Casting is the process of pouring molten metal into a mold or die and allowing it to cool and harden so that it takes the shape of the mold. The process is ideal for mass-production of parts with the reuse of the same mold to create identical products. There are several different types of casting. […]
Gray iron is one of the most frequently used casting materials in industrial manufacturing. Accounting for a large portion of casting supply markets, it is a strong, versatile substance. Gray iron can be machined easily, tested for quality without using destructive methods, formulated to meet specific application requirements, and is cost-effective at high volumes. It […]
Casting involves forcing molten material into a mold at high pressure. Once in the mold, the material cools and hardens, forming the final product shape. Molten metals such as steel and aluminum are two of the most common casting materials. Non-metallic materials such as plastic, rubber and foam are some other casting materials. Casting is […]
Thousands of years ago duplicate metal structures were cast from an original sculpture by the lost-wax casting process. Investment casting is one of the oldest metal-forming techniques based on this lost-wax casting process. A beeswax pattern is coated with refractory ceramic material, which then hardens and takes the shape of the casting. The ceramic mold […]
Casting Chronicles The history of humanity is defined by man’s relationship with the material world. Man’s ability to make tools from metals has changed our historical trajectory. A copper frog from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) dating back to 3200 BCE is the oldest known casting. Farm tools made of cast iron were used in China in […]
In metalworking, casting is the process of setting molten metallic material in a pre-designed mold. Once the molten metal cools, it becomes a solid metal object in the desired shape. Casting can be achieved with a wide variety of metals, and various materials can be used to form the molds and other equipment. Because casting […]
Metal shrinks as it transforms from liquid to solid (known as solidification shrinkage) and undergoes additional thermal contraction as it cools to room temperature. Cast parts are therefore designed with shrinkage allowances to result in parts of the desired dimensions. Cast steel, for example, will shrink about ¼ in. per foot and produce rough-looking castings. […]
If you want to be successful at casting, the design of the core is essential. According to Casting Source: “The green sand casting process is the most widely used high-volume process because it is versatile and cost effective. In the case of an oil pan for a combine used in the agriculture industry produced by […]
Here is a breakdown of the sampling process. According to Casting Source: “Now that you have selected a foundry and procured the pattern and core boxes necessary to make your casting, what comes next? You are at a particularly important stage in the manufacturing process—the production of your first sample castings. As an industry standard, […]
You have probably heard of investment casting and sand casting, but what is the difference between them? According to Brad Done with Machine Design: “Sand casting and investment casting are methods of creating metal parts by pouring molten metal into three-dimensional molds. Although methods are thousands of years old, both have been refined over the […]