SAND CASTING

Sand casting offers the simplest medium for production of non-ferrous castings, by
pouring molten metal into a sand mould. This process is chosen for the production of
small numbers of castings, for complex shape castings requiring intricate cores, or
for large castings. Advantages include low tooling costs, largest casting sizes
achievable, very low gas porosity is possible, and general versatility of the process is
good. Limitations include low casting rate, 3-5mm minimum wall thickness, poor
linear tolerance (e.g. 4mm/m), rough surface finish (6.5-12.5mm), and a coarser
grain size than gravity die castings.

SAND CASTING OFFERS THE SIMPLEST MEDIUM FOR PRODUCTION OF NON

FERROUS CASTINGS, BY POURING MOLTEN ZINC, ALUMINIUM OR COPPER
INTO A SAND MOULD.

This process is chosen for the production of small numbers of castings, for complex
shape castings requiring intricate cores, or for large castings.

Advantages include:

LOW COST TOOLING

LARGEST CASTING SIZES ACHIEVABLE
VERY LOW GAS POROSITY
GENERAL VERSATILITY

Limitations include low casting rate, 3-5mm minimum wall thickness, poor linear tolerance
(e.g. 4mm/m), rough surface finish (6.5-12.5mm), and a coarser grain size than gravity die
castings.
The huge advantage of sand casting is the production of complex shapes however the
surface finish and tolerances of the finished casting are poor relative to die castings.
Production times can also be a lot longer than other casting processes such as gravity die
casting and high pressure die casting.
Get full information about the sand casting process and die casting processes or contact us
today for expert sand casting advice.
Sand Castings up to 10kgs in all suitable Aluminium, Zinc, and Copper Alloys
Principal Aluminium Alloys - LM5, LM6, LM9, LM16, LM24, LM25, LM27, LM31
Principal Zinc Alloys - ZA3, ZA8, ZA12, ZA27
Pincipal Copper Alloys - LG2, PB2

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Gravity die casting is produced by pouring molten metal into permanent cast-iron
moulds. This process produces chill castings. The process has a higher casting rate
than sand casting, but the metal moulds are higher cost than sand patterns.
Advantages include the possibility of low gas porosity, and fine grain sizes can be
obtained. Less finishing and polishing will be required than for sand castings. Gravity
die casting tends to produce the highest quality castings, however the accuracy
achievable is limited. Minimum wall thickness possible is c. 3-5mm.

SKILLED TEAM

HIGH QUALITY RESULTS

READY FOR MACHINING...

MRT ARE SPECIALISTS IN GRAVITY DIE CASTING, WITH ONE OF THE MOST
ADVANCED FACILITIES IN THE UK FOUNDRY INDUSTRY.

Gravity Die Casting employs cast iron or steel moulds which allow aluminium and zinc
castings to be produced more accurately and cheaply than with sand casting, with better
surface finish, and better mechanical properties. Tooling costs of gravity casting are a
fraction of those needed for pressure die casting. The rapid chilling gives excellent
mechanical properties whilst non-turbulent filling ensures production of heat treatable gravity
castings with minimal porosity.
MRT have a range of microprocessor controlled hydraulic gravity die casting machines,
which mechanise movements of the die. The machines offer tilt pouring, and hydraulic
movement on up to four axes. MRT also have facilities for producing sand cores to cast
complex internal shapes.

MRT HAS OPTIMISED THE PRODUCTIVITY OF ITS GRAVITY DIE CASTING

PROCESSES:
SHORTENING LEAD TIMES
LOWERING COSTS
INCREASING PRODUCTION RATES
IMPROVING CONSISTENCY

Gravity Die Castings up to 5 kilos in all suitable Aluminium & Zinc Alloys
Principal Aluminium Alloys: LM5, LM6, LM9, LM16, LM24, LM25, LM27 & LM31
Principal Zinc Alloys: ZA3, ZA8, ZA12 & ZA27
MRT supplies castings to all standard heat treatment specifications

LOW PRESSURE DIE CASTING

Low pressure casting is a development of the permanent mould process, in which the metal
is introduced into the chill mould from below. Gas pressure holds the metal in the die until it
solidifies. As with high pressure diecasting the process requires complex machinery. It is
repetitive, and may be automated. Production rates are fair, but not as good as high
pressure. Minimum wall thickness' are as little as 2-3mm. It has high yields of over 90%, as
runners and risers are excluded, also reducing fettling and trimming costs. Pore-free
castings are obtainable. Machine size will limit the size of castings. Surface finishing and
minimum wall thickness' are both better than gravity die casting, but poorer than high
pressure die casting.

HIGH PRESSURE DIE CASTING

High pressure die casting, often shortened to Pressure Die Casting, is a repetitive
process where identical parts are cast at high production rates by injecting molten
metal under pressure into a metal die. Again, this process requires complex
machinery. High pressure die casting is ideally suited to high production rates, and
wall thickness' can be as little as 1-2.5mm. It provides the best surface finish (1.5m),
and a very fine grain surface can be obtained. Pressure die casting has high
strength. Castings may be quenched from the die. Machine size will limit casting
size. Sound thick sections are difficult to cast, and core configurations must be
complex to enable disassembly. High pressure die castings may suffer from porosity,
although evacuated chamber and other techniques may reduce this. High start up
costs are only reduced by long casting runs, thus enabling low unit cost with a high
volume production. Pressure die castings cannot be fully heat treated.

High pressure die casting provides the shortest route from molten metal to
completed component, by injecting molten metal into a hardened steel mould
and allowing it to solidify under pressure before ejection.

The process allows fast, precise, cost effective production of aluminium or zinc die
castings, meeting the needs of hi-tech industries where product appearance and
dimensional tolerances are critical. MRT have high pressure die casting machines
with locking forces of between 220 and 530 tonnes. All feature computerised real-
time shot control, automatic ladling, die-spray, automatic casting extraction and
cooling.

Small Quantities? - No Problem! Many pressure die casting foundries only offer

their services for high volume orders, claiming that lengthy set-ups make the process
prohibitive to small quantities of zinc or aluminium die castings. MRT have optimised
their tooling preparation and set-up operations to make the process more accessible
to customers who require only small quantities, but whose applications would benefit
from the excellent dimensional and cosmetic properties of pressure die casting. So,
MRT can provide the complete service, whether you require a batch of 10 or 10,000.

4 Pressure Die Casting Cells - Locking Forces from 220 to 530 tonnes. All cells feature
state-of-the-art real-time computerised shot control, robot ladling and die-spray, and
automated casting extraction.
4 Hydraulic Trimming Presses - Sizes from 5 to 25 tons.
Pressure Die Castings - up to 5 kilos in all suitable Aluminium & Zinc alloys
Principal Aluminium Alloys: LM2, LM6, LM24, LM25, Castasil 37
Principal Zinc Alloys: ZA3, ZA8, ZA12, ZA27

INVESTMENT CASTING 

This casting method involves producing a "wax pattern" by injecting wax or plastic
into a pattern die. The pattern is attached to gating and runner systems and this
assembly is dipped in a hard setting refractory slurry which is then cured. The
pattern is melted out of the mould to leave an exact cavity. The mould is heated to
cure the refractory and to volatilize the remaining pattern material. The moulds are
baked and molten metal is poured into the mould cavity. On solidification of the
casting, the mould material is broken away from the casting.

SECTION THICKNESS
The minimum section thickne

The minimum section thickness which can be cast is proportional to the total surface
area. However, other factors must be taken into consideration, including:

The fluidity of the chosen alloy

The metallurgical quality required

The complexity of the casting

Where minimum sections are specified, particular attention must be paid to radii, taper,
tolerances and changes of section. Tolerances and minimum section thickness is variable
depending on the casting process such as: Sand Casting, Die Casting and High Pressure
Die Casting.

METAL THICKNESS: ALUMINIUM & ZINC SAND CASTINGS

METAL THICKNESS: ALUMINIUM & ZINC GRAVITY DIE CASTINGS

METAL THICKNESS: ALUMINIUM PRESSURE DIE CASTINGS
METAL THICKNESS: ZINC PRESSURE DIE CASTINGS
METAL THICKNESS: COPPER ALLOY SAND CASTINGS
HEAT TREATMENT
HEAT TREATMENT OF ALUMINIUM ALLOYS

Most aluminium castings are used in the ‘as cast’ condition, but there are certain
applications that require higher mechanical properties, or different properties from
the as cast material. 

The heat treatment of aluminium castings is carried out to change the properties of
the as cast alloys by subjecting the casting to a thermal cycle or series of thermal
cycles.  For sand castings and gravity die castings all heat treatments are possible,
though not all are standardised.  Pressure die castings however, cannot generally be
heat treated.

The following are the suffixes used in the UK to indicate the heat treatment condition
of BS1490 Aluminium Alloys:

M         As cast

TS       Thermally stress relieved, annealed

TB      Solution heat treated and naturally aged to a substantially stable condition

TB7    Solution heat treated and stabilised

TE       Artificially aged

TF       Solution heat treated and artificially aged

TF7     Solution heat treated, artificially aged and stabilised

The following alloys are not fully heat treated: LM0, LM2, LM5, LM6, LM20, & LM24.

The following alloys may be heat treated, but their properties are not standardised in
the heat treated condition shown: LM12, LM21, LM27-TF & LM30-TF.

The following alloys are standardised in the heat treated conditions indicated: LM4-
TF, LM9-TE, LM9-TF, LM13-TE, LM 13-TF, LM13- TF7, LM16-TB, LM16-TF, LM22-
TB, LM25-TE, LM25-TB7, LM25-TF, LM26-TE, LM28-TE, LM28-TF, LM29-TE,
LM29-TF, LM30-TS.

LM31 is a naturally ageing material, which may also be artificially aged.

HEAT TREATMENT OF ZINC ALLOYS

Zinc alloys are not generally heat-treated, but annealing of ZA27 alloy considerably
improves ductility

THE CHOICE OF FINISH

MECHANICAL FINISHING
There are a variety of mechanical finishing processes which can enhance the
aesthetic quality of castings, and in several cases these processes will also be used
as a pre-treatment if the casting requires subsequent painting. For Sand castings,
Shotblasting is often used to remove sand, and to provide an even surface finish
whilst giving a good key for painting. In the case of Gravity and Pressure Die
castings, Vibratory Finishing is the most efficient method for cleaning the castings,
removing burrs and smoothing the surface. This provides a more pleasing casting
finish and again is a good preparation for subsequent painting. To achieve a
polished casting finish, a cheap and effective method is Ball Burnishing, which is
often used on aluminium cookware and window furniture. Polishing provides an
attractive finish for castings, but care must be taken in selecting alloys which have
corrosion resistance appropriate to their destination environment.

ALOCHROMING
Alochroming, or Chromating is a chemical treatment for Aluminium alloy castings,
which involves immersion in chemical baths, spraying or brushing, with a solution
that chemically reacts with the Aluminium to produce an etched surface or to form a
chemically converted protective film on the aluminium surface. It can also be used as
a pre-treatment for painting. The chemical conversion process gives decorative and
corrosion resistant finishes, but for most applications they are generally too easily
abraded to be of practical use alone. We offer Alocrom 1200, which produces an
irredescent gold colour, and Alocrom 1000 which gives a light green colour. The
finish is electrically conductive, and inexpensive to produce, making it ideal for large
quantities of small items. With the recent introduction of the RoHS Directive, we are
now encouraging customers to move to Trivalent Chromate equivalents of these
products, which offer similar protection but with the use of fewer harmful chemicals.
The principal Trivalent chromate we offer is Alocrom 407/47, which is a RoHS
compliant equivalent to Alocrom 1200.

ELECTROPLATING

Electroplating is a process which is used extensively on Zinc and Copper alloy

castings, and to a more limited extent on Aluminium castings, mostly for decorative
purposes. The coatings used include Copper, Nickel, Zinc, Chromium, Silver and
Gold. A high degree of surface soundness is required.

POWDER COATING, PAINTING, SILK SCREEN PRINTING, ENAMELLING

Powder Coating is a low cost process for items requiring a high degree of impact and
abrasion resistance. It is an electrostatic process where powdered pigment is
sprayed from a gun and is electrically attracted to the component. The powder is
then fused by heat in an oven. The resulting finish is tough and durable, and is
available in varying levels of gloss and texture. It should however be borne in mind
that masking on items to be powder coated is difficult and time-consuming (hence
costly), and should be avoided if possible. Small surface blemishes which are not
easily detectable on raw castings become much more noticeable after powder
coating. Specialist powders are available for particular applications, including anti-
bacterial coatings for medical applications, and anti-graffiti coatings for street
furniture etc. For higher levels of surface finish, Wet Sprayed Coatings should be
considered. Wet painting involves spraying a pigment suspended in a solvent onto a
component, which must be rotated to give complete coverage. Proper surface pre-
treatment and the application of a suitable primer such as Zinc Chromate is essential
if the final paint coating is to be truly protective. Stove Enamelling temperatures are
not usually high enough or of sufficient duration to influence the properties of
Aluminium castings but should be taken into account with fully heat treated castings.
Where it is necessary to add lettering or other artwork to painted castings, this can
often be achieved by Silk Screen Printing.

ANODISING

Anodising is an electrolytic process for producing a thick oxide coating on

Aluminium. Anodising takes advantage of the natural oxide film that is formed
spontaneously on the surface of Aluminium when exposed to the air. This natural
oxide film, which is extremely thin, protects the underlying metal, giving its well
known properties of resistance to corrosion. With time the film will go grey in colour
which is acceptable in some applications, but not in situations which appearance is
importance. In aggressive atmospheres the film can become sooty, and sometimes
even powdery. Anodising thickens this oxide film electro-chemically to give a hard
transparent coating, which greatly increases corrosion resistance and has the
advantage of protecting any polished, chemically brightened, etched or similar
surface finish. Unsealed anodic films are microporous and can be dyed. Sulphuric
Acid Anodising is the most common form, offering an anodic film thickness of
between 3 and 25 microns. Thinner films are ideal for decorative finishes, which can
be dyed, etched or brightened to enhance appearance. Thicker films are appropraite
for external applications where durability, corrosion resistance and wear are the main
criteria. Chromic Acid Anodising produces anodic films of between 3 and 7 microns.
It does not have such good wear properties, but is more ductile and provides a good
key for paint and bonding. This finish is opaque in appearance.

MACHINE FINISH ALLOWANCES

When machining castings, it is always advisable to discuss with the foundry the
method of machining and the locations to be used as datums for each operation. As
will be seen on the notes regarding tolerances, the dimensional relationship between
different areas on a casting varies according to the die and mould construction.

The need for a cnc machinist and die designer to co-operate cannot be over
emphasised. Frequently, the cost of finished castings can be significantly reduced by
arranging for casting feeders to be located on areas which are to be machined. This
minimises the need for fettling, and eliminates the feeder witnesses on the finished
component.

Below is a table showing the amount of metal normally added for machining. The
amount of material to be added is related to the overall size of the casting, rather
than varying with individual dimensions. The designer should select that line on the
table below showing the range within which the casting's greatest dimension falls.

GREATEST SAND CAST GRAVITY DIE GRAVITY DIE PRESSURE DIE

DIMENSION CAST WITH SAND CAST CAST
CORES

less than 150mm 1.5 1.5 1.125 .0.375

150-300mm 2.25 .2.25 .1.5 0.5

300-450mm 3.0 3.0 1.875 0.625

450-600mm 3.75 4.5 2.25 0.75

The values given in the above table are based on maximum 'build-up' or a 'safety
factor' for average casting variations in flatness, squareness, concentricity, etc., as
well as linear tolerance. The values are the minimum recommended, and taper,
when required, must be added to the above values.