Foundries today face increasing pressure to produce complex, high-quality tooling efficiently, with minimal waste and maximum design freedom. Base Materials’ large-format 3D printing service, powered by their ProXtrude® printable paste system, helps foundries meet these challenges by offering a faster, more precise, and lower-waste alternative to traditional tooling methods.
High-performance tooling with ProXtrude®
ProXtrude® is a specially formulated printable paste system engineered for structural strength, thermal stability, and dimensional precision. Using advanced robotics at Base Materials’ Birmingham facility, parts are printed layer by layer in a 6m × 2m × 2.5m print bay, producing single-piece, near-net-shape models with no visible bond lines.
Only minimal CNC machining, typically 10mm, is needed to achieve final tolerances and surface finish. This reduces post-production time and labour, enabling foundries to accelerate lead times by up to 70% compared with conventional methods. *
Optimised for foundry applications
The service suits a wide range of tooling needs:
- Patterns: Large, hollow, or complex patterns that would otherwise require blocking-up, casting, or assembly.
- Core boxes: Intricate, lightweight single-piece components for improved accuracy and repeatability.
- Prototype development: Fast-tracked trial castings, design validation, and short-run production.
- Large single-piece tools: Eliminating bonding or assembly improves structural integrity and reduces errors.
By removing time-consuming steps like blocking-up, bonding, and lengthy CNC machining to shape, 3D printing simplifies workflows, reduces material waste, and enables faster production.
Sustainability benefits
Traditional methods often generate significant offcuts and scrap. 3D printing constructs each model layer by layer to a near-net-shape, dramatically reducing material waste. Internal testing shows material savings of up to 58% compared with conventional methods*, supporting ESG goals without compromising performance or design freedom.
Collaborative, customer-focused service
Base Materials works directly from a customer’s CAD designs, providing expert consultation to ensure tooling is produced efficiently and reliably. The ProXtrude® printable paste system is also available for companies with in-house 3D printing capabilities, offering further flexibility for bespoke projects.
Unlocking design freedom
With large-format capability, single-piece construction, and suitability for complex shapes, including overhangs and thin-walled components, this service allows foundries to realise intricate forms and large structures without compromising durability or detail.
For faster production, improved design flexibility, and reduced material waste, Base Materials’ large-format 3D printing service and ProXtrude® system provide a next-generation solution.
*Internal testing data, side-by-side comparison, October 2025.
First published in the Foundry Trade Journal, 2026.
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