Make a Selection

Choosing metalcasting is just the start. This article will help you navigate the casting
process palette and find the optimal one for your part.
Shannon Kruse, Associate Editor

D esign engineers must choose among

several manufacturing methods to
find the best fit for a particular compo-
by alloy, size and geometry.
Much of metalcastings appeal comes
from the geometries achieved through
best fits your part. With the wide range
of casting choices available, selecting a
process can be daunting, but running
nent. This fit takes into account manufac- shaping molten metal. Design engineers through the following checklist can make
turability, required properties, time and can use geometry to attain better proper- the task approachable.
cost. Every method, including fabricating, ties from their chosen metal because shape
forging, machining, and powder metal- controls stress points. Castability
lurgy has unique advantages, but metal- While youre considering metalcasting, When you are choosing an alloy, take
casting has the ability to manufacture the youll need to whittle down the list of note of the properties you are looking
widest range of engineered components available casting processes for the one that for. If you are choosing an alloy based

Choose an Compare properties of casting

processes and narrow your choice
alloy and
correlating



casting process
26 Engineered Casting Solutions November/December 2006
Fig. 1. Use this chart to compare the main casting processes by part specification.

Sand Plaster Permanent Centrifugal Lost Foam Investment Die

Metal
Iron
Steel
Aluminum
Copper
High Alloy Steel
Magnesium
Zinc
Titanium

Thickness (in.)
down to 0.025
down to 0.03
down to 0.1
down to 0.125

Tolerances
excellent
good
fair

Surface Finish (RMS)

300-200
200-100
less than 100

Draft (degrees)
2
1
0.5
0

Complexity
complex
moderate
simple

on structural considerations, be aware Some processes, such as sand casting or Microstructue

that elongation and yield strength can investment casting, are flexible enough to In some part designs, the effect of an
be traded off with geometry. Perhaps accommodate almost any type of metal. alloys microstructure on the properties
you can build that structural piece However, other casting processes, such as of the cast component is a major factor in
with aluminum rather than a heavier plaster, permanent mold, lost foam and producing a successful part, particularly
steel using the geometric freedom that diecasting, work best with a handful of for iron and aluminum parts. The rate
metalcasting provides. metal choices. The chart in Fig. 1 shows of solidification can either positively or
The metal you choose and its castability the metals to which each casting process negatively affect the metals desired proper-
will narrow your metalcasting options. is best suited. ties. Aluminum gains strength from small,

Compare lead times and cost

Shop
for
high tooling cost
low tooling lead time
low casting cost
medium tooling cost
low tooling lead time
low casting cost quotes
eliminated machining reduced machining

November/December 2006 For Design Engineers & Purchasers 27

Fig. 2. Use this chart to compare casting processes by cost and size.
Sand Plaster Permanent Centrifugal Lost Foam Investment Die
Casting Size
large
medium
small
very small

Tooling lead time

high
moderate
low

Tooling cost
high
moderate
low

Casting lead time

moderate
low

Casting Cost
high
moderate
low

Finishing Cost
high
moderate
low

Economical quantities
very large
large
medium
small

tight dendrites in its microstructure. The Other molding processes offer aspects of Dimensional Requirements
quicker the metal solidifies, the smaller the investment casting capabilities. Frequently, After youve narrowed down your list of
dendrites and the stronger the aluminum. one of those alternative processes can meet casting process candidates based on metal
Conversely, this same rapid solidification part requirements by matching specific ca- and size, you can dive into the dimensional
alters irons microstructure to adversely pabilities to specific component functional requirements and surface finish you are
affect its machinability. needs. For example, that 1,000-lb. part seeking. Because there is such a wide variety
Molding processes with a high thermal might have its needs met with precision of casting processes, you have the ability to
gradient, usually from metal tooling, such as air set molding with carefully engineered tailor a process and metal to fit your needs.
with permanent molding, are well-suited for cores and chills. Another part might have If you are looking for a smooth surface,
aluminum structural parts. But iron com- its needs met in the diecast, lost foam, per- diecasting will be your best bet, followed
ponents perform better with sand molding manent mold or resin shell processes. by plaster and investment casting. If elimi-
due to the slower solidification rate.

Size
Size matters when youre choosing a Narrow Your Choices
casting process. For instance, if you plan on Before you start piling stacks of casting start when you are trying to narrow down
designing a 1,000-lb. part, investment cast- process books on your desk, check the files your choices.
ing is a less likely candidate. Although fairly on the opposite page. Each casting process If youre still struggling to make a choice,
is listed with a photo of a representative call up a metalcaster from each process.
large investment castings do exist, the invest-
casting, features of the process, such as Ultimately, they will have the best knowledge
ment casting process has complexities that achievable dimensions and surface fin- of a process capabilities, and often, they
are best suited to very aggressive net shape ish, and a description of suitable jobs. will be able to show you additional tricks
requirements and/or tight specifiations for This quick reference is a good place to that will help you achieve your goals. ECS
solidification integrity and surface finish.

28 Engineered Casting Solutions November/December 2006

 SAND CASTING PLASTER CASTING PERMANENT MOLD

Suitable for: Suitable for:

most types of metal (except titanium) aluminum, copper, magnesium and
moderate or simple complexity zinc alloys
large, medium or small casting sizes (less than simple to moderate complexity
1 lb. to 10,000s of lbs.) medium or small casting sizes
quantities in the large, medium or small ranges (ounces to 200 lbs.)
quantities in small or medium ranges
Features:
thicknesses down to 0.125 in.; Features:
base tolerances of +/- 0.4-1 in. for green thicknesses down to 0.03 in.; Suitable for:
sand and +/- 0.01-0.5 in. for resin-coated; base tolerances of +/- 0.005-0.01 in.; aluminum, copper-base,
surface finish of 120-350 RMS; surface finishes between 63 and 125 RMS; magnesium and zinc alloys
draft of 0.5-2 degrees; simple complexity
minimum draft of 0.25-5 degrees; small to medium casting sizes (ounces
low tooling lead times;
moderate to low tooling lead times; low to moderate tooling cost to more than 100 lbs.)
low tooling cost ($800-$4,000); ($3,000 to $15,000) quantities in medium to large ranges
moderate to low casting lead times; low casting lead time;
moderate to low casting cost; low to moderate casting cost; Features:
moderate finishing cost. thicknesses down to 0.125 in.;
moderate to high finishing cost. base tolerance of +/ -0.015 in.;
surface finishes between 150-250 RMS;
draft of 2-4 degrees;

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING INVESTMENT CASTING

moderate tooling lead times;
moderate tooling cost ($5,000-
$20,000);
low to moderate casting lead times;
low to moderate casting cost;
moderate finishing cost.

LOST FOAM CASTING

Suitable for:
Suitable for: iron, steel, aluminum, copper-base, high-al-
steel, aluminum, high-alloy steel and cop- loy steel, magnesium and titanium alloys
per-base alloys moderate to high complexity
simple complexity (must be cylindrical) very small to medium casting sizes
small to large casting sizes (3-55 in. in diam- (ounces to 50 lbs.)
eter; 1-20 ft. long) quantities in the small to medium range
quantities in the medium range
Features:
Features: thicknesses down to 0.025 in.;
thicknesses down to 0.1 in.; base tolerances of +/- 0.003-0.008 in.;
base tolerances of 0.1-0.15 in.; surface finishes between 63-125 RMS;
surface finishes between 100-300 RMS; draft of 0-1 degree;
draft of 01 degree; moderate to high tooling lead time;
low to moderate tooling lead time; moderate to high tooling cost
moderate tooling cost ($10,000-$20,000); ($3,000-$10,000);
moderate casting lead time; moderate casting lead time;
moderate casting cost; low to high casting cost; Suitable for:
low to moderate finishing cost. moderate to high finishing cost. iron and aluminum alloys
simple to moderate complexity
small to medium casting sizes

DIECASTING
(ounces to 1,000 lbs.)
Suitable for: quantities in the small to medium
aluminum, magnesium and zinc alloys range
simple to moderate complexity
very small to medium casting sizes (ounces to 30 lbs.) Features:
quantities in the medium to very large range thicknesses down to 0.125 in.;
base tolerance of +/- 0.005 in.;
Features: surface finishes between 100-300
thicknesses down to 0.025 in.; RMS;
base tolerance of +/- 0.002 in.; draft of 1 degree;
surface finishes between 32-90 RMS; moderate tooling lead time;
draft of 0.5-3 degrees; moderate to high tooling cost
high tooling lead time; ($1,000-$200,000);
high tooling cost ($5,000-$500,000); low to moderate casting lead time;
low to moderate casting lead time; low to moderate casting cost;
low casting cost; low to moderate finishing cost.
low finishing cost.

November/December 2006 For Design Engineers & Purchasers 29

nating machining is a chief concern, know the flexibility to use cores when needed to casting process. Stereolithography patterns
that the sand processes are going to reduce create internal passageways or the ability lend themselves to investment casting be-
the machining less than others. Similarly, if to create cavities without cores may be a cause the prototype can be attached directly
you require thicknesses down to 0.025 in., deciding factor. Most permanent molds are to an investment tree and used to produce
minimal draft and excellent tolerances, di- not well-suited for cored-parts, but many the metal product. But fused deposition
ecasting and investment casting are the top shops use semi-permanent molding (metal or laminated object manufacturing rapid
choices. However, these high-end tolerances tools, sand cores) in order to produce the prototypes are rigid enough to be used as
and surface finishes come at a cost. necessary geometry of a part. On the other patterns for sand molds.
hand, investment casting and lost foam can Metalcasting holds a few other quirks
Special Considerations produce highly complex parts without the that can help you optimize your parts de-
Depending on the requirements of your use of cores at all. sign. Investment casting shells can be hot
part, other considerations might affect Secondly, the type of rapid prototyping when the molten metal is poured, which
your final casting choice. For instance, you use may naturally steer you to a certain improves the castability of the alloy. Post-
casting processes, such as hot isostatic press-
ing (HIP), can lend additional or improved
properties to a casting. HIP can heal defects
in solidified metal by using high tempera-
ture and high pressure to squeeze the part.
Titanium castings that are HIPed, for in-
stance, have isotropic structural properties
that can be preferable to anisotropic forged
titanium properties. Semi-solid casting, in
which the metal poured isnt completely
liquid, results in less solidification shrinkage
and entrained porosity.

Cost
With varying processes and capabilities
come varying costs. In general, the actual
casting cost for most processes is fairly low,
depending on the part you are designing. A
large portion of your initial cost will come
from the tooling for the mold and finishing
the component.
Sand casting generally comes with
the lowest tooling cost, while investment
and diecasting have the highest tooling
cost. It is important to remember that
quantity also will be a factor in tooling
costs. If the component is a high volume
job, tooling will be more expensive in
order to handle the wear and tear of
production. But, the higher the quan-
tity, the more economical it becomes to
front a higher tooling cost for a speedier
casting process.
At first glance, a casting process might
seem too pricey for the part youre de-
signing, but a more expensive process can
cut your total manufacturing costs in the
end. Remember to factor in tooling cost
and the cost of the final assembled part
(including machining assembly, etc.), as
well as the total value of the casting. Fig.
2 shows the guidelines for economical
quantities for each process.
The final value of the part also should
factor in weight savings and quality. If you
are able to sell the product at a higher price
because it is of higher quality, spending
a little more in casting production might
be worthwhile. When reducing weighting
is an important design factor, castings are
the most powerful form of engineered
metal component. ECS

30 Engineered Casting Solutions November/December 2006