A Quick Overview of the Casting Process

casting process

Nowadays, the casting process is useful for much more, such as creating materials, sculptures, and equipment. Carbon fiber products and other carbon fiber manufacturing are all possible because of this process.

For the uninitiated, here is a quick overview of the casting process.

Casting Process History and Development

The origins of casting go back to as early as 3200 B.C. Mesopotamia, where the oldest known casting, a copper frog, can be found.

Fast forward to 1837, and the first dependable molding machine was marketed and used by the S. Jarvis Adams Company in Pittsburg.

Since then, casting has come a long way with the introduction of a number of new materials and different types of casting.

How Molding and Casting Works

The mold and material being cast changes depending on the type of industry it’s for.

For sculptures, the mold is plaster or rubber and is usually filled with bronze, resin, cement, or some other material. Metalwork requires the use of molten metal and much sturdier molds.

A molding and casting worker uses machinery to force molten metal into mold cavities. The smaller and more detailed the product, the more pressure typically requires.

Molds produced from other processes join with shell molds. Therefore, patterns typically made of iron or steel give good dimensional accuracy.

Compression Molding

Compression molding is a pretty standard form of making stock shape materials and parts.

You place pre-heated plastic material into an open, heated mold cavity and compress it with a hydraulic press. This allows the material to touch all areas of the mold without any air bubbles or pockets.

This type of molding is more economical than others because it can provide high quantities of products at high-quality while also being more resistant to corrosion than metal products.

However, the process can be slower than others, which can hurt you when you need to make high volume fast.

Materials Used

Different types of materials are utilized depending on the process of casting and the cast molding used.

In compression molding, you would use compounds such as melamine, polyesters, and phenolics. As for metal casting, the most commonly used resources are gray iron, aluminum, steel, zinc, copper, and ductile iron.

Of those, gray iron is the most frequently used in industrial manufacturing and is used in many supply markets due to its strength and versatility.

Molding a Better Future

Many industries across the world use the molding and casting process due to its vast utility. It can be useful for producing jewelry as well as carbon fiber products.

If you have a project in need of composite components or more in Georgia, reach out to us today for a quote.

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