International Standards for Casting
Casting is a manufacturing process in which a material, typically metal, is heated by means of a furnace and then poured into a mold or die. The heated material is then cooled and solidified in order to produce parts with desired shapes. Casting is a versatile and cost-effective process through which parts with complex shapes can be produced economically. For this reason, it is widely used in industries such as aerospace, automotive and medical.
In order to produce consistently high-quality parts, it is important that casting processes conform to international standards. These standards are established by organizations such as American National Standards Institute (ANSI), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as well as other bodies around the world. Each organization typically maintains a library of documents specifying the requirements for certain types of castings.
The specific requirements for castings may vary depending on the intended use of the part. Generally, the standards for casting processes will cover the composition of the material being cast, the dimensions of the finished product, and the process parameters of the casting procedure itself. For example, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) publishes standards for copper and copper-base alloy castings, aluminum and aluminum-base alloy castings, steel and steel-base alloy castings, and iron castings. Each of these standards provides requirements for the composition of the alloy, as well as its properties, including hardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and fatigue properties.
The ASTM also publishes standards for the casting procedures. These documents include requirements for molten metal flow into the mold, solidification rates, shot-sleeves and risers, gassing and venting, surface finish, and other aspects of the casting process. ISO also has several standards related to casting, including requirements for inspection, materials, process parameters, heat treatment, and mechanical properties. Other standards determine the accuracy and durability of the castings.
By adhering to the standards for different casting processes, manufacturers can be confident that their parts will conform to the desired specifications. Standards help to ensure that the right materials are used and that the casting process is carried out properly. The use of standards also enables manufacturers to compare their parts to those of other manufacturers, ensuring that they meet the same level of quality. As such, international standards for casting play an important role in helping manufacturers produce consistently high-quality castings.
