What is the 1st key part of sand casting?
- Pattern creation - pattern, usually made of wood or metal, is made into the shape of the desired final product
What is the 2nd key part of sand casting?
- Mould preparation - two-part mould box is created around the pattern forming an impression in the sand. The pattern is then removed leaving a cavity
What is the 3rd key part of sand casting?
- Core formation - cores are made from sand or other materials to create internal shapes within the final casting
What is the 4th key part of sand casting?
- Meting and pouring - metal, brass or iron is poured into the cavity through a sprue
What is the 5th key part of sand casting?
- Solidification - metal cools and solidifies within the sand mould, taking the shape of the cavity and patterns design
What is the 6th key part of sand casting
- Cooling and removal - the sand mould is broken apart after the metal has cooled, excess material is removed and the final piece undergoes finishing processes
What are some advantages of sand casting?
- versatile
- cost-effective
- material flexibility
- suitable for high and low volume production
What are some disadvantages of sand casting?
- may require additional processes to achieve a good surface finish
- limited detailing
- environmental impact
- gas pockets or air entrapment in the mould
What is die casting? What are the two different types?
A process used to create metal parts by forcing molten metal into a mould under high pressure. The two types are:
- hot chamber die casting (ideal for metals with low melting points)
- cold chamber die casting (ideal for metals with high melting points)
What is the 1st part of the die casting process?
- Die preparation - two halves of the die are prepared which are made of hardened steel and are precisely machined to form desired shape of the final part
What is the 2nd part of the die casting process?
- Melting - the metal is melted in a furnace at high temps.
What is the 3rd part of the die casting process?
- Injection - for hot chamber, molten metal is automatically fed into the die using a piston system. For cold chamber, molten metal is ladled into the shot chamber and then injected into the die under high pressure
What is the 4th part of the die casting process?
- Cooling & solidification - once the metal fills the cavity, it is allowed to cool and solidify in the mould
What is the 5th part of the die casting process?
- Ejection - the two halves of the die are separated and the newly formed part is ejected. Excess material is trimmed.
What is the 6th part of the die casting process?
- Finishing - any necessary additional processes are carried out
What are some advantages of die casting?
- high efficiency
- excellent surface finish
- cost effective for high volumes
- strength and durability
- reduced waste
What are some disadvantages of die casting?
- high initial tooling costs
- material and design limitations
- surface imperfections
What is resin casting?
The pouring of liquid resin into a prepared mould, allowing it to solidify and take the shape of the mould.
What is the 1st part of the resin casting process?
- Mould preparation - often made of silicone and is created from an existing object
What is the 2nd part of the resin casting process?
- Resin mixing - resin is mixed with a hardening agent or catalyst. The mixture can include dyes or additives.
What is the 3rd part of the resin casting process?
- Pouring - the mixture is carefully poured into the mould and vacuum chambers may be used to get rid of air bubbles and ensure the resin completely fills the mould.
What is the 4th part of the resin casting process?
- Curing - the resin is left to cure and harden
What is the 5th part of the resin casting process?
- Demoulding - once hardened, the solidified resin is removed from the mould and finishing touches may be required
What are some advantages of resin casting?
- easy to use
- intricate detailing
- colour customisation
- lightweight
