Electric slag centrifugal casting is a kind of centrifugal casting technology. It was developed in the United States in the 1950s and is widely used in the manufacture of large-diameter, thin-walled, high-integrity components.
Centrifugal casting is a casting process in which the molten material is poured into a rotating metal mold and formed by centrifugal force. In the electric slag centrifugal casting process, electric arc furnace slag is used as the molten material in the molds. As the slag rotates in the mold, it undergoes solidification and cooling to form a casting. It is a process suitable for producing large, thin-walled and complex parts with high dimensional accuracy.
The advantages of electric slag centrifugal casting compared to traditional processes are mainly cost savings, accuracy, and production speed. In traditional casting processes, the metal used is heated in a kiln, which requires more energy than electric slag centrifugal casting. This is because the slag used for electric slag centrifugal casting takes less time to heat up, thereby reducing the overall energy consumption of the process. Additionally, due to the fast centrifugal rotation of the electric slag centrifugal casting, it has less time to deform and is therefore more accurate than traditional casting processes.
In the electric slag centrifugal casting process, the metal used is mixed with a dry aggregate, such as silica sand, and then heated in an electric arc furnace until it reaches the desired temperature. It is then cast into a rotating metal mold. The slag is poured into the rotating mold and centrifugal force compacts the particles together, causing the liquid slag to form into its casting shape. The centrifugal force also serves to remove air bubbles from the casting and impurities from the molten material.
The shape of the casting is mainly determined by the shape of the mold. Due to the centrifugal force, the molten material uniformly fills the mold, resulting in a casting with a high dimensional accuracy. After the casting has cooled and solidified, the steel is removed from the mold and machined to the desired shape.
Electric slag centrifugal casting is a cost-effective and highly accurate method for producing metal parts and has a wide variety of applications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and power generation. Electric slag centrifugal casting is an efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional casting processes and is highly beneficial to the modern manufacturing industry.
