Compared with other casting processes, the lost foam casting process has its unique advantages.
Want more information on Lost foam casting sand treatment equipment? Feel free to contact us.
1. Freedom of design. The lost foam casting process can freely design castings with complex cavities. This kind of castings is difficult or impossible to achieve by using other casting processes, which is the biggest attraction for many users who choose the lost foam casting process. This is very useful for the integrated design of components to eliminate subsequent cleaning, grinding, and machining processes.
2. Suits complex or simple shapes. The lost foam casting process does not necessarily have to play an advantage in complex products. For example, a part with a drain port in a very simple shape was originally produced by the sand casting process, and the drain port was formed by the sand mold. This product has a problem in processing. The scrap rate caused by the blockage of the oil drain can not be raised. After it is converted to the lost foam casting process, this problem is solved, and its production cost is lower than that of sand casting.
3. Technological benefits. In addition to the advantages in design, lost foam casting has advantages in technology. A typically lost foam casting production line is usually only about 30 meters long. This rather compact and usually highly automated process is very suitable for the mass production of a single product. Moreover, the process control is relatively simple.
4. Saves energy, improves productivity. Compared with the benchmark of sand casting, the lost foam casting process is more energy-saving, improves labor productivity and material utilization, reduces inventory, reduces scrap rate, and improves safety. lost foam casting molds can be used - times. In the lost foam casting cast iron factory, the delivery time is usually 4 weeks, because the foam model can be stored for a long time, and the mold string will be used as follow. Sand cores and sand molds do not need to be produced in advance for standby.
5. Reduce cost. These advantages in technology bring advantages in production cost. The service life of the lost foam casting mold is longer, the labor cost is lower, and the molding sand has no binder, which is convenient for recycling and reuse, so as to eliminate the problem of recycling the molding sand. In the later stage of lost foam casting, only the pouring riser can be removed, and there is no flash and burr, so as to reduce the workload of grinding and save the cost.
6. Improves casting quality. In the lost foam casting process, there are no defects brought by the binder, long-term repeatability, no sand mold defects, no risk of the wrong box, small dimensional tolerance of castings, excellent casting surface, improved the qualified rate of pressed parts, and so on, which all improve the quality of castings.
In this article, we will look at lost foam casting, one of the metal casting methods used in modern casting.
What is lost foam casting?
Lost foam casting is a casting method that uses expanded polystyrene (EPS) material, also known as styrofoam, as a patterned material and is planted in silica sand with the compaction of sand molds using a vibration system on the mold frame.
Evaporative casting is another name for lost foam casting. This type of casting is classified as casting without binders.
Do you understand why it&#;s called lost foam? Yes, because when the molten metal is poured into the mold, the EPS melts and evaporates, allowing the metal liquid to fill the space.
This casting method requires a layer of refractory material on the surface of the pattern to support the weight of the sand before the molten metal freezes. Refractory plating must be resistant to high molten metal temperatures. The coating of expanded polystyrene patterns with refractory materials is an important factor in producing high-quality castings using the lost foam casting method.
Creating patterns with EPS materials
The pattern material can be formed into the desired shape of the object using blocks. Furthermore, the pattern material can be polystyrene foam granules molded in metal molds and heated with moisture, causing the grains to bind together and form a pattern.
For more information, please visit How much does the lost foam casting equipment.
Creating a gating system (casting channel)
The pouring channel is constructed from polystyrene foam material by the design, and the forming process is identical to the pattern-making process. The runner (flow channel), sprue (inlet), and pattern are all included in the gating system. After the gating system is created, the pattern and gating system is assembled to form a cluster (pattern tree).
The process of pattern coating with ceramic material.
Ceramic powder or powder dissolved in colloidal silica or a similar material. The process of coating the pattern by dipping to achieve coating homogeneity on all parts. When pouring liquid into the mold and producing a smooth cast surface, coating serves to hold molded sand into cast objects. Depending on the need, the coating can be done once or multiple times depending on the need, a thick coating will prevent gases from escaping from the mold and may result in cast object defects.
Insert the coated pattern into the molding frame.
The pattern is stockpiled with sand without binders until it is flush with the pattern&#;s top. A vibratory machine is used in the compaction of the mold using the vibration method.
Pouring Liquid into Molds
After all of the processes are completed, the liquid is poured into the mold. If the pattern does not completely burn, it will be converted into a gas or residue by the metal liquid.
Mold Disassembly
Turning over the printed frame begins the disassembly process. Because cast objects do not contain a binder, they will easily separate from the molded sand.
Aluminum alloy castings are frequently made using lost foam casting. Lost foam casting is also one of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly casting methods.
There are numerous advantages to lost foam casting, including:
This casting method has some disadvantages, including:
Because of the influence of burnt polystyrene foam, the degree of porosity is greater.
That concludes the discussion of Lost Foam Casting, beginning with the basics and progressing to the advantages and disadvantages. If you have any questions or need more information, please leave them in the comments section or contact our Team directly.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit EPS Shape Molding Machines.