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To introduce an innovative method for the design of supporting elements to be applied to the free‐form components during the dimensional control.

This paper shows an innovative procedure based on reverse engineering and rapid prototyping techniques for the realization of fixtures fitting the geometry of free‐form elements. The application of the procedure have been made on a sheet metal free‐form element. After the design and manufacturing of the supporting elements, some uniformly distributed measurements have been made on the sheet metal component. A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) has been used in order to get dimensional information and to give the IT class location of the component.

The use of the CMMs for the dimensional control of the production elements requires the availability of an adequate supporting system above all if the control concerns free‐form components with complex forms. This influences considerably the final quality of the measurements mainly if the control concerns free‐form components with complex forms, not bound to classic geometric entities. The supporting systems commonly used foresee the utilization of standard elements (clamps, magnets, suction cups and plates and others) ideal for the parts with regular geometry but that can cause inconveniences if applied to free‐form elements and long times for the part supporting. The supporting elements of our paper fit to the geometry of free‐form component.

For the production of the supporting elements, the chosen technique has been the selective laser sintering with the use of the Pa‐Al powders (alumide). This material has a limited mechanical resistance such to guarantee a control up to 500 parts. For this reason, in a future research we would produce these fixtures using sintered metal materials.

The possibility to guarantee a correct dimensional control in the case of free form components using fixtures that fit to the geometry of free form components.

The paper shows an innovative procedure to get fixturing elements that fit to the geometry of free‐form component and provide stability and immobility to the component during the inspection phase.

The purpose of this paper is to verify the feasibility and evaluate the dimensional accuracy of two rapid casting (RC) solutions based on 3D printing technology: investment casting starting from 3D‐printed starch patterns and the ZCast process for the production of cavities for light‐alloys castings.

Starting from the identification and design of a benchmark, technological prototypes were produced with the two RC processes. Measurements on a coordinate measuring machine allowed calculating the dimensional tolerances of the proposed technological chains. The predictive performances of computer aided engineering (CAE) software were verified when applied to the ZCast process modelling.

The research proved that both the investigated RC solutions are effective in obtaining cast technological prototypes in short times and with low costs, with dimensional tolerances that are completely consistent with metal casting processes.

The research assessed the feasibility and dimensional performances of two RC solutions, providing data that are extremely useful for the industrial application of the considered technologies.

The paper deals with experimental work on innovative techniques on which data are still lacking in literature. In particular, an original contribution to the determination of dimensional tolerances and the investigation on the predictive performances of commercial CAE software is provided.