STAINLESS STEEL CASTING: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Choosing the right metal casting is important. The best suited component not only adds support to the built material, but also ensures its longevity. Stainless steel is the most commonly used and most sought after metal employed in a number of industries, such as transportation, food processing and construction.

Steel is an alloy of iron with carbon and includes a number of other elements too. It is also used in a variety of ways. The steel component you settle on should fit your requirements. Some considerations that are to be made while selecting the metal casting supplier are reliability and trustworthiness.

Purchase of stainless steel casting should be done only from genuine and qualified suppliers. Selection of the right suppliers is of primary concern when it comes to working with steel casting. Understand if your supplier is experienced and truly caters to your needs.

When molten steel is poured into a mould and is allowed to solidify, it gives rise to a metal component. The liquefied steel coils down in the cold mould producing steel casting. The mould can be of different shapes and the form of the casting can be changed accordingly. The metal should be casted to fit your requirements. Stainless steel casting should be done by professionals and experts to maximise the performance of the component.

Investment casting is a form of lost-wax casting. It is an ancient method of casting a metal into a new shape. A mould is made from wax or ceramic material. Once this material hardens and the required thickness and sturdiness is achieved, molten metal is poured into the mould to achieve the desired shape. Traditionally, beeswax was used to make the mould for lost-wax casting. But with more advances in the technology, more refined waxes and refractory materials are used to make the patterns. In modern times, the investment casting industry is flourishing. The varying advantages of investment casting make it an essential component of power generator and aerospace industries.

1. Making of pattern- The first step of stainless steel casting is the construction of pattern. Separated and specific patterns are prepared for each individual casting. The material for the pattern is wax. Liquefied wax is subjected to high pressure and inserted into the metallic dye. The wax is then allowed to solidify, after which the pattern is complete. This pattern is then attached to the gating system.

2. Making of mould- The pattern in the gating system is dipped into a ceramic material. This coating is allowed to dry and this process is repeated till the desired thickness of shell is attained.

3. Burn out- The next step is to remove the pattern from the casting. The mould is heated over and over again to allow the wax pattern to melt completely and drain out. This wax can be reused to make another pattern.

4. Pre-heating and pouring- The mould is heated to a certain temperature to drain out the residual wax to ensure the thin sections of the mould are properly filled. The molten metal is poured into the mould cavity. After the metal solidifies, the casting is taken out of the ceramic shell by fracturing the mould or dissolving it in chemicals.

1. It is not economical in terms of time and labour.

2. It is an expensive process.

3. Heavy stainless steel casting is difficult to produce.

1. Stainless steel can be casted into any shape.

2. It is durable and stands the test of time.

3. Intricate details can be added.

4. The material of the pattern can be reused later.

5. Smooth surface and high-quality finishing can be achieved.

6. It has high tolerance.

Stainless steel is used in a number of industries. It is used to make products like utensils, refrigerator, microwave oven, and washing machines. It is also used in making bars and plates which are often used for construction. Transportation and automobile industries heavily rely on stainless steel.

Stainless steel is an alloy which has high resistance and durability. Its physical properties include ductility which means it can be drawn into any shape. It is corrosion resistant as well as weldable into any desired form. Stainless steel casting can be tricky and complicated process. Therefore, to ensure proper quality of the material, the casting should only be done by experts.