| HS Code | 663260 |
| Product Name | 3D Systems VisiJet CR-WT 200 Polymer |
| Material Type | Polymer |
| Color | White |
As an accredited 3D Systems VisiJet CR-WT 200 Polymer factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
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In lost-wax production of precious metal jewellery, pattern geometry is generated from CAD data and printed in a multi-jet array. The as-printed VisiJet CR-WT 200 surface carries a step structure in the 32 µm to 50 µm range, which is reduced through vapour smoothing before investing. Pattern wall thickness for rings is held between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm to balance burnout time and ceramic mould strength. Spruing uses round wax wires of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm for yellow gold alloys with liquidus temperatures below 1 060 °C. A build angle of 30° to 45° relative to the long axis reduces visible step lines on bezel walls. Support wax is removed in an oven at 55 °C to 65 °C; mechanical removal is avoided for filigree elements below 0.4 mm. The pattern is cleaned with isopropanol for 30 s to remove support residue. Dimensional verification uses a video measuring system with a measurement uncertainty of ±0.02 mm. Deviation above ±0.1 mm triggers re-spruing or pattern rejection in high-volume casting lines.
Gypsum-bonded investment slurries are mixed with a water-to-powder ratio of 0.37 to 0.42 by mass. Vacuum mixing at 0.08 MPa to 0.09 MPa for 90 s removes entrained air. The flask sits for 2 h to 4 h until the mould reaches final set expansion. Burnout is started below 150 °C. Ramp rates above 5 °C/min create internal pressure that causes flask wall blow-out in thin filigree sections. Published thermogravimetric data for this class of printed wax pattern show initial mass loss near 150 °C and complete decomposition by 500 °C. A hold at 300 °C allows the ceramic matrix to absorb the liquefied phase without vapour blistering. The reported ash content of the polymer after 700 °C burnout is below 0.01 %. This residue threshold is relevant for high-polish gold alloys because surface pits arise from entrapped carbonaceous particles under 10× optical magnification. The mould is held at 550 °C to 650 °C before centrifugal or vacuum casting of 14K and 18K gold alloys. Alloy fineness verification is carried out to ISO 9202:2019 after casting.
Cast Co-Cr-Mo frameworks specified under ISO 22674:2016 contain partial denture segments thinner than 0.5 mm. VisiJet CR-WT 200 is invested in phosphate-bonded refractory with a liquid-to-powder ratio of 0.20 to 0.22. The mixing is performed under vacuum at 0.08 MPa for 60 s to 90 s. Working time under ambient conditions is 3 min to 4 min. The filled ring is placed in a pressure chamber at 0.4 MPa to 0.6 MPa for 30 min to suppress air entrapment at the pattern surface. Setting expansion of phosphate investments is in the range 0.8 % to 1.5 %. This expansion compensates for Co-Cr alloy solidification shrinkage of 2.0 % to 2.5 % by volume. If expansion is below 0.8 %, the casting shows incomplete seating on the prepared die.
Carbon residue from printed wax patterns reacts with chromium at casting temperatures between 1 350 °C and 1 500 °C. The resulting chromium carbide precipitation reduces elongation below the 2 % minimum required by ISO 22674:2016 for removable partial denture alloys. A staged burnout profile prevents this failure. In production lots of 40 to 60 rings per furnace cycle, temperature uniformity across the chamber must be maintained within ±5 °C. A deviation above 10 °C at the 450 °C hold leads to incomplete polymer decomposition in the centre of the flask. The residual carbon layer is often detected only after acid dissolution of the casting or through microhardness mapping. The process window is therefore governed by furnace zone control, not by the pattern material alone.
| Stage | Temperature range | Hold time | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramp | 20 °C to 250 °C | 60 min | Pattern expansion and initial wax melting |
| Ramp | 250 °C to 450 °C | 30 min | Polymer backbone decomposition |
| Ramp | 450 °C to 900 °C | 60 min | Carbon elimination and mould preheat |
| Cool to casting temperature | 750 °C to 850 °C | 30 min | Thermal stabilization before Co-Cr pouring |
Preheating above 900 °C may cause phosphate-bonded investment decomposition and loss of hot strength. Casting of Co-Cr alloys follows ASTM F75-18 chemistry limits for Cr 27.0 % to 30.0 % and Mo 5.0 % to 7.0 %. The mould is cooled to 750 °C to 850 °C before the alloy is poured. Investment materials for this use are specified under ISO 15912:2016.
Small impeller and nozzle guide vane patterns are assembled on a central wax runner. Primary slurry dipping uses colloidal silica with a refractory loading of 70 % to 75 % zircon. Each primary coat is stuccoed with 120 µm zircon sand. Shell thickness reaches 6 mm to 9 mm over 6 to 8 layers. Drain time is 45 s to 60 s. Each layer is dried at 22 °C and 50 % relative humidity for 1 h to 2 h. After the final seal coat, the shell is allowed to air-dry for 24 h before flash-out. Steam autoclave dewax is preferred over flame dewax for thin-wall ceramics because heat transfer is more uniform. Pattern heating rates above 10 °C/min produce non-uniform expansion in thick sections.
Flash-out steam autoclaving is performed at 0.5 MPa to 0.6 MPa and 150 °C to 160 °C for 10 min to 15 min. If autoclave pressure rises too slowly, the wax expands against the shell and causes radial cracking at thin trailing edges. Production-scale experience indicates that shell failure during flash-out occurs most frequently at pattern junctions where printed geometry creates local notches. The notch radius of printed pattern fillets should be maintained above 0.25 mm. If the primary coat drain time is shorter than 45 s, shell thickness at these junctions may fall below 2 mm, leading to hot tears during autoclave. Cracking is detected by fluorescent penetrant inspection per ASTM E1417. The flash-out autoclave is vented after the hold at a controlled rate of 0.05 MPa/min to avoid pressure differential across the shell.
After autoclaving, the shell is fired in a gas kiln from 300 °C to 1 000 °C at 3 °C/min and held for 1 h. Residual ash below 0.01 % minimizes non-metallic inclusions in nickel and cobalt superalloys. If the final shell temperature exceeds 1 100 °C, cristobalite formation in the shell can raise thermal expansion and cause dimensional drift in the cast part. Fired shell permeability is checked before casting to ensure adequate gas escape from the ceramic body.
RTV tooling for short-run polyurethane parts uses master patterns that must release cleanly from platinum-catalysed addition-cure silicone. A pattern printed in VisiJet CR-WT 200 is suitable for room-temperature silicone vulcanization when the surface is washed with isopropanol and dried for 30 min at 20 °C to 25 °C. Wax-like patterns in this class are generally free of amine-containing additives, which prevents cure inhibition of the platinum catalyst. Published data on the interaction between CR-WT 200 residues and condensation-cure tin-catalysed silicone is limited. Pattern surface temperature should remain below 40 °C during silicone curing to avoid thermal distortion. The RTV is degassed at −0.1 MPa for 10 min before pouring and cured at 25 °C for 12 h. Silicone release is typically achieved without polymeric release agents, which reduces the risk of pattern surface contamination in multi-use master sets.
For low-volume production of precision metal seal rings and small sensor housings, direct pattern printing replaces machined wax injection. Pattern trees are assembled with runner diameters of 3 mm to 5 mm. The ceramic shell is constructed with 5 primary coats and 3 backup coats of 30 to 50 mesh mullite stucco. After dewax in a boilerclave at 150 °C, the shell is fired at 900 °C to 1 050 °C for 1 h. The alloy is melted in an induction furnace under argon. A shrinkage allowance of 2.5 % to 3.0 % is applied to the CAD model. This allowance is specific to solidification contraction of the alloy and ceramic shell expansion. Raw castings are inspected to ASTM A957/A957M-21 for surface finish and non-metallic inclusions. Casting of 17-4 PH stainless steel is carried out at 1 580 °C to 1 620 °C. The low ash residue of the polymer reduces oxide inclusion frequency in machined seal faces.
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3D Systems VisiJet CR-WT 200 Polymer is a wax-based thermoplastic supplied specifically for sacrificial pattern production in MultiJet Printing equipment configured for investment casting consumables. The model designation CR-WT 200 identifies a castable resin family with a white appearance and thermal solidification behavior. Unlike acrylate photopolymers that require UV curing, CR-WT 200 is jetted as a low-viscosity melt from heated printheads and solidifies by controlled cooling on the build substrate. Manufacturer-published data indicate a density of 0.82–0.85 g/cm³ when measured by ASTM D792, a melt viscosity between 10 mPa·s and 14 mPa·s at 70 °C, and an ash residue below 0.02% after ignition at 600 °C. These values qualify the material for precious-metal and non-ferrous alloy casting, but acceptance in a foundry requires batch-specific melt rheology and thermogravimetric scans because feedstock lot variation can shift jetting behavior and burnout profiles.
On the printer side, the product is consumed from a heated material delivery system on wax-compatible MJP platforms. The solid cartridge is raised to a reservoir setpoint sufficient to maintain target jetting viscosity, while heated feed lines prevent premature solidification between the material bay and the printhead. Build chamber temperature is controlled below 40 °C so that deposited droplets freeze rapidly and preserve edge acuity. Layer thicknesses are typically 16 µm or 32 µm, depending on platform firmware. Because the material is thermoplastic, restart after idle periods requires purge cycles to clear degraded polymer from the nozzle plate. Operators monitor nozzle health through automatic drop detection and visual inspection of test lines. The material is paired with a wax-compatible support material that is removed after printing by thermal dissolution in a warm fluid bath, followed by rinsing with isopropanol and forced-air drying.
The requirement arises from the negative effects of inorganic residues on mold cavity surfaces after pattern elimination. During burnout, the wax-based polymer must volatilize or decompose within a ceramic shell. If decomposition leaves sodium, calcium, silicon, or phosphorus residues, these species can react with the shell binder or deposit as inclusions on the metal casting. Foundries commonly specify ash content below 0.02% by mass to avoid micro-porosity and reactive inclusions in alloys such as 925 silver, 14k gold, and cobalt-chromium. Acceptance testing is performed by ignition in a muffle furnace at 600 °C to 750 °C with a gravimetric finish; ASTM D2584 or ISO 3451-1 may be referenced. For CR-WT 200, the low-ash designation allows direct burnout after support removal without a solvent dewax cycle in many shells, though shell thickness and permeability remain the controlling variables.
In a production environment, CR-WT 200 is loaded into a heated material bay and printed onto a build plate maintained at a temperature below the pattern softening range. Support removal uses a warm fluid bath at moderate temperature, followed by an alcohol rinse and low-speed air drying. Any residual support material left in re-entrant cavities increases ash content and must be removed before shelling. The pattern retains fine details such as prong settings, filigree, and hollow undercuts. However, thin sections below 0.3 mm require careful handling because thermoplastic wax-polymer blends have lower fracture resistance than cured castable photopolymers. The use of soft brushes and low-pressure air knives during cleaning reduces edge chipping. After cleaning, patterns are inspected under 20× magnification for support residue, surface fissures, and satellite droplets embedded in the surface.
Wax-based patterns are hydrophobic, yet the shelling slurry introduces aqueous colloidal silica that must wet the pattern surface uniformly. If patterns are removed from a support bath and immediately dipped while micro-droplets of water remain trapped in blind holes or undercuts, the first slurry layer can bridge and produce gas bubbles during burnout. At relative humidity above 60%, drying of pre-wetted patterns is slowed, and handling-induced condensation can occur when cold patterns are moved into a warm dipping room. A forced-air drying cabinet set to 30 °C to 35 °C for 20–30 minutes is recommended after support removal and before primary slurry coating. Operators should avoid drying above 45 °C because softening of the wax-polymer blend can distort fine sections below 0.3 mm.
| Property | Test method | Representative value |
|---|---|---|
| Visual appearance | ASTM D1729 | white opaque solid |
| Density at 25 °C | ASTM D792 | 0.82–0.85 g/cm³ |
| Melt viscosity at 70 °C | Rotational rheometry | 10–14 mPa·s |
| Ash content after 600 °C ignition | ASTM D2584 | <0.02% |
| Softening temperature | DSC, 10 °C/min | 52–56 °C |
| Decomposition onset | TGA, air, 10 °C/min | 220–240 °C |
Values are drawn from manufacturer-published and class-typical data; batch-specific certificates of analysis should govern final acceptance. The softening temperature is not a melting point but an indication of dimensional instability under sustained load. The jetting reservoir temperature must therefore remain at least 15 °C above the softening range to avoid feed-line clogging and inconsistent droplet formation.
Compared with traditional milled or injected waxes, VisiJet CR-WT 200 eliminates the need for hard tooling and supports direct digital pattern production with repeatable wall thickness. Traditional injection waxes rely on metal molds, introduce parting-line flash, and require draft angles. CR-WT 200 patterns are produced without draft constraints and can include internal lattices that reduce metal consumption. In contrast to castable photopolymer resins, which are built by vat polymerization and often require solvent washing plus post-curing, CR-WT 200 solidifies thermally and does not rely on acrylate or epoxy crosslinking. This distinction matters during burnout because photopolymer resins can generate a carbon-rich residue if under-cured, whereas a wax-based thermoplastic volatilizes more cleanly. However, the mechanical strength of CR-WT 200 is lower than that of cured castable resins, and handling damage is possible on thin sections below 0.3 mm. Compared with VisiJet M2 CAST, the CR-WT 200 grade is formulated for higher visual contrast and similar sub-0.02% ash behavior, but published data for this specific configuration is limited. The selection between them should be driven by printer compatibility and shelling slurry chemistry rather than color alone.
The surface roughness of CR-WT 200 patterns is influenced less by nominal build resolution than by inkjet drop control and recirculation uniformity. In MJP heads, molten material is continuously recirculated through the manifold and filter. A pressure drop across the filter removes agglomerates and stabilizes viscosity. If filter bypass occurs or if air is ingested during cartridge changeover, satellite droplets form as discontinuous rasters. These satellites are then frozen into the pattern and must be removed by light brushing before shelling. Production-scale observation indicates that surface roughness values for Ra can vary by 30–50% between a newly purged head and a head nearing a maintenance interval. ISO 4287 profilometry on printed patterns should therefore be part of periodic process validation rather than relying solely on datasheet roughness limits.
During shell firing, the pattern is removed in a two-stage cycle. The shell is heated from ambient to 150 °C at 2–3 °C/min to expand the pattern and prevent shell cracking. The ramp rate is then increased to 480–520 °C for complete wax decomposition. If the furnace exhaust cannot maintain an oxidizing atmosphere, carbonaceous residues may remain, particularly for thick sections above 10 mm. Airflow of at least 0.5 m/s through the muffle chamber is commonly specified. Poor burnout is identified by dark staining on the casting surface and by thermogravimetric analysis of pattern samples from the same batch. Storage conditions also affect burnout: CR-WT 200 cartridges should be kept sealed at 15–25 °C and away from direct sunlight. Moisture uptake is negligible, but exposure to plasticizer-containing packaging materials can alter melt rheology and increase ash residue. No post-curing step is required, and acetone-based cleaning should be avoided because it can strip low-molecular-weight fractions and embrittle the pattern.
