Sand casting is one of the oldest and most widely used casting methods in the world.
In the following sections, we will introduce three of the more popular types of sand casting methods, showcasing the differences between their processes, the benefits each one provides, and their applications among various industries.
Armed with such information, you will have a better idea as to which one would be the best choice for your custom metal parts project.
Green sand casting is one of the most popular and economical methods of producing metal castings. During the process, wet sand (a.k.a green sand) along with some clay, water, and coal is used as the mold material – a combination that helps create stronger molds.
The sand is not green in color but is called “green” because its moisture content is similar to the moisture content of green wood.
The process can make castings of various sizes, shapes, materials, and complex internal features because of its use of sand-shaped cores, which are inserted into the mold cavity for the purpose of creating hollow spaces (undercuts).
These undercuts greatly assist in creating hooks, grooves, and other elements that have a direct effect on the functionality of a cast part.
The green sand casting method employs eight steps to create castings.
After the above steps are completed, the solidified cast is revealed and further machining can be performed if further dimensional accuracy and a smoother surface finish are needed.
Green sand casting has several advantages over other casting methods.
For example:
The above benefits make this method a good choice for metal parts projects that are large in size but that also have to be made on a tight budget.
This type of casting is widely used in industries like automotive, aerospace, marine, construction, and agriculture because of its ability to produce a wide range of applications.
Some of the more popular uses of green castings within the industries mentioned above include:
As can be seen from the above applications, green sand casting is an extremely versatile manufacturing process.
This versatility combined with its low production cost and high productivity levels makes it one of the most efficient and cost-effective methods for making large metal castings at a reasonable price.
Similar to green sand casting, dry sand casting also uses sand as the mold material.
However, unlike green sand casting, the sand mold in dry sand casting is created by mixing sand with a chemical adhesive (binder) before it is shaped and baked at a high temperature to make it stronger and more resistant to deformation.
Dry sand casting can produce large and complex castings from both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
This process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to seven days to complete a cast, depending on the size of the part being created.
However long or short the lead time is, the process will always involve the following steps:
After the removal, the sand mold may undergo further finishing processes such as cleaning, trimming, machining, or heat treatment to enhance the quality and performance of the cast component.
Dry sand casting offers several advantages over other sand casting methods.
These advantages include:
Along with the above benefits, the dry sand casting method also offers a high degree of accuracy and versatility., which is why it is often favored by large foundries over other manufacturing methods.
The process of dry sand casting is one of the primary casting methods of choice for industries that require large and complex castings with high performance and durability.
For example, automotive, aircraft & aerospace, mining, agriculture, marine, railroad, sports & recreation.
Some of the more common applications of dry sand casting are:
Since the dry sand casting process can produce large and intricate castings from ferrous and non-ferrous metals with high accuracy, high quality, durability, and longevity, it can be used for creating custom metal components for many applications in various industries that require high performance and very strong castings.
This sand-casting process uses a mixture of resin and sand to create molds for metal casting.
Unlike green sand casting, which uses clay and water as binders, resin sand casting (a.k.a. no-bake sand casting) uses a thermosetting resin that hardens and strengthens the sand mold so that it can withstand the excessive heat of the casting process.
Resin sand molds can be used to make either a part or the whole of the mold, depending on the shape and size of the desired part, and can also work with various metals that are ideal for casting parts such as iron, steel, aluminum, and bronze.
Resin sand mold casting is an ideal manufacturing method for both small and large-scale production, as well as for parts that require customization due to its flexibility in sizing and the reusability of the sand mold.
The duration of the resin sand casting process can vary depending on the complexity of the part being produced.
However, in general, it is not considered a fast method.
There are usually nine steps that need to be taken to complete the resin sand casting process.
These steps are as follows:
Each of these steps takes time and some resin systems may need a longer time to reach full hardness before the pattern can be removed, making it a better choice for lower volume runs than higher volume production which typically takes more time to complete.
Resin sand casting offers several benefits that other casting methods do not often provide.
These include:
Because of the above benefits, as well as the process’s versatility and ability to produce intricate and complex designs, it can be used in a wide range of industries for a host of applications.
Resin sand casting has extensive applications across various industries, such as automotive, aerospace, heavy machinery, art and sculptures, marine, and electronics.
Within these industries, resin sand castings are used to create:
As can be seen from the above list, resin sand castings can be used in a variety of applications – largely due to their versatile and cost-effective nature.
This process can also produce complex metal parts with good dimensional accuracy and surface finish, making it a perfect choice for industries that require detailed and intricate parts for the production of their products.
The three main types of sand casting methods discussed above are excellent methods for producing custom metal components.
Which one to choose will depend on the specific requirements of your particular project.
Even though the information given in this post can aid you in choosing the right type of sand casting method for your metal parts project, the decision can still be quite challenging if you don’t consider factors such as the type of metal, the design specifications, the production volume, the budget, and the quality requirements needed to complete your project.
To assist even further in the decision-making process, it is advised to consult with a custom metal parts manufacturing company that has expertise in all three types of sand casting.
We can help you select the best option for your project and ensure that you get high-quality metal parts that meet all of your expectations.
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