Metal parts casting
Metal parts casting
(OP)
Hello all,
I am new here and seek much advice on my endeavors. Thank you in advance for your time.
In brief, I am considering making a mold to cast some small machine parts. I think ceramic may be the best choice for the mold. I need advise on how to make a small mold for the parts, where to obtain materials and so on. I can make the forms I wish to cast but I would like to make a reusable high temp mold with limited expansion/contraction characteristics.
I have read some articles on how it is done but most were commercial use and often ambiguous.
My questions are as follows:
Could someone recommend a place to obtain ceramic mold making materials for metal casting. Please.
Searching online results in a great many pottery making sites and I dont know anything about that either.
When using ceramic powders to make a mold, is it necessary to kiln fire the ceramic mold?
I have read about molds being made by repetitive dipping into a slurry but there was no mention if firing with the exception of burning out the plastic form used inside.
Why is ceramic mold casting for metal parts usually done in a mold which must be destroyed to free the casting?
Can a simple, high temp, precision ceramic mold be made to separate and be used again?
If not, is it because the metal makes such a bond with ceramic that it can not be freed otherwise?
If it can be made, What separation agent might one coat the surface of the mold with to facilitate removal of the casting?
Thank you for any advice offered
I am new here and seek much advice on my endeavors. Thank you in advance for your time.
In brief, I am considering making a mold to cast some small machine parts. I think ceramic may be the best choice for the mold. I need advise on how to make a small mold for the parts, where to obtain materials and so on. I can make the forms I wish to cast but I would like to make a reusable high temp mold with limited expansion/contraction characteristics.
I have read some articles on how it is done but most were commercial use and often ambiguous.
My questions are as follows:
Could someone recommend a place to obtain ceramic mold making materials for metal casting. Please.
Searching online results in a great many pottery making sites and I dont know anything about that either.
When using ceramic powders to make a mold, is it necessary to kiln fire the ceramic mold?
I have read about molds being made by repetitive dipping into a slurry but there was no mention if firing with the exception of burning out the plastic form used inside.
Why is ceramic mold casting for metal parts usually done in a mold which must be destroyed to free the casting?
Can a simple, high temp, precision ceramic mold be made to separate and be used again?
If not, is it because the metal makes such a bond with ceramic that it can not be freed otherwise?
If it can be made, What separation agent might one coat the surface of the mold with to facilitate removal of the casting?
Thank you for any advice offered





RE: Metal parts casting
Bruce
www.accuratus.com
RE: Metal parts casting
RE: Metal parts casting
Depending on you material requirement and the complexity of your part you could use something like the shell molding process to make your parts. After the initial cost the cost per shell mold is relatively cheap and requires only baking the shell, no firing.
They do use permanent metal molds for injection molding or die casting other alloys mainly Aluminum based. Here you are talking many, many dollars.
RE: Metal parts casting
RE: Metal parts casting
I personally would checkout the model steam engine sites on the Internet and purchase a set of rough castings for whatever type engine you desired.
A lot of people machine the components from cast irons that
can be purchased in all sizes and quantities. The same holds true for brass or bronze.