Vacuum 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 Vacuum Casting
An advanced metal casting process, which is carried out in a vacuum environment or under low air pressure conditions. By melting the metal and pouring it in a vacuum chamber, the effect of gases (such as oxygen and nitrogen) on the molten metal can be significantly reduced. This process is designed to improve the quality, density and performance of metal products. By casting the molten metal in an atmosphere-free or very low air pressure environment, defects such as porosity and inclusions are avoided, and the homogeneity and purity of the metal material is improved.
Processes of Vacuum Casting
1. Mold preparation: Make the mold according to the casting design, the mold material should have good heat resistance, wear resistance and gas permeability. Set up the pouring system and exhaust channels in the mold to ensure that the molten metal can be filled smoothly and exhaust gas.
2. Creation of a vacuum environment: At the start of the process, the first thing that needs to be done is to create a vacuum or low-pressure environment in the casting work area. This is usually achieved by a vacuum pump or other vacuum equipment.
3. Preparation of metal raw materials: Choose suitable metal raw materials, clean and pre-treat them according to the requirements of the casting to remove surface impurities and oxides. The raw metal is placed in a melting crucible in the vacuum furnace and heated to its melting point to form a molten metal pool.
4. Pouring: Place the mold in the vacuum furnace, connect the pouring system and the venting channel, then adjust the vacuum to the appropriate level (typically between a few tens and a few hundred Pascals). Slowly and steadily pour the molten metal into the mold while maintaining the vacuum environment. Ensure that the molten metal is able to fill the mold completely and remove gas or slag through the venting channels.
5. Cooling and solidification: Control the cooling rate to allow the metal to solidify gradually. Through precise cooling control, the size and shape of the grains can be adjusted to optimize the microstructure and properties of the casting.
6. Demolding and cleaning: When the casting is cooled to sufficient hardness, the vacuum is lifted and the mold is opened to remove the casting. The castings are ground, cleaned and inspected to remove burrs, flying edges and defects.
7. Post-processing (optional): For specific application requirements, several post-processing steps, such as heat treatment,, machining and surface treatment, can be performed to further improve the material properties.
Materials CYCO Used for Vacuum Casting
- High temperature alloys
- Titanium alloys
- Aluminum alloys
- Tungsten alloys
- Copper alloys
- Precious metals
Benefits of Vacuum Casting
Reduced porosity and inclusions
The vacuum environment effectively reduces the effect of gases on the molten metal. This reduces the generation of porosity and inclusions and improves the compactness of the metal.
Improved material purity
The vacuum environment effectively removes gases, oxides and other impurities from the metal. The purity of the metal is improved, making it particularly suitable for the manufacture of high purity metal products.
High-quality products
The produced metal items have high density, low porosity and excellent mechanical properties, which are suitable for some fields with very high quality requirements, such as aerospace and medical devices.
Less defects
The reduction of gas inclusions and oxides reduces internal and surface defects such as porosity, cracks, slagging as well as reduces scrap rates and rework costs.
Refined grains
Control of the cooling rate of the metal helps to regulate the size and shape of the grains. It improves the lattice structure of the metal and enhances mechanical properties.
Applications
- Aerospace: Widely used in the manufacture of a variety of aero-engine components, including turbine blades, turbine disks, combustion chamber walls and so on.
- Medical devices: Can be used to produce high-precision, biocompatible parts, such as artificial joints, implantable devices.
- Automotive manufacturing: Commonly used in the manufacture of engine parts, such as intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds and so on. This helps to improve the strength, heat resistance and light weight of the parts.
- Industrial valves: High corrosion resistance requirements of industrial valve parts can be manufactured through vacuum casting to ensure high quality and durability of the parts.
- Shipbuilding: To make high-performance, corrosion-resistant parts, such as propellers and motor parts.
- Energy: Used in the manufacture of gas turbine parts to improve the heat resistance and mechanical properties of the parts.
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
1. What is vacuum casting?
Vacuum casting is a casting process performed in a vacuum environment. By lowering the air pressure around the molten metal liquid, the formation of gas inclusions and oxides is reduced, resulting in the production of high-precision, high-density and high-quality castings.
2. What are the benefits of vacuum casting compared to conventional casting?
The main benefits of vacuum casting include higher casting quality, more precise dimensional control, higher material utilization, lower environmental pollution, and better energy efficiency.
3. Can vacuum casting be used for castings with complex shapes?
Yes, vacuum casting is particularly suitable for the production of castings with complex shapes and high precision requirements. As the liquid metal flows and solidifies under negative pressure, it is able to better fill the corners and detail areas of the mold.
4. Does vacuum casting cost more than conventional casting?
Yes. The initial equipment investment and operating costs for vacuum casting may be higher than conventional casting. Due to its ability to improve casting quality and material utilization, it may provide higher economic benefits in the long run.
5. Does vacuum casting require special molds?
Yes. Vacuum casting typically requires special mold design and fabrication to accommodate the requirements of the casting process in a vacuum environment. These molds may need to have good sealing properties and high temperature resistance.