Voestalpine starts 3D sand printer for steel casting

Voestalpine has started operating a 3D sand printer for heavy steel castings at its site in Traisen, Lower Austria, Kallanish learns from the company.

The technology for sophisticated castings using silica sand reduces production times and is more environmentally friendly than the previous process, voestalpine says, claiming that it is Europe’s most advanced 3D sand printer.

Additive manufacturing activities have long been expanded at voestalpine, and a second printer at the site in Traisen will follow in spring 2022. The process is primarily used to produce castings for the energy industry, and for the automotive and railway sector. One recent order, for example, was for rotor discs for water turbines, voestalpine says.

Christian Koehl Germany