Comprehensive Guide to Metal Casting and Applications
Metal casting is a method of pouring metal into a mold and allowing it to cool and solidify. 90 % of goods and equipment contain cast metal components. Cast metal products are essential to our economy and way of life, from vital parts for cars and airplanes to home appliances and medical equipment. The U.S. metal casting business exports cast goods worth more than $18 billion annually, making it the largest casting provider in the world.
Metal casting is one of the world’s major industries, particularly in the United States, where it employs about 490,000 people. It is one of the most effective and efficient processes for producing high-quality metal components.
In this article, you’ll learn about metal casting, the methods of metal casting, and its applications.
Let’s start.
Types of Metal Casting Processes
There are different types of casting methods, and each has pros and cons based on the needs of the user.
- Sand Casting Process
- Investment Casting Process
- Die Casting Process
Sand Casting Process
Sand casting is a metal casting process that uses non-reusable sand molds. This method is used to make metal items of various forms and sizes.
- Sand casting is a versatile casting method that is suitable for creating any ferrous or nonferrous metal alloy.
- The process produces a smooth mold surface using a mold constructed of silica-based materials, such as naturally-bonded or synthesized sand.
- The upper and lower halves of the mold surface are designated as cope and drag, respectively.
- The final shape is created by pouring molten metal into the design using a pouring cup and letting it set up to harden.
- To complete the finished metal casting product, extra metal is finally removed.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple production process | Handmade process |
| Cheap casting molds | Low strength |
| Cheaper production | Low dimensional accuracy |
| Wider range of materials | Poor appearance |
| High complexity shapes | Additional casting defects |
| Short lead time | Poor casting quality |
Applications and Suitability for Heavy Metal Casting
It is widely utilized in industries for the mass manufacturing of engine blocks, cylinder heads, crankshafts, and so on.
Investment Casting Process
Investment casting involves coating a wax pattern with a refractory material to create a mold, which is then removed and filled with molten metal to solidify.
- Investment casting involves heating metal and pouring it into molds.
- This method is popular because it allows for the quick and affordable construction of robust, corrosion-resistant parts.
- This also makes speedy prototyping tools available to the aerospace sector.
| Pros Cons |
| A strict tolerance Greater Casting Cycle Length |
| Reusability of Materials Really Expensive |
| High-quality finish Labor intensive |
| Complex Shapes Difficult Cores to Cast |
| Casting size variation |
| Material Variations |
Applications for Investment Casting
A few applications for Investment Casting are as follows:
- Braking and landing gear
- Actuation and motion control systems
- Sensors both inside and outside
- Elements of hydraulic fluid systems
- Both inside and outside parts
Die Casting Process
Die casting is a manufacturing process that can produce geometrically complex metal parts through the use of reusable molds, called dies. The die casting process involves the use of a furnace, metal, die casting machine, and die.
- Die casting is a popular metal casting technique for producing robust components for use in a variety of applications.
- Die casting is a manufacturing method that enables the precise fabrication of metal pieces.
- In this type of casting, molten metal is pumped into a mold, where it cools and solidifies to take the required shape.
- The process can be used to make a variety of metal components for the automotive sector, including gears, engine blocks, door handles, and alloys for vehicles. For example, Tesla has filed a patent application for a novel alloy for die-casting single-piece mega-castings.
| Pros | Cons |
| Superior Surface Finish | Expensive Die |
| A Cheap Method for High Volumes | Not Compatible with Ferrous Metals |
| Offers Great Precision and Accuracy | More Difficult to Make Massive Parts |
Applications of Die Casting
Die casting is mostly employed to create medium-sized items with intricate detailing. Magnesium, aluminum, and other nonferrous metals are commonly used in this process. Die casting is one of the most common casting processes used to create consumer, business, and industrial goods like gears, toys, sink tap parts, and automobiles.
How Die-Casting Is Reshaping Car Manufacturing
- Vehicle underbodies can be produced by automakers in massive single parts.
- Improve efficiency
- Reduce expenses
- Streamline manufacturing
3D Printing for Metal Casting
In 2021, the market for 3D printing in aerospace and defense was estimated to be worth USD 1.35 billion. It is estimated that it will grow at a CAGR of 26.1% from 2022 to 2030, reaching an expected value of USD 8.66 billion.
Cost-wise, 3D printing benefits die casting. It is common to create 3D-printed plastic prototypes for design confirmation. As a result, the designer will be better able to trust the limits, fittings, force distribution, stress levels, and clear failure modes.
- 3D metal printing is a method for building three-dimensional objects out of thin layers of metal powder.
- These powders are created using a variety of alloys, including conventional engineering alloys, stainless steels, and vacuum-melted alloys.
- These metal powders are continually fused together by a laser until the model is finished.
This general idea holds true regardless of whether 3D metal printing is done using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser sintering (SLS), or another method. Leading aerospace and defense firms and foundries have already benefited from 3D-printed form casting.
Compatibility and Materials in Metal Casting
Some of the ancient metal casting techniques and materials are still in use today.
Industrial applications require a variety of trustworthy and efficient metal casting materials. The resources that are commonly used are Grey iron, ductile iron, aluminum, steel, copper, and zinc.
Choosing Casting Materials: Things to Keep in Mind
It can be important to choose the right casting and molding materials for a certain project. When choosing a casting, some things to take into account are:
- Level of volume needed,
- Cost-effectiveness,
- Melting point,
- Cooling rate,
- Wear resistance,
- Weight
- Dampening abilities
Metal casting applications
The casting’s wide range of uses has made it an all-time favorite. Casting is used to create everything from small, home-made designs to complex gun and aircraft models. Making items that are competitively priced through design and casting is one of a foundryman’s top priorities. The following are some applications for metal casting:
Automotive
Castings are essential to the automotive sector. Without them, passenger automobiles or trucks would not be possible, given the large range of castings they include. Cast parts are used in car bodies in addition to engines, drivetrains, and chassis.
Why Is Die Casting Growing Quickly in the Automotive Industry?
In 2021, the die-casting automobile sector was worth about 61 billion USD. The method will be worth an additional $20 billion by 2027. The enormous sum of money coming from this technique invites the question, “Why is this process generating so much money?”
Manufacturers are now focusing on advances in the vehicle manufacturing process as electric automobiles have added characteristics not typically found in gasoline-powered vehicles. By 2028, the China Automotive Parts Aluminum Die Casting Market will generate revenues of USD 14.31 billion.
Building and Construction
There is a huge variety of items that foundries provide to the building and construction sectors, including the following:
- Castings for radiators
- Boilers
- Cookers
- Stoves
- Sanitary fixtures
- Special pressure and drainage pipes
- Surface boxes for sewage pipes
- Malleable fittings
Medical Engineering
There isn’t a better illustration of how castings directly benefit people than the use of cast components in the medical field. Their range of uses includes essential parts for CT and MRI scanners, cast prostheses like knee and hip joints, and even castings used in hospital infrastructure, like nodes in hospital beds.
Finding Metal Casting Services
The choice of a casting service can be influenced by a variety of elements, such as design requirements, process skills, or material varieties. Castingod enables customers to choose the service they want based on services like…
- High-volume manufacturing and design support
- Process types like investment casting and die casting
- Materials like steel and aluminum
- Additional services like heat treatment and machining
Castingod also offers the following advantages:
- Low tooling and finishing costs
- High-volume production runs
- Specialized capabilities
- Just-in-time logistics
Future Trends in Metal Casting
The rise in demand for metal castings in the transportation and automotive industries is a key factor driving the global market for metal castings.
Metal castings are essential in the production of automobile parts and components because they offer a practical and economical way to produce intricate geometries with great precision.
The expansion of the construction sector has also increased demand for metal castings, which are used to build facilities, buildings, and other constructions because they are strong and durable enough to handle enormous loads and adverse environmental conditions.
The market has undergone a revolution as a result of the increasing use of additive manufacturing and 3D printing in metal casting techniques. The quality of metal castings has improved, and their applications have been expanded, thanks to developments in metallurgical sciences and casting techniques.
Conclusion
In summary, metal casting has many benefits over conventional manufacturing techniques, including lower prices, more design flexibility, and quick setup. However, some disadvantages must also be taken into account, such as the need for more expensive materials and post-casting machining.
Whatever the size or scope of your project, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of metal casting can help you achieve success!
