Transforming stereolithographic prototypes into metal or ceramic models by polymer substitution with titanium powder

Abstract

The presented paper experimentally demonstrates the potential expansion of stereolithographic prototype utilization. Two methods for manufacturing plastic prototypes are proposed, enabling the subsequent substitution of the polymer material with either metal or ceramics. The first method involves additional actions by the prototype designer during the modeling stage. The second method necessitates alterations in the technological processes of model preparation and prototype manufacturing using a stereolithography apparatus. Material substitution occurs in two stages. Initially, cavities in the prototype are filled with powder material or a mixture of powder and water. Although titanium powder was chosen as the test material, the proposed technology permits the utilization of a broad spectrum of powder materials, encompassing both metallic and ceramic options. The subsequent stage involves heat treatment, where the polymer is eliminated, and the metal powder is sintered while retaining the original shape and dimensions of the prototype. Heat treatment of the acquired prototypes was conducted in both argon and atmospheric air environments. The utilization of different gas media might induce chemical transformations in the material filling the prototype. The experiments lead to the conclusion that the proposed approaches show promise and merit further development. Additionally, we contemplate amalgamating the two methods in the future to attain an optimized final outcome. The data we have gathered could significantly contribute to broadening the scope of stereolithography applications, given that this technology presently represents one of the most precise, widespread, and accessible additive manufacturing methods.