Rapid Casting: Everything You Need to Know
Learn more about this manufacturing method that combines casting with 3D printing.
Rapid Casting Services
Rapid casting fuses traditional casting techniques with 3D-printed molds. This approach combines intricate designs with low costs for one-off parts.
How Rapid Casting Works
The first important step is for the mold to be 3D printed out of sand. MakerVerse will design the mold for you – you only need to provide the design file for the part and we take care of the rest.
The additive manufacturing process is capable of creating molds with internal cavities and intricate geometries. Once the mold is ready, molten metal is poured into the mold. As the metal cools, it solidifies. The sand mold is broken away, revealing the casted part.
After undergoing a quality inspection from an engineering expert at MakerVerse, you’ll receive your part to your exact specifications.
Rapid Casting Use Cases
Rapid casting requires much lower initial investment compared to traditional casting methods. This, combined with the flexible tooling and complex design capabilities, makes rapid casting popular for several applications:
- Low-cost prototypes that can later be perfectly recreated using traditional sandcasting methods.
- Spare parts on demand across industries such as maintenance, industrial machinery, automotive, infrastructure, and oil & gas.
- Recreating after-market parts where the original mold is no longer available. Other manufacturing methods would require significant engineering and re-qualification
Rapid Casting by the Numbers
Max Build Size
1000 mm x 540 mm x 400 mm (Standard)
Minimum Wall Thickness
In accordance with ISO 8062
Lead Times
Starting at 20 days
Key Feature: Oversized Parts
Looking for bigger parts? You’re in the right place.
While the standard size for rapid casting parts is typically 1000 mm in the longest dimension, we offer larger sizes on request for specific geometries and parts.
With these capabilities, you can explore all-new applications.
Just upload your part and specify your requirements – our team of experts will help you see your project through.
Working with MakerVerse and leveraging their extensive eco-system to support on demand parts requirements has allowed us to be more responsive and agile.
Quan Lac
Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at Siemens Energy
Source Industrial-Grade Rapid Casted Parts
MakerVerse gives you the flexibility to source parts however you need. Get instant quotes and quickly order parts with on-demand manufacturing. Our team of experts will work with you for large or complex orders to develop, align, and supervise a manufacturing quality plan from start to finish.
On-Demand Manufacturing
- Fast quoting and DFM checks
- Short lead times
- Easy and intuitive order placement
Production Orders
- Expert support from end-to-end
- Comprehensive manufacturing and quality plan
- Guaranteed quality meeting advanced specifications
Popular Rapid Casting Materials
Cast Aluminum Cast Iron Grey Cast Iron Cast Magnesium (AZ91D) Cast AluminumCast Aluminum
- Cast Aluminum (AlSi10Mg)
- Cast Aluminum (AlSi7Mg)
Main characteristics
Cast aluminum offers strength, hardness, and dynamic properties. AlSi10Mg has good thermal as well as good electrical conductivity, while AlSi7Mg has an impressive combination of strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance.Use cases
Cast aluminum is used for a range of applications, from heat exchangers to automotive parts requiring high strength. Cast IronCast Iron
- Cast Iron (EN-GJS-400)
- Cast Iron (EN-GJS-500)
Main characteristics
Cast iron is known for its high tensile strength combined with elasticity and toughness. EN-GJS-500 is the strongest of the two cast iron options.Use cases
Commonly used in mechanical engineering components where strength and resilience are critical. It’s also widely used for high-stress components. Grey Cast IronGrey Cast Iron
- Grey Cast Iron (EN-GJL 150)
- Grey Cast Iron (EN-GJL 200)
Main characteristics
Grey cast iron has a graphitic microstructure that gives it its grey color. While the tensile strength is generally lower than cast iron, this material has higher damping capacity and is less brittle.Use cases
Ideal for load-bearing machinery parts and other applications where high tensile strength is not a primary requirement. Cast Magnesium (AZ91D)Cast Magnesium (AZ91D)
Main characteristics
This light-weight material also contains amounts of aluminum and zinc. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio.Use cases
Due to its light weight, cast magnesium is often used by the automotive and space industries for non-structural components where weight reduction is essential. It’s also used for different types of casings.Have a custom material request?
We are constantly expanding and you can request specific materials going beyond our current standardized offering, including different types of steel, aluminum, and cast iron. Simply provide us your desired specifications during the ordering process.
You can also reach out to us with your specific material requests at any time under support@makerverse.com
Rapid Casting Resources
Die Casting: Everything You Need to Know
See how die casting stacks up against other methods.
Choosing the Right Material for Vacuum Casting
Working on an vacuum casting project? Discover the right materials for your application.
Choosing the Best Rapid Casting Material
Want to make the most of your rapid casting project? Start by choosing the best-fitting material.
Let’s build together
Schedule a consultation with our specialists to kickstart your project.