There has been always an emerging question that which aluminum casting method is best to be used. Users always have a preference for aluminum gravity casting, but the choice is also relevant to the extent to its use. Users have to consider application at hand, along with overall project requirements as well as customer needs. These factors are highly important to ensure fastest production speed or strength of the entire process. Depending on the scale of production, aluminum casting methods must be chosen. Each of these methods have different benefits, let’s take a look at each of three primary metal casting methods. These methods are used to cast aluminum which can be bifurcated into permanent mold casting, die casting, and sand casting.
- Aluminum sand casting: In this method, manufacturers create mold from sand mixture with the help of a mold. All the necessary cores are shifted inside the cavity, which enables creation of complex parts. Followed by this, the manufacturers pour molten aluminum alloy into the mold with the help of “runners,” that were already present inside the mold during creation. As soon as the aluminum cools and solidifies, the sand mold is separated from the part. Followed by this, as the last step, finishing work is done to ensure that the quality of part meets the customer’s specifications.
- Permanent mold casting: Second aluminum casting method is quite similar to the first. In this method, the mold is not broken as in the case of sand casting. In this method, the old is created using a pattern in which the molten aluminum is poured. As soon as it gets cooled, the mold is removed followed by necessary finishing work. This method mostly outlines the difference with which the mold is created. In sand casting, the sane mixture is used whereas in this method, molten material is used and created in two halves. This enables the removal of mold without breaking it.
- Die Casting: This die casting is similar to permanent mold casting, but the only difference is that the molten aluminum is injected into the cavity under pressure, and not poured and filled via gravity. Although these two processes look and seem similar, there is a great deal of difference in their output.
When it comes to selecting one of these casing methods, you need to consider all the below mentioned factors:
- Speed: Sand Casting’s automated processes, tend to deliver high output of parts within limited time period as compared to permanent mold processes. However, die casting stands on top when it comes to delivering speedier output, owing to its pressurized injection process.
- Robustness: When it comes strength, permanent mold casting provides the greatest material strength in the final output. Similarly, the products created using die casting are great in strength, since pieces produced via permanent mold casting undergo stronger process.
- High quantities: When it comes to the amount of output, sand casting offers most advantageous balance that are balanced between higher quantities and tooling costs, but then impacts the amount of production. Die casting however stands as the topmost method in delivering quantities in excess of 100,000.
- For short–run prototypes: In case the production requirement is limited, sand casting comes handy to create only a few pieces owing to its less tooling cost.
- Surface finish: In case the target of the output is driven to better finish and fine surface, permanent mold casting and die casting are considered as the smoothest methods for the mold.
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