DIY 3D printer for lost-wax casting
RepRap offshoot uses SLS to make wax positives for metal casting
Andreas Bastian has been making some fantastic progress on his DIY SLS printer.
The goal of this project is to provide a method for rapidly manufacturing complex pieces in metal by manufacturing a wax “positive” of the object, which is then used to make a mold for the lost wax casting process. Current metal rapid manufacturing techniques rely on high-power lasers, plasma jets, or electric arcs to sinter metal powder. This approach sidesteps the higher costs and dangers of these high-power systems in favor of a relatively low power laser-sintering technique.
Using a home-built laser sintering wax printer to cast complex metal pieces at home: the DIY-force is strong in this one! Now all he needs is a DIY microwave smelter.