Types of 3D Printing

A Closer Look at 3D Printing Mediums - Plastic, Carbon Fiber & Metal 3D Printing

Types of

3d printing mediums

The key benefits of 3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing, can supplement or partially replace the casting method. Some castings are directly printed by metal powders, for example, titanium alloys, nickel alloys and steel parts. However, 3D Printing has found a unique position in other casting aspects, such as printing the wax pattern, ceramic shell, sand core, sand mould, etc. Also, 3D Printing is not just a manufacturing method, it will revolutionise the design of products, assemblies and parts, such as castings, patterns, cores, moulds and shells in casting production.

We are redesigning the future of castings and moulds into truss or spatially open and skeleton structures.3D Printing technology is having a significant impact on manufacturing, including casting production. Traditional casting methods are complicated and involve making a pattern manually or by machine, creating



a core and mould separately. Now everthing is done by the 3D Printing process.

3D Printers create prototypes to determine if the design meets the clients' concept and functionality expectations. Alternatively, the prototype is used to test parts for their forming method and their ability to function with other elements in the assembly. Using printing technology called Rapid Manufacturing, the technology can produce cast parts. This process is called Rapid Casting.

Many materials are used in 3D Printing; however, we use metal powder when 3D Printing for metal parts.The 3D direct making of metal parts, known as fast manufacturing, is completed without making patterns, dies, or moulds. 3D laser melting is used for superalloys, titanium alloys, steels, especially stainless steels and aluminium alloys.


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3d printing mediums

3D printing in plastic

  1. Manufacture parts faster
  2. By manufacturing parts faster, you reduce downtime
  3. Make your manufacturing lines more effective by using 3D Printing to maximise your productivity. Previously this option was only available as multiple iterations, and they are both time consuming and costly. Use additive manufacturing (3D printing) to replace ineffective processes in the configuration of your production line. Reviewing the parts that require a precise operation, modifying them and then having them 3D printed. A great example of this is tooling.
  4. Ability to evaluate parts of the manufacturing line that can be modified. Create a 3D prototype to achieve better results.
  5. Running a company, we all look at the bottom line and want our production lines to be cost-effective. Review replacement parts with introducing 3D Printing as a substitute. Custom made pieces are expensive, and you can produce the same or better quality with 3D Printing at a lower cost.
  6. Integrate assembly features directly in your part, and as a result, assembly time will reduce. Additive manufacturing materials are robust, and these parts of your objects will not break. Lowering costs, and you will not need to purchase elements such as screws, etc., being time effective. Using 3D Printing, we can also connect parts through joints and snap fits.

Do You Need Help with Your 3D Concept?

We can help you design your prototype from a rough sketch design. Or you can design the prototype yourself, and Examples of 3D Design Software to test the application of your concept. 

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  1. Replace fixtures. Using 3D technology, we can replace several fixtures that generally need to be custom made, i.e. welding fixtures, machining work holding and inspection fixtures. Redesigning and producing using subtractive manufacturing results in many companies using one kind of fixture to reduce costs.
  2. Producing lighter products by creating 3D Printing objects where that centre is hollow or by inserting lattices into our product.
  3. 3D Printing allows the manufacture to replace broken parts, reducing waiting times.
  4. Ability to reshape metal castings by their shape and structure, and the cores can be integrated into a single piece, making the part more accurate. Ensuring reduced stacking tolerances and improved dimensional accuracy.

3D PRINTING mediums

3d printing in carbon fiber


The ability to reshape metal castings by shape and structure and the cores can be integrated into a single piece, making the part more accurate. Ensuring reduced stacking tolerances and improved dimensional accuracy. Since 3D Printing  requires no tooling, The ability to reshape metal castings ,

by shape and structure and the cores can be integrated into a single piece, making the part more accurate. Ensuring reduced stacking tolerances and improved dimensional accuracy. manufacturers can reduce the time needed to produce parts, bypassing time-consuming and costly tooling production.

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3d printing mediums

metal 3D PRINTINg

RetroCast 3D Printing has 50+ years of experience in metallurgy and engineering. Retrocast 3D Printing is ready to support your next idea, concept, and innovation with this knowledge and expertise.

Talk to our engineers Retrocast 3D Printing to discuss how we can help you get ahead of the competition.

We Manufacture Onsite - Talk to Retrocast 3D Printing, about your project today. Call us on  07 3348 5057

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Identify the opportunities to enhance your product quality, improve productivity and increase profitability through new technology.
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Design 3D  

Transform your innovation from idea to reality, unleashing the potential within your grasp, with our expertise and knowledge complimenting your ideas.
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