Full-mold casting

The foam casting is a molding method for the production of complex parts made ​​of metallic materials such as aluminum. It belongs to the casting process with lost form. The name full-mold casting is derived from the process characteristic. The form is when it is poured "full", so it has no cavity corresponding to the workpiece to be produced.

The procedure

Main process

The specificity of the full-mold casting, is that the melt ( 1) is poured into a sand mold, in which a model of PS -E ( 2 ) is contained, corresponding to the desired workpiece. In the vicinity of the respective melt the PS-E gasified completely; the released gas (3) is sucked through the molding sand (4) from the mold ( 5). After solidification of the melt, the workpiece can be removed from the mold, similar to the conventional sand casting.

Preparation

In preparation of the actual casting is a 1:1 model of the workpiece from expandable polystyrene (PS -E), better known by the trade name Styrofoam, created. Here, the PSE model can be composed of several parts. Thus, complex workpieces can be (eg, intake manifold ) to build out a form technically simple, undercut-free elements. The PS- D model is coated with a protective coating, known as sizing, so that during casting, a direct contact of the melt is avoided to the sand. The thus prepared model PS-E is introduced into a container having the form of sand, so that the preparatory work is completed

Special Features

• With the PS-E model can be dispensed binder in the form of sand, so that the sand can be used again without limitations. The environmental impact of the gaseous PS E is much smaller than the resulting binder required in alternative methods. Thus, the method stands out as a particularly environmentally friendly.
• As can be complex shapes break down into simpler, undercut-free elements, this method is particularly suitable for complex parts. Even cavities that would otherwise be consuming mapped with cores are easy to implement.
• Since PS-E can be easy and inexpensive process, even in large numbers, the process is easily automated and cost-effective.

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