The Sand Casting Process

Even a child playing at the beach or in a sandbox can immediately grasp how sand casting works. When you see a child mixing water into sand to make it easier to shape it into a sand castle, that child is demonstrating how combining some sand and water works so beautifully for creating a shape. 

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At its simplest, the sand casting process is nothing more than making a cavity in the sand in the desired shape, pouring molten metal into the cavity and letting it cool. Humankind has been doing this for thousands of years. Sand is heat resistant and readily available almost anywhere on earth. 

If you&#;ve ever noticed the way footprints made in wet sand hold their shape, you can easily imagine what likely inspired the first ancient metal workers to use wet sand to shape their cast metals. Everything after that has just refined and perfected the basic process.

What Is Green Sand Casting?

The term green sand has nothing to do with the color of the sand casting material. It means there&#;s some moisture in the sand; when the sand is said to be green, it means the mold has not been baked or dried. This kind of molding sand is a very economical and versatile material. When desired, the foundry can add select additives can make the green sand more ideal for a specific purpose. Green sand is used in the most common sand casting processes.

How Do You Make Sand Casting Molds?

Sand casting equipment within a foundry can be very basic or quite advanced, depending on the items being made. Typically, the sand is placed in a mold box, which is known as a flask. The pattern, or model, is placed in the prepared sand inside the flask to make a mold. The pattern is removed, leaving behind a perfect shape in the sand. The mold is filled with molten metal, which is allowed to cool. When the metal is sufficiently cooled, the sand mold can be broken away.

More complicated items can be cast by combining an upper and a lower section. The upper mold is known as the cope, while the bottom half is known as the drag. Once the cope and drag are ready, they can be fastened together so that molten metal can be poured into the resulting cavity. Even further detailing is possible with the addition of a core. A core is something placed inside the mold to form a negative space that no molten metal will fill. An example would be the middle of an engine block or any other cast item that requires a hollow space.

Castings made with cope and drag must provide a way to introduce the molten metal into the mold. It can be a simple vertical passage, known as a sprue. The sprue and its channel will fill with molten metal that will solidify and will need to be machined off to get the item to its final design.

How Does The Sand Casting Process Work?

In the modern foundry or casting industry, the knowledge of how each alloy will react with each potential form of mold and each potential additive allows the worker to make choices to give the finished item the desired characteristics. Metal casting is both an art and a science.

As the molten metal cools and solidifies, it will give off gasses. The molds are designed to take that into consideration and when necessary, will be constructed to allow the gasses to escape throughout the sand casting process.

What Is Sand Casting Used For?

Chances are good that you&#;re less than 10 feet from at least one cast item right now that has been through the sand casting process. There&#;s hardly an industry that doesn&#;t have some kind of need for cast materials. Some cast items are large and can weigh hundreds of pounds, while other cast items are tiny and intricate.

What Are Some Common Metals Used in Sand Casting?

Almost any kind of metal can be shaped using the right sand casting equipment. Brass and bronze cast very well, and are among the earliest items to be cast in ancient times. Sand casting aluminum is quite common. Cast iron, as the name suggests, is also made by casting.

What Additives Are Common In Sand Casting?

Modern manufacturers will usually add some water and other additives to the sand casting process to make it work better for various purposes. Different alloys and different items call for additives, including these common materials:

• • Clay

    : It could be bentonite clay (most likely calcium bentonite) or another kind of clay. For special delicate and high-detail items, such as jewelry, Delft clay, which is imported from the Netherlands, can be used.

  • Coal Dust

    : Also known as

    Sea Coal

    , this is added to produce a more even surface, to make it easier to get the cast item out of the mold. It also produces casts with fewer defects.

  • Corn Flour

    : Believe it or not, a little bit of corn flour added to the wet sand gives the sand greater strength and plasticity.

  • Dextrin:

    Dextrin, derived from corn starch, is used as a binder. It improves the dry surface strength of the sand.

  • Pitch:

    Made from soft coal, a little pitch added to the sand improves the surface finish.

  • Wood Flour:

    This material is combustible, which like other combustible additives helps create a space for the grains of sand to expand without changing the shape of the mold.

  • Silica Flour:

    This material is just finely ground sand that&#;s mixed into casting materials for a more durable mold. 

What&#;s The Future In Sand Casting?

Relatively new technology in today&#;s casting foundry is 3D printed patterns and molds.
The latest 3D printing equipment is capable of manufacturing a sand mold and core in just a few hours. This can save considerable time and money in some cases. 

Once the pattern is produced, sand casting proceeds as usual, but the ability to use a 3D printer to produce the pattern, molds and cores greatly speed up the process, potentially saving production costs and increasing the accuracy of the casting. If an example of the item to be sand cast already exists, it can easily be scanned to create the 3D model.

Once the program for producing the sand mold and core is perfected, it can be reproduced as many times as desired. Such sand casting equipment is a growing part of the metal casting industry. The sand casting advances of today would no doubt amaze the master sand casters from a hundred years ago &#; not to mention those of a thousand years ago!

Why Do Some Cast Items Require Machining?

In some cases, an item produced through the sand casting process requires machining, painting, or another process to bring it to completion. Oftentimes, the item will have extraneous material necessary to make a good cast but not meant to be part of the finished design. At other times, fine detailing is needed and can be added after the cast is completed. Cast Technologies has a CNC machine shop on-site in order to deliver a finished product that meets your needs. This allows us to serve our customers better, as we take responsibility for all the processes the part requires to meet its design specifications.

Interested In Learning More About Cast Technologies?

Contact us for all your metal casting needs. We are experienced in working with manufacturers across a wide variety of industries. We can assist you in prototyping or reverse engineering parts. We&#;ll recommend the alloys and processes to best meet your needs. We have state-of-the-art equipment and an experienced and dedicated workforce ready to serve you.

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DETAILED COMPARISON of SHELL MOULDING vs SAND CASTING 

Two of the most common casting techniques are shell moulding and sand casting. Both methods have their own unique advantages and applications. In this article, we&#;ll take a closer look at the key differences between shell moulding and sand casting. We&#;ll explore the manufacturing process, material compatibility, surface finish, and other important factors to help you determine which approach is best suited for your metal casting needs.  

Shell Moulding: A Modern Technique

 

Shell moulding is a relatively new casting technique developed in Germany in the mid-20th century. It involves creating a mould from a thin shell of sand and resin, which is then heated to form a hard, durable mould. This method is known for its precision and ability to produce complex shapes with fine details. 

The Shell Moulding Process

 

1. Tooling production

   : the process begins with creating a cast iron tool, machined to precise dimensions.

    

2. Mounting and heating

   : the tool is mounted in a machine and heated.

    

3. Filling with resin sand

   : the heated tool is filled with resin-coated sand, which hardens upon heating.

    

4. Shell removal

   : the hardened shell is removed from the tool.

    

5. Assembly

   : two shell halves are glued together to form a complete mould.

    

6. Support and casting

   : the assembled shells are placed in a steel box and supported with fine sand before molten metal is poured in.

    

7. Finishing

   : after cooling, the shell is removed, and the casting is cleaned and finished.

    

Sand Casting: A Traditional Approach

 

Sand casting, on the other hand, is a more traditional method that has been used for centuries. It involves creating a mould from sand, which is then filled with molten metal. This method is versatile and can be used for both small and large-scale production. 

The Sand Casting Process

 

1. Tooling production

   : similar to shell moulding, the process starts with creating a tool, often from aluminium or wood.

    

2. Mould creation

   : half of the tool is placed in a steel box and filled with sand, which is then compacted. 

    

3. 
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   Cavity formation

   : the tool is removed, leaving a cavity in the sand. 

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4. This is repeated for the second half of the tool.

    

5. Core placement

   : if needed, a core is placed in the cavity to create more complex sections.

    

6. Assembly

   : The two boxes are assembled.

    

7. Casting

   : molten metal is poured into the mould.

    

8. Finishing

   : after cooling, the sand mould is removed, and the casting is cleaned and finished.

    

Comparing Shell Moulding and Sand Casting

 

• Environmental impact

  : shell moulding is more environmentally friendly due to less use of moulding and binding materials therefor less pollution.

   

• Complexity

  : sand casting allows for more complex designs due to its flexibility in mould creation.

   

• Precision

  : shell moulding offers tighter tolerances and smoother surfaces.

   

• Material suitability

  : sand casting is better suited for high melting point materials like steel and stainless steel.

   

• Production speed

  : shell moulding is faster, taking about 10 minutes per shell compared to 20-30 minutes for sand casting.

   

Applications

 

• Offshore industry

  : prefers sand casting for large, single-off parts.

   

• Equipment manufacturing:

  often uses shell moulding for its precision and ability to handle thin walls.

   

• Agricultural and machine building

  : utilise both methods depending on the specific requirements of the parts.

   

Conclusion

 

Both shell moulding and sand casting have their unique advantages and applications. The choice between the two depends on factors such as part complexity, material, production volume, and cost considerations. As technology advances, these casting methods continue to evolve, offering even greater precision and efficiency. 

For more detailed information or to discuss which method would be best for your casting needs, please reach out to your ELCEE contact person. We&#;re here to assist you in navigating the complexities of casting and ensure you achieve the best results for your projects. 

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