Resand Oy's collaboration with voxeljet and ITOCHU Ceratech

Through continuous product development, Resand has now made a breakthrough that also enables the regeneration of ceramic sand. Ceramic sand is used, for example, in the manufacturing of 3D printing moulds.

Thanks to the successful regeneration of ceramic sand, Resand has signed a long-term Sand As A Service (SAAS) service agreement with voxeljet, a global leader in industrial 3D printing solutions. The contract covers the cleaning and recycling of ceramic sand used by voxeljet at the sand regeneration unit in Resand's service centre in Germany. The leading Japanese ceramic sand company, ITOCHU Ceratech, with whom Resand has been testing ceramic sand reclamation, manufactures ceramic sand called “CERABEADS.” The Finnish, German, and Japanese companies are united by their ambition to promote sustainable development and to save resources.

"Resand aims to promote the responsible use of sand and we have already signed several service contracts for the cleaning of foundry sand in Finland and Germany. I am very excited that our cooperation with ITOCHU and voxeljet has proven that our technology works for cleaning different sand materials and that we can support the environmentally friendly use of materials in different industrial sectors," says Kalle Härkki, CEO of Resand Oy.

voxeljet is a globally acting provider of high-speed, large-format 3D printers and on-demand3D-printed parts for industrial and commercial customers. Originally developed for the metal casting industry, voxeljet’s 3D printing technology now has applications in a wide range of industries. In general, 3D printing technology can be used to streamline conventional, cost-intensive manufacturing processes, simplify the development of new materials, and make transportation more economical and efficient. 3D printing is one of many tools that can pave the way for a more sustainable industry.

”3D sand printing is a continuously developing industrial manufacturing technology, especially in the foundry industry. To be able to recycle processed sand of the printing workflow is an important step towards resource responsibility and it also provides a higher cost-efficiency. We are looking forward to working with Resandand ITOCHU on this promising technology and exploring an even more sustainable and responsible approach to 3D printing,” says Alexander Kudernatsch, Director Services at voxeljet.

CERABEADS is a versatile material, favoured for its properties such as fluidity due to its spherical shape, extremely low thermal expansion, and high heat resistance. CERABEADS is produced from alumina-based raw material through a sintering process. CERABEADS has a high recycling rate and almost no crystalline silica, which opens new possibilities for the use of this valuable material. CERABEADS is a multiple solution.