardness, tensile, yield and elongation. (4 days)

Patternless Prototype Mold Design

Actual Mold Ready To Cast Parts

Heat Treated Casting After Passing X Ray Inspection