Pics of investment casting project taken a while back. This is what I saw then having magnesium prototype parts cast at ProtoCast Denver in 2008. Hope you enjoy
This is an example part that ProtoCast used to show the process - Not my parts! First they make a SLA or SLS master as a master part.
First Mold (left) - Half a clay 'mold' is made using the master part. They will use this clay mold to mold other molds.. the molds produced are disposable and broken when each part is de-molded.
Second mold made using the first mold as one half (Right) - Then they make a urethane mold ( the yellow one) of the clay negative 'master' . This will be used to mold the disposable sand molds. You can seem my bare parts in the background
Second mold made using the first mold as one half (Right) - Then they make a urethane mold ( the yellow one) of the clay negative 'master' . This will be used to mold the disposable sand molds. You can seem my bare parts in the background
Here they are creating the other half of the mold to cast - They enclose the half mold and master part with wood panels, then cover it with liquid clay, producing the other side of the half-mold.
Deep under the clay is everything in the left picture, including the SLA master part, so there will later be a hollow for molding the part.
When it dries, this second clay half-mold is then molded in the yellow urethane, just like the first side, to produce a reusable mold to create the disposable half-molds for the other side. Getting confused ;-) ?
Deep under the clay is everything in the left picture, including the SLA master part, so there will later be a hollow for molding the part.
When it dries, this second clay half-mold is then molded in the yellow urethane, just like the first side, to produce a reusable mold to create the disposable half-molds for the other side. Getting confused ;-) ?
They can mold very detailed parts! Here's an example of a magnesium turbine part.
Now they make the disposable molds... Sand is mixed with epoxy right before it goes into the mold. Epoxy-Sand Mixture like a putty at first.
This is packed into the molds - filling them with the sand-epoxy mixture. This will harden into a material that feels like sandstone.
This is packed into the molds - filling them with the sand-epoxy mixture. This will harden into a material that feels like sandstone.
Raw materials (left) - There is lots of raw material on hand.. aluminum and magnesium
Furnace (right) - This is where they melt down the raw metal.
The pour - here disposable molds are assembled and liquid metal is carefully poured in.
Mold cooling (left) - Waiting for the parts to cool.. you can see the crude sprue pipe.
Removing parts (right) - Breaking the mold off the parts... crumbles like weak sandstone.
Removing parts (right) - Breaking the mold off the parts... crumbles like weak sandstone.
My fresh cast part! needs lots of machining to clean it up and cut in the detailed vents...
Here are some of the other parts, pre and post machining.. note the silver parts where they cleaned up the metal castings.
Finished parts.. after casting and post-ops, the parts were powder coated and rubber overmolded.. producing a great finish and rugged feel.
