Direct additive manufacturing of ceramic molds and cores for advanced investment casting: State of the art and future prospects

Abstract

Recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) of ceramic materials are creating new opportunities to replace the multiple steps of the conventional investment casting (IC) mold and core fabrication. Direct 3D printing streamlines processing, reduces material use, and enables complex shapes. This review summarizes the current state of the art in direct AM of ceramic molds and cores for precision casting applications. First, the direct AM process is distinguished from conventional IC, AM-assisted IC using printed patterns, and AM for sand casting. The main part reviews the AM technologies, materials, binders, and target alloys and evaluates the obtained properties and applications. Challenges such as process-related limitations in the choice of material and binder, as well as scalability and surface quality issues, are critically discussed. In addition, three emerging research trends are highlighted: advanced molds and cores for demanding high-temperature alloy casting, more sustainable binder selection, and functional gradients—specifically graded porosity.