How the VX4000 3D sand printer is expanding Tyler Union’s foundry and business opportunities
For over 100 years, Tyler Union has been a leading manufacturer in the waterworks sector, specialising in ductile iron fittings, connectors and valve boxes. To increase flexibility and reduce production lead times, the company has integrated voxeljet’s VX4000 3D printing system to make its casting processes more efficient and cost-effective.
Innovation in a traditional industry
Of course, conventional foundry processes are reliable and tried-and-tested for large-scale production, but modern technologies such as 3D sand printing – in particular binder jetting technology – offer significant advantages in terms of optimising lead times and cost-efficiency, especially in prototype development and small-batch production.
Tyler Union recognised this opportunity in 2022, when the company began sourcing 3D-printed sand moulds and cores on an on-demand basis.
It did not take long for the transformative potential of this technology to be recognised. “After a few major orders, it became clear that 3D printing could be a game-changer for us,” reports Ron Aultman, Operations Manager at Tyler Union. “It enabled us to significantly reduce research and development costs by eliminating the expensive tooling costs involved in product development. For many projects, conventional casting methods using permanent moulds were not an option due to the long lead times and high costs. 3D printing made these projects much more cost-effective and cut delivery times by months.”
A new foundry, built with 3D printing in mind
In early 2023, Tyler Union launched an expansion project for its plant, which involved the construction of a new Large Diameter Foundry (LDF). As a strategic decision, it was clear from the outset that integrating additive manufacturing into this technologically advanced facility made sense. After evaluating several systems on the market, the choice fell on the VX4000 from voxeljet, one of the world’s largest 3D sand printers.
Why the VX4000?
Two key factors were decisive in the choice: flexibility and size.
“The open design of the VX4000 and its large build volume of 4 x 2 x 1 metre make it an ideal solution for our production,” explains Aultman. “We can either print large-format moulds and cores in one piece or multiple smaller parts in a single build process. This level of flexibility is not possible with traditional toolmaking and is hard to find in the world of 3D sand printing.”
From tooling costs to throughput speed
Conventional casting processes, particularly for complex or bespoke parts, are often associated with high tooling costs and long lead times – an investment that is difficult to justify for one-off orders or small batch sizes. In the past, such orders could not be accepted due to the high tooling costs. By introducing 3D-printed moulds, Tyler Union was able to overcome these obstacles, produce parts at a significantly lower cost, reduce lead times by months, and thus open up new business opportunities.
“Additive manufacturing enables us to respond more quickly to so-called ‘engineered orders’ – that is, one-off or two-piece custom-made items that our customers urgently need,” says Aultman. “To date, we have identified several dozen parts and converted them into a digital format, and more are being added every day.”
The largest part produced to date using the VX4000 was a 10-inch (approx. 25.5 cm) cast component, though this represents only a small fraction of the printer’s full capacity.
Traditional vs. Additive: a process comparison
Conventional foundry methods, such as sand casting, involve several steps – model design, toolmaking and mould assembly – and result in high costs and long lead times, particularly for complex or low-volume parts.
Using voxeljet’s Binder Jetting technology, Tyler Union streamlines this process by printing moulds directly from CAD data. The result: precise, cast-ready moulds requiring minimal post-processing, which significantly reduce labour, lead times and costs per part.
Outlook: Building the foundry of the future
“This technology – or rather, this printer – will not replace our traditional methods of producing castings, particularly not in high-volume production.” Aultman explains: “Instead, it complements our existing capabilities and expertise in high-quality waterworks solutions. It expands our possibilities in terms of flexibility, speed and efficiency. This not only helps us to optimise our internal workflows, but also benefits our customers, who receive their parts faster and in perfect quality.”
By integrating voxeljet’s VX4000 into its foundry operations, Tyler Union is positioning itself as a forward-thinking industry leader capable of offering solutions that few others can provide. With additive manufacturing now a central component of its production strategy, the company can look forward to the next 100 years of excellence with confidence.