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What is QuickCast™

QUICKCAST™ is a SLA build style that allows for the creation of direct shell investment castings patterns. The QuickCast™ method allows you to rapidly build highly accurate investment castings patterns, eliminating the expensive and time-consuming step of tooling when a limited number of castings is required. Instead of the SLA part being completely solid, QuickCast™ eliminates 95% of the internal mass of the part. This is achieved by curing only external surfaces and an internal lattice structure. Holes in the bottom of the part allow uncured resin to drain from the part. The result is a 65-80% hollow part with an internal lattice structure that gives the part structural integrity. QuickCast™ replaces traditional wax patterns for investment casting with patterns created in SLA material. During burnout, the QuickCast™ pattern collapses before the ceramic shell can crack. The QuickCast™ pattern will burn out in the investment casting process leaving little residue in the cavity that can easily be evacuated. Headquarters: Syracuse, New York (NY) For more informaction, contact: Design Prototyping Technologies

Where can I get QuickCast™

Design Prototyping Technologies
PT has an experienced staff of RP project engineers to manage projects and build parts, and a full staff of model makers to hand finish parts. We control every step of the process, including regular RP machine calibration, to ensure you get the best RP parts for your money. Encompassing 12,500 square feet, our facilities include nine SLA machines, each with their own dedicated battery backup, one PolyJet, one SLS machine, dedicated SLA and SLS rooms, and separate finishing areas where parts are sanded, painted, and prepared for delivery. Headquarters: Syracuse, New York (NY)

Eagle Design and Technology Inc.
Eagle Design and Technology is a Rapid Prototyping Service Bureau located in Western Michigan established in 1994. Our purpose is to assist industry in the design/build process from prototype to production. Over the past twelve years we have established one of the highest world-wide reputations for quality in rapid prototyping. Headquarters: Zeeland, Michigan (MI)

Express Pattern
Quickcast™ - QuickCast patterns are specially built hollow stereolithography parts that provide the best accuracy and surface finish of any direct pattern method. Express Pattern has built several thousand patterns for a variety of industries. In addition, the ongoing study of accuracy of QuickCast patterns is the only study done on QuickCast patterns and the largest study of rapid prototyping accuracy ever. Headquarters: Vernon Hills, Illinois (IL)

Harvest Technologies
in-house capabilities, as well as a network of highly qualified partners, to be a leading provider of rapid prototyping and rapid production solutions. These resources allow us to handle projects of any size and complexity, including those requiring management of multiple processes and secondary operations. Headquarters: Belton, Texas (TX)

ProtoTechnologies, Inc
QuickCast technology creates foundry patterns built directly on the SLA from epoxy resins leaving a pattern that is about 80% hollow. The exterior of the QuickCast pattern is covered with a thin skin preventing mold materials from penetrating the pattern. The smooth outer casing allows internal collapse of the pattern without damage to the shell during the burnout phase of the investment castings. While QuickCast is compatible with traditional foundry autoclave technology developed for wax patterns, most foundries have achieved their highest yields (greater than 95%) with QuickCast while eliminating their associated gating using flash fire.QuickCast permits you to advance from CAD to metal with total confidence. Part accuracy levels exceed all industry standards.Patterns burn out clean with minimal ash residue. Excellent dimensional stability and tight tolerances comparable to production wax patterns. Void ratios as high as 83 percent (17% solid, 83% air). Superior pattern strength and durability. Liberty Lake, Washington (WA)

Select Manufacturing Services Inc.
The Quickcast™ build style produces hollow stereolithography parts. It is used as a lost wax pattern in the investment casting process. This allows your concept to go from idea to a metal part in a matter of weeks. Maximum one piece build size is 20 x 20 x 20 inches. Headquarters: Muskegon, Michigan (MI)

Solid Concepts
QuickCast™ is an accurate, consistent, strong, fully drained, completely sealed, pattern that is 10 to 35% lighter than those built with other polymers and ordinary build styles. Lower mass for a given volume leads to significantly higher yield by more complete burnout and lower expansion forces on the shell system. In mid 2005 we made two history changing observations: 1) The existing "QuickCast" polymers were not engineered specifically for the investment casting process and 2) the existing polymers were no bargain. That is when we decided to partner with a leading polymer chemist to develop the best investment casting photopolymer/build style system. The requirements were clearly stated: low water absorption (mitigates in-vat swelling, and post cure mass gain and distortion), high green strength (important in accuracy and minimizing mass of final pattern), and low and stable viscosity (assures consistent drainage results and keeps cost down—by not replacing large vats of material). Solid Concepts understands that each foundry is unique; that’s why we developed five different types of pattern surface finishing options to be fully compatible with each foundry’s preferred face coat. We have raised the bar in consistently producing patterns with walls as thin as 0.060". All patterns are fully inspected and pressure tested prior to our special packaging and delivery. Solid Concepts is now the world’s largest provider of QuickCast™ patterns with exemplary customer satisfaction.