What is counter gravity casting?

Counter-gravity casting, also called vacuum casting, is a mould filling technique in which low pressure created inside a mould cavity, causes prevailing atmospheric pressure on the melt surface to bring about an upward or counter-gravity movement of the melt into the mould cavity.

What is investment casting process?

Investment casting is an industrial process based on lost-wax casting, one of the oldest known metal-forming techniques. Investment casting is so named because the process invests (surrounds) the pattern with refractory material to make a mold, and a molten substance is cast into the mold.

What is centrifugal casting?

The centrifugal casting method is the method to produce pipes by pouring molten metal into a rapidly spinning cylindrical mold in which centrifugal force from the rotation exerts pressure on the molten metal. In 1952, Kubota developed its first centrifugal casting technology for steel.

How does Hitchiner use countergravity casting services?

Hitchiner uses its exclusive Countergravity Casting Services to cast the mold. In these processes, molten metal is drawn into the mold cavity in a controlled fashion, resulting in superior castings. The vacuum is released when the parts and a portion of the gates have solidified, allowing the molten metal in the central sprue to return to the melt.

How is argon used in countergravity casting?

Both chambers are back filled with Argon. A valve is opened and the melt is raised until the snout of the sprue enters the molten metal. Additional vacuum is applied to the upper chamber to draw the metal up.

How is counter gravity used in steel casting?

Counter-gravity filling and pressurization during solidification have been separately shown to improve casting quality in sand cast steel.

What happens to the molds after countergravity casting?

After countergravity casting, the molds are discharged from the casting machine into a special hopper that separates the castings from the support materials. The individual castings may then be tumbled or vibrated, stripping them of all shell remnants. Traditionally, the parts are cut away from the central sprue using a high speed friction saw.