Aluminum investment castings are aluminum alloy castings produced by investment casting process, which have many advantages and are widely used in many fields.
1. Aluminum investment casting production process
Mold making:
First, make a mold according to the shape and size of the part, usually a steel mold or a silicone mold. Then inject the low melting point wax into the mold and form a wax mold after cooling. The wax mold is an exact replica of the part, and its quality directly affects the quality of the final casting.
Shell making:
Immerse the wax mold in a slurry composed of refractory materials (such as silica sol, water glass, etc.) and a binder, so that the surface of the wax mold is evenly coated with a layer of refractory materials, and then sprinkle a layer of quartz sand on it, and put it into ammonium chloride or magnesium chloride solution for hardening. Repeat the above process until a certain thickness of the shell is formed.
Dewaxing:
Put the wax mold with the shell into hot water or steam to melt the wax mold and flow out to obtain a hollow shell. The temperature and time of the dewaxing process should be controlled to avoid cracking or deformation of the shell.
Baking:
The dewaxed shell is placed in a high-temperature furnace for baking to remove moisture, organic matter and impurities in the shell and improve the strength and air permeability of the shell. The baking temperature is generally around 800-1000℃.
Melting and pouring:
The aluminum alloy raw material is placed in a furnace for melting and heated to a suitable temperature (generally 700-750℃) to make the aluminum alloy achieve good fluidity. Then the molten aluminum alloy liquid is poured into the baked shell. Under the action of gravity or pressure, the aluminum alloy liquid fills the shell cavity and forms a casting after cooling and solidification.
Post-processing:
After the casting is cooled, the shell is removed, and the casting is cleaned, polished, cut and other post-processing processes are carried out to remove the gate, riser, burr, etc. If necessary, the casting may also be heat treated and surface treated (such as anodizing, painting, etc.) to improve the performance and surface quality of the casting.
Our precision investment casting process starts with a precise wax pattern, which we use to make durable ceramic molds. After the mold is ready, we pour the molten aluminum alloy into the mold to create a casting with excellent precision and details. Aluminum is a lightweight, corrosion-resistant alloy that is often used for investment casting parts. Usually, we use aluminum investment casting technology in precision casting to produce key parts of the project, such as pumps and valves, oil and gas, petrochemicals, medical, firearms and other key industries to produce aluminum investment castings.
2. Features
High dimensional accuracy:
The investment casting process can accurately replicate the shape and size of the mold. The dimensional accuracy of aluminum investment castings can usually reach ±0.1mm - ±0.5mm, and the surface roughness can reach Ra1.6 - Ra6.3μm, which can meet the dimensional requirements of most precision parts and reduce subsequent processing steps.
Strong adaptability to complex shapes:
Castings with complex shapes and fine structures can be manufactured, such as parts with thin walls, deep holes, complex cavities and various special shapes, which are difficult to achieve with other casting methods. For example, some complex-shaped parts such as impellers and blades in aircraft engines can be well met by aluminum investment casting.
Good material properties:
Aluminum alloy itself has the advantages of low density, high specific strength, and good corrosion resistance. Through the investment casting process, these performance advantages of aluminum alloy can be fully utilized while ensuring the complex shape of the parts, so that the castings have a high strength-to-weight ratio, which is suitable for occasions with weight requirements.
High production efficiency:
The investment casting process can achieve mass production, and the production process is relatively automated, which can quickly produce a large number of identical castings, improve production efficiency, and reduce production costs.
3. Application field
Aluminum is a commonly used casting alloy for manufacturing important components and a lightweight alternative to stainless steel. We currently cast aluminum alloy, which is an alloy composed of aluminum, silicon, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese and zinc.
Aerospace field:
Due to the characteristics of light weight and high strength, aluminum investment castings are widely used in aircraft structural parts, engine parts, etc., such as wing beams, engine blades, impellers, etc., which help to reduce the weight of aircraft and improve fuel efficiency and flight performance.
Automotive industry:
Aluminum investment castings are often used in automobile engines, transmissions, chassis and other parts, such as engine blocks, cylinder heads, transmission housings, wheels, etc. These castings not only reduce the weight of the car, but also improve the heat dissipation performance of the engine and the handling performance of the vehicle, while reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Electronic industry:
As electronic products develop towards lighter and higher performance, aluminum investment castings have been widely used in electronic equipment housings, radiators and other parts. The good thermal conductivity and lightweight properties of aluminum alloys can effectively dissipate heat and reduce the weight of equipment, improving the portability and performance of products.
Medical device field:
Some medical devices, such as surgical instruments and medical equipment housings, also use aluminum investment castings. Aluminum alloys have good corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, and the high precision and good surface quality of castings can meet the use requirements and hygiene standards of medical devices.