ECOPRINT | Sustainable additive manufacturing of molds for aerospace masking

Scaling sustainable manufacturing of molds for silicon protection of high value aerospace parts

ECOPRINT develops a scalable additive manufacturing (AM) approach for large, high-precision molds used to protect sensitive aerospace parts during blasting, peening and other processes. 

The project combines two key innovations: advancing the design and production of large-format AM molds, and enabling the use of recycled thermoplastics in these processes. 
 

Target group

The project is primarily relevant for companies that require customised, cost-efficient and fast-to-produce molds for silicone masking applications, especially where scaling to large dimensions is currently a limitation.

This includes: 

• Aerospace manufacturers (masking of high-value parts during surface treatment) 
• Energy and turbine maintenance companies (large protective tooling) 
• Shipbuilding and other industries requiring large, accurate molds, jigs or prototypes

The project also targets material suppliers, AM equipment manufacturers and AM service providers interested in integrating recycled polymers into Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) processes. 

Context

Large-format FDM is a promising solution for producing customised tooling such as masking molds. However, scaling beyond machine build volumes introduces challenges in accuracy, assembly quality and process robustness. Reliable methods for segmenting, assembling and validating large parts are still lacking for demanding industrial applications.

At the same time, recycled thermoplastics offer strong potential to improve sustainability and reduce material costs in additive manufacturing. Yet, their extrusion behaviour, dimensional stability and processability are not sufficiently validated. 
 

Objectives & results

ECOPRINT aims to develop and validate a robust additive manufacturing process for large, segmented molds using standard thermoplastics, while also assessing the potential of recycled thermoplastics for FDM-based AM applications.

Specific objectives:

• Define requirements for large-format masking molds
• Develop and optimise printing parameters for standard thermoplastics
• Validate segmentation and assembly strategies for large parts
• Benchmark dimensional accuracy, durability and process robustness
• Assess extrusion behaviour and consistency of recycled materials
• Evaluate the techno-economic feasibility of the overall approach

Valorisation

• Reference report on large-format AM with standard materials
  Supporting design choices, process optimisation and industrial implementation
• Assessment report on recycled materials for FDM
  Evaluating extrusion behaviour, material consistency and future potential
• Printed demonstrator parts and assembled mold concepts
  Demonstrating achievable size, precision and functional performance
• Benchmarking and quality-control results
  Validating dimensional accuracy, durability and robustness
• Design and assembly guidelines
  Improving segmentation strategies, bonding methods and dimensional integrity
• Techno-economic assessment
  Quantifying cost, lead time and sustainability potential versus conventional tooling
• Partner-specific exploitation paths
  Including recycled material valorisation (Reprocover), precision tooling (Aeromoulding), and AM process optimisation and validation (Sirris) 

Approach

The project is structured into six complementary work packages:

WP1 – Project management and coordination

• Consortium management, reporting and progress monitoring

WP2 – Material preparation and testing

• Preparation of recycled polymers
• Compatibility assessment and evaluation of reinforcement options

WP3 – Additive manufacturing process development

• Optimisation of extrusion and printing parameters
• Proof-of-concept production for large parts

WP4 – Design optimisation and assembly

• Segmentation of large molds
• Development of joining methods and validation of dimensional integrity

WP5 – Benchmarking and quality control

• Comparison of accuracy, surface quality and durability between standard and recycled materials

WP6 – Final validation and commercialisation strategy

• Business case assessment
• Definition of exploitation routes and market relevance 
   

Funding

• Funding agencies: SPW Recherche and Oost NL 
• Project type: Vanguard Initiative VINNOVATE collaborative innovation project 
• Contract number: C-9075 
• Total budget: €227,837.20 
• Funding details: Walloon grant: €105,351.72, private co-funding: €53,735.48, Oost-NL grant: €41,000, private co-funding: €27,750 
   

Official logo of the project