Permanent Mold Casting Services
Permanent Mold Casting Services
Permanent mold casting is a metal casting process that employs steel or cast iron permanent molds to create numerous types of parts, components and products. Permanent mold casting is similar to die casting in that it uses a metal molds (a negative die) that is typically made from steel or cast iron. This process also shares some similarities with sand casting, since molten metal is poured into a mold negative which is clamped shut until the material cools and solidifies into the desired part shape.
At General Foundry, we can create castings with increased structural integrity for numerous applications utilizing our permanent mold casting process. We have the capabilities to produce the parts and components that you need with shorter lead times. Our metal casting experts will work with you to design and develop a permanent mold casting that is based on your unique specifications.
The Permanent Mold Casting Process
Permanent mold casting is typically used for high-volume production of smaller parts with uniform wall thickness. General Foundry pours aluminum and zinc aluminum in the permanent mold process. The permanent mold casting process is as follows:
- Mold preparation and core creation (shell or CO2 sand cores, if needed)
- The metal is poured into the pour bowl (machine resting horizontally)
- Machine tilts vertically
- Gravity feeds the molten aluminum into negative tooling
- Metal solidifies, machine tilts back horizontally
- The mold is opened, and the part is ejected with pins
Permanent Mold Casting Specifications
The permanent mold process is the closest process to die casting General Foundry offers and is used to create geometries that require increased structural integrity and intermediate to higher production volumes. The permanent mold tooling that we use is negative H-13 machined steel or cast iron, which provide the quickest cycle times, but also the highest overall tooling costs.
General Foundry utilizes tilt pour machines, which reduce the metal tumble during the pour. When coupled with preheated mold halves, this process produces superior metal characteristics for increased volume applications.
Additionally, the thinnest wall section (geometry dependent) for a permanent mold casting is about .160”. This process utilizes sand cores or metal pins, to create holes, hollow features or undercuts. The permanent mold surface finish will be slightly better than General Foundry’s green sand process, which is125 RMS.
Permanent Mold Casting Advantages
Permanent Mold Casting utilizes gravity-induced pressure with the help of rapid solidification to produce fully functional castings that are aesthetically pleasing and can be used for high volume production. Some of the direct benefits associated with permanent mold castings, include:
- Improved part definition and detail
- quicker solidification rate and tighter dendrite structure
- Less labor inputs and quicker cycles
- Can produce complex shapes and designs
- Good quality surface finish
- Improved mechanical properties of casting
- High volume production runs
