What is aluminum casting?
Aluminum casting is a metal forming process that allows the creation of complex aluminum features. Aluminum alloy ingots are heated at very high temperatures until they are completely melted. Liquid aluminum is injected under high pressure into the cavity of a steel mold, also known as an aluminum die. The mold is made up of two halves, and after the molten aluminum has solidified, they are separated to reveal the cast aluminum.Aluminum products form with a smooth surface and are often followed by minimal or no machining. Since a steel die is used, the process can be repeated many times using the same die over and over again, making aluminum die casting faster and more mass production possible. greatAdvantages of Aluminum Casting
Cast aluminum offers several advantages over other metal forming processes, which could make aluminum a popular material with applications.One of the most remarkable is the ability to create very complex shapes that neither the extruder nor the machine can efficiently create. A perfect example of this is the production of complex automotive parts, like gearboxes and engine blocks. Other processes cannot consistently achieve the complexity and tight tolerances required for these products.Some considerations when designing the molded part.
First, the mold must be designed to separate and allow the solidified aluminum to separate. The line marking where the two mold halves separate is called the dividing line and you must consider it in the early stages of mold design.Comparison of green sand and die casting processes
Green sand and permanent molding are two popular alternative casting processes for aluminum die casting. The green sand process uses wet sand to mold the casting so it is less expensive than the other process. An operator will pour molten metal into a sand casting mold.