Use of rapid prototyping for manufacturing the tailor made product is one of the important areas of research today. This has lot of significance in automobile industries in manufacturing of mechanical components and also for orthopedic and dental implants in medical application. The manufacturing feasibility of new engineering product invented using techniques like Bionics, TRIZ is possible because of rapid prototyping. In this research paper, analysis of investment casting using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique is carried out. FDM is used for getting physical part in Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer from Computer Aided Design (CAD) data and using it as pattern for investment casting. Feasibility of manufacturing the customized/tailor made part using FDM is the main focus in this paper. The experimentation is carried out to develop mathematical model so as to minimize the defects in casting. Zero defect casting is possible using the mathematical model and simulation software thus setting the parameter to design correctly the gating and riser. Practical implications of this research aim to address the issue of manufacturing cost effective, defect free customized part using FDM.

1. Ingole, DS, & Kuthe, AM 2009 „Rapid Prototyping –a technology transfer approach for rapid tooling?, Emerlad Group Pub. Ltd.
2. Yao, WL & Leu MC 1999, Analysis of shell cracking in investment casting with laser stereo lithography pattern, MCB University Press
3. Rodriguez, JF & Thomas, JP 2001, Mechanical behaviour of ABS fused deposion materials, MCB University Press
4. Ravi, B 2006, Metal Casting, Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited, M-97, New Delhi
5. Ravi, B 2008, „Casting Method optimization driven by simulation?, Minerals & Metals Review
6. Sheikh, A 2009, „Process Development for Rapid Manufacturing using RP?, V.N.I.T, Nagpur
7. Joshi, D & Ravi, B, Environmental Impact of Ferrous Castings, Quantified using Lifecycle Analysis Tools, Indian Foundry Journal, 52(1), 33-42
8. Soman, C, Rangraj N & Ravi, B 1998, A supply Chain Perspective on Initiatives in the Casting Industry, Indian Foundry Journal, 44(2), 15-22,
9. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Bührig-Polaczek, “Ceramic moulding method/Investment casting-Practical”, RWTH 2008
10. Ford, DA 2008, Future Trends in Investment Casting – Drivers for Development, Journal
11. C. W. Lee Æ C. K. Chua Æ C. M. Cheah L. H. Tan Æ C. Feng 2004, Rapid investment casting: direct and indirect approachesvia fused deposition modeling, Int J Adv Manuf Technol 23: 93–101

Customized product Fused deposition modeling Zero defect casting Rapid prototyping Bionics TRIZ