What Is The Most Common Casting Process?
Casting is a manufacturing process which liquefied material like molten metal poured into the cavity of desire mold and then harden. After the part is solidified, it is removed from the mold . Then, various finishing and treatment are applied on the end part. Casting methods are widely used to build complex solid and shapes. There are a wide range of application are cast parts which includes automotive, aerospace components.
So,What Is The Most Common Casting Process? Casting is one of well known rapid manufacturing techniques. Modern advanced casing led to a wide range of specialized casing methods such as hot forming process, die casting, investment casting, plaster casting, sand casting. Every process has its own advantages. Understanding their advantage and disadvantages help manufacturer to choose the best suited method for their production run.
Sand casting relies on synthetic or naturally bonded sand or other silica-based materials. Sand casting reduce tearing, cracking and other issues in cooling phase of the process. The sand is strengthened with clay that helps he particles bond more closely. Sand casting process is widely used in many product manufacturing such as automotive products, engine blocks etc. Sanding casing has various advantages. It is low cost especially in low-volume production. Sand casing has ability to build large components. It has capacity to cast ferrous and non-ferrous materials. And he post-casting tooling is inexpensive.
Investment casting uses a disposable wax pattern to cast each part. The wax is injected into the mold,then, removed, coated with refractory material and binding agent. Investment casting is widely used to produce automotive, power generation and aerospace part, turbine blades and more. Investment casting has many advantages and disadvantages. High level of accuracy and precise dimensional result could be achieved by investment casting. Investment casting is able to produce part with thin wall and complex geometries. It has capacity to cast ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The parts produced by investment casting have high quality surface finish and details.
Similar to sand casing process, plaster casting is using a mixture of of gypsum, strengthening compound and water. The plaster pattern is coated with anti-adhesive compound. When the plaster material is used to cast the part, it cracks and require fresh material. Plaster casting offers many advantages. The surface finish of plaster casing is smooth surface. Plaster casting is able to produce part with thin wall. Compared to other processes like investment casing, plaster casing has lower cost when forming large parts. With plaster casing, dimensional accuracy degree is higher. Plaster casting is more expensive than sand casting. It requires the replacements of plaster molding material. When it comes to produce with important requirement surface finish, plaster molding is effective and cost-efficient.
Die Casting is a manufacturing method o mold non-ferrous, zinc, tin, copper, aluminum and other alloys material by high pressure. Die casting mold is coated with lubricant to regulate the temperature. Molten metal is injected in to the die by high pressure until the part is solidified. When the process is finished, the part is taken out of the die. Die casting offers many advantages. It allows to create close size and shape tolerances. With Die casting, high component dimensional consistency and uniform design could be achieved. Tool cost for die casting is high, it is cost-efficient when die casting products in high-volume. Die casting molds are usually two-pieces, it has limitation to parts which can be removed from the mold without destroying the mold.
Centrifugal casting is used to manufacture long, cylindrical parts. Molten metal is introduced into the mold flunging against the internal surface of the mold. Permanent mold casting has something similar to die casting and centrifugal casting. Permanent mold casting molds are reusable molds which are made of steel , graphite. It normally used to casting lead, zinc, aluminum, magnesium alloys , bronzes, cast iron etc. Permanent mold casting is a low-pressure process. The pouring is normally completed by hand using molds.
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