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Sand Casting

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Sand Casting

About Sand Casting

Metal casting is the process in which molten metal is poured into a mold and allowed to solidify into an object. The object that solidifies is called a casting. Sand casting is defined as pouring of molten metal into a sand mold and allowing it to solidify in the mold. Sand casting is the most widely used metal casting process in manufacturing and almost all casting metals can be sand cast. A few examples of modern items manufactured by the sand casting processes are gears, dies used in the general components, cylinder heads, pump housings, and valves components. The Sand casting parts ranging from a few ounces to upwards of 1000 kgs, so it can be a manufacturing solution no matter what size project you are working on.

Sand casting is commonly used for producing large, complex parts in materials such as iron, steel, aluminum, and bronze. It's relatively inexpensive and can accommodate a wide range of part sizes and shapes, making it a popular choice in the manufacturing industry.

Manufacturing Process

Investment casting, also known as lost-wax casting, is a manufacturing process used to create complex geometry of metal parts with high precision and intricate details. Here's how it works:

Simulation

Simulates the casting process in advance, eliminating multiple trials and achieving high quality at the first time.

Pattern Development

A pattern of the desired part is created using wood or metal. This pattern is a replica of the final part and is used to create the mold.

Mold Making

The pattern is placed in a box or flask and surrounded by molding sand. The sand is typically a mixture of silica sand, clay, and water. The sand is packed tightly around the pattern to create the mold cavity.

Pattern Removal

Once the sand has set, the pattern is removed from the mold, leaving behind a cavity in the shape of the desired part.

Core Insertion (if needed)

If the part requires internal features or hollow sections, cores made of sand or metal may be inserted into the mold cavity.

Mold Assembly

If the part is complex and requires multiple pieces, the mold is assembled by placing the cope (top half) and drag (bottom half) together. Channels called sprues, runners, and gates are also formed in the sand to allow the molten metal to flow into the mold cavity.

Pouring

Molten metal is poured into the mold cavity through the sprue. The metal fills the cavity and takes the shape of the part.

Metal Solidification

After pouring, the metal cools and solidifies within the mold.

Mold Breakout

Once the metal has solidified, the sand mold is broken apart to reveal the metal casting inside.

Finishing

The casting may undergo various finishing processes such as grinding, sandblasting, machining, or heat treatment to achieve the final desired shape, surface finish, and mechanical properties.

Benefits of Sand Casting

The advantages of investment casting are impressive. Create almost any configuration of your precision metal component with High Dimensional Accurcy and Superior surface finishing at very compitative cost. A Design parts as small, large, or complex as you need. In short, eliminate many of the barriers holding you back today.

Consider the following investment casting benefits, which can also help you:

Versatility: Sand casting can accommodate a wide range of part sizes, shapes, and complexities, from small components to large, intricate parts. This versatility makes it suitable for producing a diverse array of products across various industries.
Cost-Effectiveness: Sand casting is relatively inexpensive compared to other casting methods like investment casting or die casting. The equipment and materials required for sand casting are readily available and cost-effective, making it an economical choice for both small-scale and large-scale production runs.
Versatility: Investment casting can be used to cast various metals and alloys, including steel, aluminum, bronze, and others, providing versatility in material selection for different applications.
Minimal Material Waste: Since the process uses a wax pattern that can be melted and reused, there is minimal material wastage compared to other casting methods.
Cost-Effective for Small to Medium Batch Sizes: While it may not be as economical as some high-volume manufacturing methods like die casting for large quantities, investment casting can be very cost-effective for small to medium batch sizes due to its ability to produce complex parts without the need for expensive tooling.
Smooth Surface Finish: Investment casting typically yields smooth surface finishes, reducing the need for extensive post-processing.
Reduced Machining Requirements: Parts produced through investment casting often require minimal machining or finishing operations, saving time and costs in the manufacturing process.
Design Flexibility: Design changes can be easily accommodated by modifying the wax pattern, allowing for flexibility in product design iterations.
Material Properties: Investment casting allows for the use of a wide range of materials, enabling manufacturers to select the most suitable alloy for the desired mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and other performance characteristics.
Suitable for High-Performance Applications: The ability to produce parts with complex shapes and superior surface finishes makes investment casting suitable for high-performance applications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices where precision and reliability are critical.

Ductile Iron

Ductile iron, also known as nodular or spheroidal graphite iron, is a type of cast iron with enhanced properties compared to traditional gray cast iron. It achieves this improved strength, flexibility, and impact resistance due to its unique graphite microstructure, where the graphite is formed into spherical nodules rather than flakes.

Gray Cast Iron

Gray cast iron is a type of cast iron characterized by its graphite flakes, which give it a gray color on a fractured surface. It's a widely used engineering material due to its good machinability, damping capacity, and relatively low cost.

Carbon and Low Alloy Steels

Carbon steel primarily consists of iron and carbon, while low alloy steel includes additional elements like manganese, nickel, chromium, and molybdenum to enhance specific properties. Low alloy steels generally offer higher strength, improved weldability, and better corrosion resistance compared to carbon steels.

300 Series Stainless Steels

Stainless steel is a family of iron-based alloys known for their corrosion and heat resistance. Key properties include high strength, durability, resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, ease of formability, and low maintenance requirements.

Building Better Prototypes

By definition, a prototype is the first, preliminary model that allows design engineers the ability to quickly and efficiently explore their designs, test their performance, and craft even better components. After all, production components will be modeled and copied from this initial part.

When the prototype is the building block essential to the success of a project, don’t be forced to choose a prototyping supplier based on time and cost. So much can be learned from a prototype’s function, the need for a quality prototype is critical. When designing metal components, an exact replica of your final part is the best prototype you can get.

Rapid Prototyping

Crunch time may mean different things for different projects, but one thing’s for sure, nobody wants unforeseen surprises.

Stopping to prototype your design, evaluate its feasibility, and ensure its productivity might be critical to your product’s ultimate success. But at this stage of a product’s lifecycle, timing is essential. A delay of weeks can result in lower sales and lost market share.

Our in-house rapid prototyping can significantly accelerate your time-to-market. We simulate production using the specific process and our proprietary wax to deliver the most accurate results at a fraction of the time it takes other investment casting companies.

Rajhans Capabilities

When it comes to developing your ideas, we’ve got the most effective prototyping options for your component—not to mention the in-house prototyping experts to help you choose the right one for the job. Our prototyping capabilities include:

3D printed wax patterns created in-house within hours and immediately processed into fully functioning metal components.
Rapid in-house tooling using your part geometry, produced manually to reduce lead time and cost.
Specially formulated proprietary wax that is run through our highly automated investment casting process to ensure dimensional accuracy.
The ability to prototype utilizing any of our metals—you are not limited by material offering.
Capable of any secondary operation that the customer requires including: assembly, heat treating, welding, plating, painting, and more!
Not ready for an exact replica just yet? Work with Rajhans to create an SLA, or stereolithography resin pattern of your part, produced by one of our partners.

Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs)

Rajhans does not have a minimum order quantity for prototypes. So whether you need one or one hundred, our team can provide a consistent supply of production-like components.

Prototype Lead Times

Best of all, we can create prototypes in as little as five days. Our average tooling lead time is three to five days. Lead times can vary based on complexity of the part and overall project needs.

Cast Prototyping

We know that finding a supplier who can constantly and consistently supply prototypes can make or break your business. Investment cast prototyping is efficient in the overall cost and time of the project. The best thing is, you do not have to compromise quality for time or cost. Our in-house team of knowledgeable engineers are constantly thinking outside of the box to ensure our customer’s designs become a successful reality. Let us help you succeed.

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