Jeweller - May 2019

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CASTING REPORT the multiple sprue tags, which George says cause additional clean-up time and lemel scrap. Botha agrees that printed wax has the edge as it casts more easily, with no support requirements. However, he points to the fact that the technology is extrusionbased, so wax prints tend to look rougher, at the same slicing profile, and need to be reduced – meaning it can take much longer for print cycles to complete. PALLION RAPID CASTING resins and if they did, they would take moulds from it, instead of changing their processes to try and burn the resin out. Today, most companies will generally use at least two different types of resin to print and cast from and will take on a number of others confidently knowing they can achieve good results casting them.” At Pallion, Botha says the volume of customer-printed material has “exponentially increased”, but while the cost of the printer itself is low, the labour and technical nature of getting a good print remains a learning curve, and manufacturing jewellers still have a financial incentive to use casting houses. “The largest cost centre for 3D printing is still the labour in running the CAD printer. In that regard, it’s not as simple or as time efficient as, say a photocopier. Many clients realise that for a small outlay they can outsource this function to a partner with a large printing capacity and keep their overall running costs low.” However, the process is not quite seamless. Burning out resin can be unpredictable, with Farago noting that Rapid Casting has had to “re-evaluate how the casting process works and slowly tweak and modify it”. Grant George, operations manager at Morris & Watson Group in New Zealand, has more than 30 years of experience in casting and says one solution his team has put in place is a rotating burnout furnace. “The latest models of control and the concept of the slow rotating air movement and differing positions of the flasks is crucial to managing difficult burnouts, like resins,” he says, adding that the machinery comes with an attractive green feature, it’s after-burner. Another upgrade at Morris & Watson has been the Projet 2500W CAD printer – which he calls the “one technical advance that stands heads above any other”, pointing to its “amazing advantages in quality, speed and efficiency”. Speaking of wax, while there’s consensus over the benefits of 3D printers, there’s more debate over the best material to use for creating cast prints – wax or resin? The advantage of resin is its ability to produce the best resolution from CAD for suitable designs, and therefore the best surface finish. However, Sher notes the reason resin may not always be suitable is it requires the printed parts to be supported by extra structures printed in the same material. “In certain cases the amount of extra structures supporting the part could make the cleaning very complex or alter the geometry of the parts. In these instances, the designs would be printed in traditional wax,” Sher explains. George sees even more drawbacks to using resin. Although the material has made “sizeable advances in castability” and come down in price, he says it “still can’t match the reliability and quality of the right wax printer”. It comes down to Yet wax, after sanding, beats resin’s divots and pips created by supporting, with Botha saying clients tend to insist on wax for general work, and resin “only for high finish parts”. “From a casting perspective, even the best resins are prone to casting issues as the parts get larger, and most large parts will be wax printed to ensure a good result,” he adds. Farago sees the pros and cons, saying that while resin printers will generally print smoother parts, they will be slightly inaccurate. “Resin can be problematic to cast and give inconsistent results but is generally quite solid material – easy to handle and work with. Wax, on the other hand will be very accurate which will make it seem like a bit of a rougher print as the digitising of the print process shows. It will cast consistently each time, but it is very fragile.” “FROM A CASTING PERSPECTIVE, EVEN THE BEST RESINS ARE PRONE TO CASTING ISSUES AS THE PARTS GET LARGER, AND MOST LARGE PARTS WILL BE WAX PRINTED TO ENSURE A GOOD RESULT.” Looking to the future, laser sintering and direct metal printing may well be possible but currently not commercially viable. Sher calls it “fantastic new technology” but cautions that the machines are still too expensive to run and the quality is not at the standards required. REFINING, REDEFINED CHRIS BOTHA, PALLION Refining technology has also been made more energy efficient, safer and cheaper by using more durable and accessible materials and electronics. In this sector, there’s an intersection between ‘green’ initiatives and economic decisions. “Traditional machinery has vastly improved and Palloys customers have been the beneficiary of that new machinery as part of our commitment to being a technological leader,” says Botha. The company does not use the traditional chemical processes, which involve acid or chlorine to refine gold and silver, but instead relies on vacuum pumps and chambers to separate gold from other metals. It’s claimed that ALS can achieve 99.5 per cent pure gold with no chemical emissions, which means it’s safer for employees as well as the environment. Chemgold has moved towards non-destructive x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, replacing some of the need for fire assay, which produces lead waste. XRF works by bombarding a sample with x-rays and using a spectrometer to determine the elements present based on their reaction. Meanwhile, Rapid Casting’s Farago says: “When it comes to the environment, we are on par with the industry standard and regulations. Anything that gets burnt out of a flask has to be captured and filtered 26 Jeweller May 2019
so you don’t put the environment, the public or your employees at risk.” Morris & Watson, too, holds environmental sustainability is a core value. “Every green initiative we have undertaken over the years has repaid us many times over via reduced production costs and higher yield returns,” says George. “For example our filter press and water recycle programs have ensured substantial reduction in water rates and acid removal costs along with a double check on any precious metal content of the spent acid.” Chemgold takes an extra step, ensuring all slurry waste is filtered so it doesn’t end up in the sewerage system. This waste is then collected and treated by a specialist environmentally friendly company. Across both the casting and refining industries, reducing packaging waste with biodegradable options is becoming mainstream, as is becoming energy conscious by upgrading to newer, more efficient plants powered by renewables like solar. Botha says there is an “emphasis on environmentally friendly precious metal that is responsibly sourced from guaranteed conflict free areas.” To ensure its supply chain is as ethical as possible, Botha says that Palloys sources from its sister company, ABC Refinery, which is accredited by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE). “This has a major benefit that no other precious metals group in Australia can offer,” says Botha. “All Palloys precious metals comply with the strictest of sourcing controls that guarantee our metals are responsibly sourced and conflict free.” MORRIS & WATSON GROUP Chemgold also has an ethical approach to gold, stating that it sources from its own refinery, Australian mines and reputed dealers locally and in Europe. The company also uses all current recycling methods available on the market. Additionally, the company uses steam dewaxing – removing wax by pouring boiling water into a steam chamber before loading flasks into the furnaces – in order to maintain a low impact on the environment. While the casting and refining may be an environmentally intensive part of creating jewellery, this is an industry that is not only improving in the present, but actively looking to the future to meet the expectations, demands and necessities of tomorrow.. i CASTING Waxes Supplied New Models 3D Printing Custom Design Finishing One Stop Casting & Refining REFINING Integrity, Speed & High Returns Scrap, Lemel & Sweep Flexible Return Options Quick Cash for Clean Scrap Contact Chemgold to Experience Exceptional Quality, Service & Reliability 1300 984 751 sales@chemgold.com www.chemgold.com
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Jeweller - May 2019

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