Design

Investment casting gives an additional alternative freedom of design, to supplement or replace other metal forming techniques such as fabrication or machining.

This gives design engineers greater options with regard flexibility, strength, weight, durability and cost effectiveness manufacture.

The casting centre uses 'Pro-E' software to interpret customer requirements and use as a 'feed system' design tool for each job and in preparation for future simulation software.

General guidelines below will enable the optimum advantages to be gained from our processes - our technical experts are freely available to assist and advise pre and post design options, in order to achieve the required product specification at an economic cost.

Key areas for design consideration include :

Tolerances / Wall Sections / Internal Corners / Internal Channels & Undercuts / Datum Planes & Tooling Points / Holes & Pin Arrays / Machined Areas.

TOLERANCES (re Tables 1 to 4)

Tolerences should be applied to relevant critical / function dimensions, unnecessary or over close tolerances may make the casting less economic. Consistent process repeatability will be acheived, on dimensions with 'close' and 'open' tolerances.

WALL SECTIONS

A wall thickness down to 1.0 mm is consistently achievable; the casting centre can offer technical advice to optimise specific designs. 

MACHINED AREAS

Machining allowance can be accurately kept to a minimum, reflecting design and reducing costs. 

INTERNAL CORNERS

Internal corners should have largest fillet radii acceptable - preventing stress raisers and aiding manufacture.

INTERNAL CHANNELS & UNDERCUTS

Complexity of hidden channels and undercuts will affect costs of tooling and production.

DATUM PLANES & TOOLING POINTS

Centrally disposed datum points are preferable to end datums. Indication of tooling points enables relevant dimensional checks. 

HOLES & PIN ARRAYS

Holes are generally cast at a ratio 2:1.5 diameter to depth, difficult hole grids and pin arrays can be produced as advised.