Sand Casting
CYCO offers precise casting services with advanced technology and superior workmanship. Whether you need complex and high-precision parts or mass production, we can meet your needs.
Overview of Sand Casting
Sand casting is one of the oldest and most economical processes for manufacturing metal parts and structures. It involves pouring molten metal into a cavity-shaped sand mold and allowing it to solidify. The sand mold consists of sand particles and an inorganic binding agent. Once the metal has cooled to room temperature, the sand mold is opened to remove the casting. The most common technique is to use a pair of boxes filled with sand to form the sides of the cavity. The melting temperature of the various types of sand used in the process is much higher than the liquefaction temperature of the metal.
Processes of Sand Casting
This includes making a mold and applying a thin layer of separator to the surface of the mold. The wetted casting sand is then combined with the model to form a sand mold.
Based on the material and size requirements of the casting, choose the suitable raw sand. Add appropriate amount of binder, additives and water and mix well to make the sand.
If a hollow structure or special shape is required inside the part, it may be necessary to prepare a sand core, usually using sand molding material with a certain strength.
Molten metal is poured into the sand mold to ensure that the metal fills the entire shape of the part.
Once the metal has filled the entire model, start waiting for the metal to cool and solidify. The length of cooling time depends on the type of metal and the size of the part.
Once the metal has cooled, open the sand mold and remove the cast part. If there is a core, remove it as well. The casting is then cleaned to remove any excess sand or other impurities.
For the sand inside the casting, it may be necessary to clean it with the help of air blasting, water flushing, and other methods. For complex internal cavities, specialized sand removal tools or solvents may also be required.
Available Sand
Natural silica sand is widely available and inexpensive, making it suitable for general cast iron and non-ferrous alloy castings.
Containing high purity zirconium oxide, it has high refractoriness and chemical stability, and is suitable for casting of stainless steel, high temperature alloys and other special materials.
Ground from chromite with high refractoriness, it is used to make core sand for various complex steel castings.
Molten metal is poured into the sand mold to ensure that the metal fills the entire shape of the part.
Aluminum oxide as the main component with extremely high refractoriness, it is suitable for demanding high-temperature alloy castings.
Once the metal has cooled, open the sand mold and remove the cast part. If there is a core, remove it as well. The casting is then cleaned to remove any excess sand or other impurities.
Composed of natural or artificial graphite particles, mainly used for non-ferrous metals, especially aluminum alloy casting, it can improve the surface quality of castings and reduce porosity.
Available Heat Treatment for Improvement
Tempering
Reduce the hardness of the casting, decrease the brittleness, and increase the toughness.
Ageing
Increase the hardness and strength of castings and improve mechanical properties such as tensile strength.
Quenching and Tempering
Rapid cooling of castings by quenching to increase hardness, followed by tempering to reduce brittleness and improve toughness.
Solid Solution Treatment
Applied to alloy castings, it increases the hardness and strength of castings by dissolving alloying elements and changing the crystal structure.
Surface Hardening
Increase the hardness of the casting surface and improve the wear resistance.
Normalizing
Increase the hardness and strength of castings and improve the crystal structure.
Benefits of Sand Casting
Cost-effectiveness
Compared to other casting processes, sand casting is less costly.
Flexibility
Suitable for the production of parts with various complex shapes and sizes, as sand casting can be easily adapted to different design requirements.
Design Freedom
Compared to other casting methods, sand casting offers greater freedom of design, enabling the manufacture of parts with complex geometries.
Material Suitability
Can be used to cast various metal alloys, including iron, aluminum, copper, and nickel, as well as some special alloys.
Rapid Production
The process is relatively quick, allowing for large quantities to be produced in a relatively short period of time.
Easy to Make Modifications
Models and molds can be adjusted relatively easily if design modifications to parts are required.
Applications
Automobile:
- Engine blocks and heads
- Crankshafts, connecting rods and pistons
- Transmission and transmission parts
- Brake system components
Aerospace:
- Aircraft engine parts
- Aircraft structural components
- Spacecraft components
Energy:
- Generator Parts
- Gas turbine parts
- Boiler and heat exchanger components
Heavy Industry:
- Railroad vehicle parts
- Engineering machinery parts
- Steel products
Agriculture:
- Tractor parts
- Agricultural equipment components
Why CYCO
- We have the experience and expertise in sand casting to deliver high quality services.
- We utilize advanced technology and equipment to ensure efficient manufacturing processes and product quality.
- We focus on customer needs and provide customized solutions with the flexibility to fit various design requirements.
- We have established a comprehensive quality control system and ensure that our products meet high quality standards through rigorous inspection and testing.
- We are concerned about environmental issues and take measures to minimize environmental impact and ensure the sustainability of our production process.
- We take customer satisfaction as our core objective and have built good customer relationships by providing high quality products and services.
- We possess the ability to constantly innovate and follow industry trends in order to provide more advanced solutions.
FAQs
How accurate is sand casting?
The accuracy of sand casting is relatively low, not as good as some precision casting methods such as investment casting or die casting. However, through optimization and control, it is still possible to produce castings that meet certain accuracy requirements.
What are the advantages of sand casting compared with other castings?
The advantages of sand casting are lower cost, smaller investment in equipment, high process flexibility and strong adaptability. In addition, the permeability of sand helps to expel gas and reduce internal defects.
What is the maximum size for sand casting?
It usually depends on the manufacturing and processing capabilities of the mold, as well as the size of the equipment used. Larger parts may require larger molds and larger production equipment.
How to deal with sand casting waste?
Waste materials usually include waste sand and waste molds. These wastes can be recycled and reused, or treated in an environmentally friendly way to minimize the impact on the environment.
How to make a mold for sand casting?
Molds usually consist of specially formulated sand and binder. They are compacted into the desired shape and dried to form a cavity that can hold molten metal.