Innovative Jewellery Manufacturing Process using 3D Printing (JewelPrint)

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"The aim of this project is to conduct the techno-economic feasibility roadmap for the 3d-printing of precious metals to manufacture jewellery (JewelPrint).Today, the UK jewellery sector is worth £6bn and achieved 6% growth in 2017\. In summary, the jewellery manufacturing sector, is a key pillar of the UK economy.Jewellery manufacturing involves a challenging, lengthy, multi-stage, inefficient complex process. It includes design steps, creating a mould which in-turn is used to make wax reproductions, casting of the jewellery followed by polishing/finishing. Most of these steps have barely changed over decades. There are several limitations associated with these processes: accuracy of casting, porosity/voids, high-cost precious metal waste in casting and finishing. Further, there are costly labour fees associated with manufacturing.The first signs of established jewellery making was in Ancient Egypt communities, ~ 3000-5000 years ago, where they preferred the luxury, rarity, and workability of gold over other metals. Jewellery is associated with key social occasions, with emotional and sentimental value attached since products are often linked to key life events such as births, weddings and anniversaries. This association is unlikely to ever change.Our project, JewelPrint, will create an innovative 3-d printing technology to produce high quality parts with improved efficiency, resolution, surface-finish, reduced warpage and thermal stresses and open-up the market for 3d-precious metal printing in jewellery manufacture."