For over 100 years, Tyler Union has been a leading manufacturer in the waterworks industry, specializing in ductile iron fittings, joint restraints, and valve boxes. To enhance flexibility and reduce lead times in production, the company has integrated voxeljet’s VX4000 3D printing system, bringing greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness into its casting processes.
Embracing Innovation in a Traditional Industry
While conventional foundry processes remain robust and proven for high-volume production, modern technologies such as 3D sand printing – specifically Binder Jetting Technology – offer significant advantages in optimizing lead times and cost efficiency, especially in prototype development and low-volume manufacturing.
Tyler Union recognized this opportunity in 2022 when they began sourcing on-demand 3D printed sand molds and cores.
It didn’t take long to recognize the transformative potential of this technology. “After a few high-profile orders, it was evident that 3D printing will be a game changer for us,” says Ron Aultman, Operations Manager at Tyler Union. “It allowed us to greatly reduce the cost of R&D by offsetting expensive tooling costs in product development. For many projects, traditional casting methods using permanent tooling was not an option, due to long lead times and expensive tooling costs. 3D printing made these projects substantially more cost effective and cut months off delivery times.”
A new Foundry, built with 3D printing in mind
In early 2023, Tyler Union initiated an expansion project for its facility, adding a new "Large Diameter Foundry" (LDF). From the beginning, it was clear that incorporating additive manufacturing within this technologically advanced facility was a strategic decision. After evaluating several systems on the market, they chose voxeljet's VX4000, one of the largest 3D sand printers in the world.
Why the VX4000?
The decision was driven by two major factors: flexibility and scale.
“The VX4000's open format and large build envelope of 4 x 2 x 1 meters make it a great fit for our production” Aultman explains. “We can print either large-format molds and cores in one piece or several smaller parts in a single build. That level of flexibility just isn’t possible with traditional patternmaking and hard to find in the 3D sand printing landscape.”
From Tooling Costs to Turnaround Speed
Traditional casting workflows, particularly for complex or custom parts, often include high up-front tooling costs and long lead times – an investment that's difficult to justify for one-off or low-volume orders. That’s why traditional tooling was not an option. By transitioning to 3D printed molds, Tyler Union was able to remove these barriers, produce substantially more cost effective, taking months off delivery times and thus open new business opportunities.
“Additive Manufacturing allows us to respond faster to what I like to call ‘Engineered Orders’ – those one- or two-piece custom jobs that our clients need urgently.” says Aultman. “To date we have identified and converted several dozen parts over to digital format and we look to add more every day.”
The largest part produced so far with the VX4000 was a 10-inch (approx. 25.5 cm) casting – but this represents only a small portion of the printer’s full capacity.
Traditional vs. Additive: A process comparison
Traditional foundry methods involve multiple steps – pattern design, tooling, and mold assembly – leading to high costs and long lead times, especially for complex or low-volume parts.
With voxeljet’s binder jetting technology, Tyler Union streamlines this process by printing molds directly from CAD data. The result: accurate, ready-to-cast molds with minimal post-processing, significantly reducing labor, turnaround time, and costs per part.
Outlook: Building the Foundry of the Future
“This technology – or rather this printer – won’t replace our traditional methods of creating castings, especially not for high-volume production.” Aultman explains, “Instead, it complements our existing capabilities and our expertise for high quality waterworks solutions. It expands what we can do in terms of flexibility, speed and efficiency. That not only helps us to optimize our internal workflows, but also benefits our customers, who receive their parts faster in perfect quality.”
By integrating voxeljet’s VX4000 into their foundry operations, Tyler Union positions itself as a forward-thinking industry leader, capable of offering solutions very few can match. With additive manufacturing now being a core part of their production strategy, the company is ready to face the next 100 years of excellence with confidence.
