Innovative Jewellery Manufacturing Process using 3D Printing (JewelPrint)

这个项目的目的是进行贵金属3D打印制造珠宝的技术经济可行性路线图。今天，英国珠宝行业价值60亿GB，2017年实现了6%的增长。总而言之，珠宝制造业是英国经济的重要支柱。珠宝制造业涉及一个具有挑战性的、漫长的、多阶段的、低效的复杂过程。它包括设计步骤，创建一个模具，然后用来制作蜡制复制品，铸造珠宝，然后进行抛光/精加工。几十年来，这些措施中的大多数几乎没有改变。与这些工艺相关的几个限制因素包括：铸造精度、孔洞/空洞、铸造和精加工过程中昂贵的贵金属废料。此外，还有与制造业相关的昂贵的劳动力费用。首批成熟的珠宝制造的迹象是在约3000-5000年前的古埃及社区，在那里他们更喜欢黄金的奢华、稀有和可加工性，而不是其他金属。珠宝与关键的社交场合联系在一起，具有情感和情感价值，因为产品往往与出生、婚礼和周年纪念等关键生活事件联系在一起。这种联系不太可能永远不会改变。我们的项目--珠宝打印，将创造一种创新的3D打印技术，以生产高质量的部件，提高效率、分辨率、表面光洁度、降低翘曲和热应力，并打开珠宝制造中3D贵金属打印的市场。“

"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."