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Links
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Iron
Casting Research Institute -- Get
the strong points of the most popular of all metals in "Gray
Iron-A Unique Engineering Material"
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F.
A. Q. Text
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What is sand casting?
Molten metal is poured into a form created by surrounding a
3-D "pattern" with sand and then removing the pattern. Sand
casting contains a continuum, starting with the simplest form
(so-called green sand) and moving to more and more sophisticated
systems, based on binding and/or coating the sand to create
a higher-performance mold, and allowing the mold to be utilized
in more and more automated handling systems. Moreover, sand
casting, at the more complex end of the continue, begins to
cross over into a separate process segment called semi-permanent
casting. |
What are some of the
key characteristics of sand casting?
Sand casting is the most basic casting process -- although
there are multiple variations, involving increasing degrees
of complexity and enhancement. A defining characteristics of
sand castings is that they are most practically employed on
geometries that enable a pattern to be removed from the sand
mold without destroying any part of the mold in the process.
Beyond that, because sand casting is applied in so many different
applications, it is difficult to generalize, but short runs
do tend to be a logical characteristic of sand casting applications. |
What makes
sand casting a desirable process?
The outstanding benefit of sand casting is relatively low tooling
(i.e. pattern) cost, with fast turnaround time. |
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What are some of the
potential drawbacks of sand casting?
Because the mold is recreate for each pouring, by reshaping
sand around the pattern, sand casting is subject to a low
throughput rate. Sand casting results in a low finish quality
which ususally requires post-finishing.
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