Learn Which Aluminum Casting Method You can Pick

Major factors needed to decide which casting aluminum you must choose to include the following factors:

Surface finish: the smoothest surface finish out of the mold is offered by die-casting and Permanent mold casting.

Strength: in the finished product, Permanent mold casting provides the greatest material strength. In this area due to the nature of the process, the pieces produced via permanent mold casting, although similar to die casting, have an advantage.

Speed: compared to permanent mold processes, in a short amount of time sand Casting automated processes offers a high output of parts. Thanks to the pressurized injection process, die casting provides the greatest speed in manufacturing.

Short runs and Prototypes: When only a few pieces are needed, Sand casting is the method of choice thanks to its low tooling cost.

High quantities: between tooling costs and higher quantities, Sand Casting offers the most advantageous balance while a permanent mold is a closer second. However, die casting may be the better choice for quantities well above 100,000.

The three processes involved in Cast Aluminum methods

For casting aluminum, three major methods of metal casting can be used: die, sand, and permanent mold casting. Behind each of these techniques of metal casting, the methodology used is as follows:

Permanent mold casting: As the name implies, the mold is not broken away in this aluminum casting method. The cavity is filled with aluminum via gravity and a reusable metal mold is created. After cooling, the mold is then separated and the finished part removed or ejected.

Sand casting: containing a cavity into which the molten aluminum alloy from which your part will be created is poured, a mold is created from a sand mixture in this method. The sand mold is broken away from the part once the aluminum solidifies and cools.

Die casting: to permanent mold casting, Die casting used for cast aluminum parts is very similar except into the cavity under pressure, that the molten aluminum is injected rather than filled and poured via gravity. The two processes are similar apart from this functional difference.