摘要
Traditional casting methods are losing their appeal due to poor working conditions. Integrating additive manufacturing into traditional Casting is a popular solution. Among the seven additive manufacturing categories, binder jet 3D printing is most suitable for 3D printing sand molds. However, issues like waste management and environmental problems in binder jetting need to be solved. The investigation proves that utilizing recycled sand as a raw material for 3D printing sand products can reduce the environmental impacts associated with binder jet 3D printing while achieving adequate mechanical properties. This study shows that recycled sand can produce mechanical properties comparable to new sand, while reducing waste and environmental impact. The study examines samples of new sand and recycled sand obtained from one to nine cycles of recycling. It reveals that the compressive and flexural strengths of sand recycled one to three times outperform new sand, while surface hardness remains unaffected by the recycling cycle. However, the permeability of the sand decreases as the number of recycling cycles increases. Recycled sand required less binder and hardener, which reduced costs and improved the environmental impact. This study highlights the importance of waste management and sustainability in 3D-printed sand mold processes and offers a promising solution for recycled sand powders in binder jetting.