Korean Journal of Materials Research ISSN:1225-0562(Print) 2287-7258(Online) 한국재료학회지

Sand casting 3D printing uses a binder jetting method to produce a mold having complicated shape by spraying a binder on sand coated with activator. Appropriate heat treatment process in sand mold fabrication can increase the degree of polymerization to improve flexural strength. However, long heat treatment of over 24 hours decreases flexural strength and reliability due to chemical bond decomposition through thermal degradation. The main role of the activator is to control the reaction rate between the polymer chains. As a result, when the activator composition is increased from 0.15 wt% to 0.25 wt%, the flexural strength is increased by 218 N/cm². However, excess activator (0.40 wt%) has been shown to decrease reliability without increasing flexural strength. The main role of the binder is to control the flexural strength of the specimen. As the binder composition is increased from 2.00 wt% to 4.00 wt%, the flexural strength increases to about 255 N/cm², indicating the maximum flexural strength increase. Finally, the reliability of the flexural strength of the fabricated specimens is evaluated by a Weibull plot. Weibull modulus calculations are used to evaluate the flexural strength reliability of the specimens, and maximum reliability value of 11.7 is obtained at 0.20 wt% activator composition. Therefore, it is confirmed that this composition has maximum flexural strength reliability.