Advantages of Using Sand Casting
Sand casting is one of the most basic methods of metal casting. This method of metal casting started thousands of years ago and has been used by several civilizations in the past. It is a very old process that developed out of the need for complex metal designs and parts for the weapons and vehicles used by warriors and other military men in ancient times. Although sand casting was initially used to make arrowheads, spearheads and firearms in ancient times, it eventually developed into a more versatile metal casting technique. Today, it is still used extensively to create intricate parts for machinery such as cars, trains and even computers.
Sand casting, also called sand molded casting or sand mold casting, is basically a metal casting procedure characterized by the use of sand as the primary mold material. The word “sand casting” generally refers to an object made via the sand casting process. Sand casting began in the 18th century with the practice of pouring molten lead into cavities formed in molds which have been previously formed by fire. From there, various kinds of metals and alloys were poured into these cavities until the desired shapes and sizes were achieved. Metal casting from sand has become very stable and popular over time.
This form of casting is typically used in the creation of ornamental artifacts as well as in the creation of parts for machinery. Metal casting from green sand can produce a wide range of complex and intricate parts. To this day, green sand is commonly used by foundry workers to create crown moldings, chandeliers, figurines, wine glasses and other decorative items.
A major benefit of sand casting is the fact that the components formed are highly accurate in dimension. This is due to the high degree of precision involved in the level of precision with which the mold is built. The accuracy of the components produced by molding sand is due to the fact that the individual grains of sand are minutely controlled during the formation process. By carefully controlling the number of grains, engineers and designers can achieve extremely high degree of precision with the products they are making.
One of the most popular types of sand casting processes is the hot plate sand casting process, which is often associated with the hot air furnace or sand furnace. In this case, the mold is built inside an oven and then quickly placed in a hot metallic chamber. The resulting molten alloy flows at extremely high velocity through a mandrel into the mandrel recess. This type of sand casting produces figures that are exceptionally accurate.
The next type of sand casting is the gating system. The concept of gating involves the injection of molten material into a mold from a high pressure source. Once the molten alloy passes through the mandrel, it is held in place by the tiny bolts which are driven by a gear meshed within the molten material. The material and the bolts are moved around by a roller and eventually the desired parts are formed. This is a simple but efficient design which results in a high level of precision and low incidence of manual interference.
A final step, which can be used in the sand casting operation is the addition of a mass production unit. The molds are generally very small, because the metals to be cast are rather large. This enables the manufacturer to build large numbers of identical products with a high degree of precision. Sand lumps can then be added to the areas which need to have them for increasing the sizes of the parts which will be made. The increased volume of parts enables the manufacturer to increase the manufacturing rate and, consequently, the cost of the final product.
There are a wide range of advantages associated with this form of manufacturing. One of the main benefits is that the cost involved in the initial investment is lower than other options. Another benefit is that there are no on-going costs such as periodic maintenance or repairing which make the procedure more economical. It also results in a significant increase in the volume of finished products. It is considered to be a reliable and long term manufacturing process which has very low maintenance costs. By using sand casting processes companies can improve their efficiency and thereby reduce their cost base.