Liberty Pattern Company boosts sand‑core capacity with third voxeljet VX1000
Expanded additive casting workflow supports aerospace and industrial applications, offers recyclability, design iteration and production‑scale flexibility
U.S.-based tooling specialist Liberty Pattern Company (LPC) has expanded its additive‑manufacturing capabilities by deploying two additional voxeljet VX1000 sand‑printers, bringing its total to three machines using voxeljet’s proprietary Phenolic Direct Binding process. With this upgrade, LPC aims to extend the use of 3D sand printing from prototyping into full‑scale production for aerospace and industrial castings.
Additive workflow integrated into core/ mold production
LPC reports that it began exploring 3D sand printing in 2017 to meet customer demand for faster turnaround, flexible design iteration and geometries not feasible via conventional tooling. LPC’s tooling & pattern‑making business covers everything from reverse engineering and CAD to machining of patterns and cores. The addition of 3D sand printing is described as a “daily operation” integrated into both prototyping and serial-production workflows, according to Rick August, Vice President – Additive Sand Solutions at LPC.
By deploying three VX1000 units (each with a build volume of 1000 × 600 × 500 mm), LPC can now handle projects from small prototypes through large cores for aluminium, magnesium and iron casting—all printed in single runs and validated for gating and mold geometry before committing to steel tooling. The triple‑machine set‑up also provides redundancy and scalability: maintenance or downtime on one printer does not halt production.
Strength, recyclability and cost efficiency
LPC is also an ExOne user, but that is less of an issue now as the two companies have merged into a single entity. This time around, LPC selected voxeljet’s PDB process because it allows high‑strength bonding of sand (in this case, U.S.-sourced Carbo ceramic media) with a phenolic binder. The process works by spreading a thin layer of sand, selectively jetting phenolic binder, and applying infrared energy to cure and solidify the printed sections, leaving unbound sand loose and fully recyclable. This approach supports LPC’s claim of improved first‑pass yield, fewer casting defects and less rework when producing cores for demanding applications.
Carbo media offers superior thermal stability and low expansion, making it ideal for critical casting applications in aerospace and industrial sectors. The recyclability of unprinted sand via simple sieving reduces waste and lowers material cost, while supporting more sustainable operational practices.
LPC’s extended capacity enables simultaneous projects and faster turnaround in peak demand periods, helping customers move from prototype to production more rapidly. For gating system validation, design iteration and full‑scale core production, the 3D sand‑printing workflow is described as a “game changer” compared with traditional tooling approaches.
