Indirect Processes


Process description

In indirect processes, master patterns or tools are produced with 3D printing technologies. These are then used in traditional manufacturing processes to make the final parts. Read more

In indirect processes, the additively manufactured parts are typically used as

  • Master patterns or lost patterns for investment casting to produce final metal parts
  • Master patterns for vacuum casting to produce final metal and plastic parts
  • Lost molds and cores for sand casting to produce final metal parts
  • Tools for die casting to produce final metal parts
  • Tools for injection molding to produce final plastic parts

Advantages / disadvantages

Through the usage of traditional manufacturing techniques, parts are produced in standard materials with well-known mechanical properties. However, the usage of this techniques limits the benefits additive manufacturing usually offers (design freedom, cost savings at low quantities, fast leadtimes). Read more

In indirect processes, the final parts are produced with a traditional manufacturing technology. Therefore, the parts are produced in standard materials with well-known mechanical characteristics. Indirect processes often become price competitive when the number of required identical parts increase. Using additive manufacturing within the traditional process can reduce cost and/or allows more complex geometries.

The final parts are not produced directly with additive manufacturing. The utilization of traditional techniques is often limiting the high degrees of design freedom usually available with additive manufacturing. Further, indirect processes are often not price competitive at low quantities and have longer lead times.

Stay up-to-date on professional 3D printing!


Our monthly newsletter contains ideas, how you could use 3D printing in your company. See what projects other companies are realising and stay up-to-date what’s new in professional 3D printing and on Additively.

Have you got a project ready to print? Additively makes receiving quotations fast and easy.

Post your parts and get quotations

Materials

Metal
Aluminium
 
Cobalt-Chrom-Legierungen / cobalt-chromium alloys
 
Edelstahl / stainless steel
 
Gold
 
Kupferbasierte Legierungen / copper-based alloys
 
Nickelbasis-Legierungen / nickel-based alloys
 
Silber / silver
 
Titan / titanium
 
Werkzeugstahl / tool steel
 
Plastic
Photopolymer
VeroWhitePlus RGD835 (Stratasys)
Sand
Sand
 
Wax
Wax
Visijet Hi-Cast (3D Systems)

Stay up-to-date on professional 3D printing!


Our monthly newsletter contains ideas, how you could use 3D printing in your company. See what projects other companies are realising and stay up-to-date what’s new in professional 3D printing and on Additively.

Compare to other 3d printing technologies


Binder Jetting (BJ)
 Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
 Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
 Hybrid Processes (HP)
 Laser Melting (LM)
 Laser Sintering (LS)
 Material Jetting (MJ)
 Photopolymer Jetting (PJ)
 Stereolithography (SL)

Share this page


Buyers

Get quotations
Material Finder
Save on 3D printing
Consulting
Customer stories
Discover service providers
Browse the directory
FAQ

3D printing service
3D printing service provider
Rapid prototyping service
Laser sintering service

3D printing vendors directory

3D printing materials

Plastic
Metal
Ceramic
Composite
Sand
Wax
Glass

Materials for rapid prototyping
Materials for rapid manufacturing
Materials for rapid tooling

Suppliers

Additively for suppliers
FAQ for suppliers

Understand 3D printing

Material Finder
Showcase Finder

Applications of 3D printing
Prototypes
Better products
Support parts
Bridge Manufacturing
Cost-effective, fast or flexible supply chain
Customized parts

Create value with 3D printing
3D printing technologies overview
Laser Sintering
Laser Melting
Fused Deposition Modeling
Binder Jetting
Stereolithography
Photopolymer Jetting
Material Jetting
Electron Beam Melting
Indirect Processes

Company

Blog
About
Contact
Newsletter
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy

Logo Spinoff ETH Zurich
Logo Swiss Made Software