Steel Casting
Steel casting is a process in which liquid steel is poured into a mold, cooled, and solidified to create a part with the desired shape, size, and properties. Utilizing this method, a variety of shapes and components can be easily and accurately fabricated with minimum cost and effort.
Steel casting has been used in many industries to produce components of widely varying complexity, from small parts such as screws, rivets, and fittings to large industrial parts such as machine frames and housings. This versatile process is used in a variety of applications in a wide range of industries, including industrial machinery and equipment, aerospace, automotive, and medical device manufacturing.
The complexity of a part or product dictates the steel casting process required. Generally, the best method to use depends on the intended application and desired end result. In most cases, one of three separate processes—investment casting, sand casting, and die casting—will be used.
Investment Casting
Investment casting is one of the oldest metal-forming processes and has remained relatively unchanged for centuries. An investment casting consists of a one-piece molten metal pattern made by placing a patterned cavity into a slurry of silica, alumina, or zircon particles and ceramic binder, then cured and fired to harden the mold. Molten metal is poured into the mold, allowed to solidify, and the pattern is then broken away to reveal the cast product.
This method is typically used to create intricate parts with highly precise geometry, intricate features, and tight tolerances. Components created through this method are generally larger and more complex, and as such investment casting offers a higher level of accuracy and quality. This technique is used for such components as turbine blades and complex valve parts.
Sand Casting
Sand casting is one of the most common methods for forming steel parts and is used for large parts and high volume production runs. Sand casting involves placing a patterned cavity into the sand, then filling it with molten steel. The sand-mold is allowed to cool and is then broken away, allowing the part to be extracted.
Sand casting is often the preferred method when working with greater part complexity and size, as it allows for lower overall costs and greater repeatability. Sand casting is also able to be used with a wide variety of steel alloys and is ideal for creating large parts with walls several inches thick.
Die Casting
Die casting is used to quickly produce highly accurate and detailed parts at relatively low cost. A die-casting machine is used to inject molten steel into a die, forming a part. The die-cast part is then removed from the die and allowed to cool before being further processed as needed.
Due to its quick, precise, and automated nature, die casting is generally used for low to medium volume production runs and is an ideal process for forming complex parts in a cost-effective manner. Additionally, die casting requires minimal secondary operations and allows for greater part strength and closer dimensional tolerances.
Conclusion
Steel casting is a versatile and cost-effective method of producing components of almost any complexity. Steel casting processes such as investment casting, sand casting, and die casting can be used to create parts with precise geometry and detail, tight tolerances, and a range of other desired properties. As such, steel casting is a popular choice for a variety of industries and applications.
