Casting Class

Best tip we can give Design Engineers?  Design for Manufacturing (DFM)! Always keep the end goal in mind. Before you finalize your design, you want to consider the manufacturing method. Why? Each manufacturing process has different design standards. Here are the standards for aluminum permanent mold metal casting. By following these standards, your product will be the strongest and most effic...

What does it take to make a casting cherry red? Learn everything there is to know about powder coating and painting aluminum castings in this podcast! Topics Include: Prepping and cleaning the casting Priming and painting Degassing Powder coating Inspection & fixing defects The future of the finishing industry Thank you, Jerry Burchett , for sharing your 40 years of experience in the paint and...

40+ year metal polisher shares his secret to polishing aluminum castings! Can you mirror buff aluminum? Zinc? Do all parts need polished? Even if they'll be powder coated? What about chrome plated?  Welcome to Metal Polishing 101. Learn about polishing tools and what finishes you can achieve in this month's podcast episode. Thank you, Danny Courter, 40+ year metal polishing veteran...

What technology is used to simulate the casting process? How does a simulation improve permanent mold design?  A casting process simulation ensures the client builds the best tool possible. For example, an FEA can reduce casting defects by predicting flow and solidification of metal in the mold.  Thank you Vadim Pikhovich from MAGMA for sharing your vast foundry knowledge!

Listen to the children's book Foundry Friends make a Casting ! Foundry Friends make a Casting uses fun and creative characters to tell the story of how a toy car is made. The toy goes through the metal casting manufacturing process - from engineering to polishing!  This storybook is a great way for children to learn about STEM through the lens of USA manufacturing.    We wrote this...

There are 5 things you should consider when machining aluminum castings: Material & Heat Treat Coolant & Cutters Fixtures Speeds & Feeds (and how this affects quoting!) Ergonomics & Recycling 

Want to quote a new casting project or thinking about re-quote an existing part? Here's everything your supplier needs to know to give you the best quote possible! The quoting process can be confusing, especially if you are shopping around at multiple foundries. Here's what you can expect. Your supplier will ask questions about... Background & Part End Use Timeline Machining, Polishing, Second...

How do robots impact the manufacturing industry?  Here's an engineer's guide to manufacturing automation.  In this podcast, we discuss different types of manufacturing robotics, including... Industrial Robots Collaborative Robots (cobots)  Universal Robots  Mobile Industrial Robots Robots empower employees, not replace them! Robotics have the potential to improve ergonomics, jo...

Let's talk supply, demand, and availability of aluminum. Like many materials, the price of aluminum has doubled in the last year. Why? Energy costs, labor, and government regulations all impact the cost of aluminum. With material demand outpacing supply, availability is also a hot topic. It's imperative you have a supply chain you can trust and build relationships in the market.  Did you know...

Sand casting, permanent mold casting, die casting - which process should I use? Here are the pros and cons of each metal casting method.