During a casting process a liquid material is poured into a mold, where it cools down and obtains it definite shape. There are several ways of creating a mold, depending on the final purpose of the product, a suitable technique is chosen.
Sand casting
This type of casting is the most easy and frequently used to create a mold. It makes use of a wooden or synthetic material model, that has the shape of the mold. This model is then used to create the desired shape in the sand mold.
The material of the mold has to meet the following requirements; it has to be strong, heatproof and gasses needs to be able to exit the mold.
Sand is therefore a cheap and suitable material.
Plaster casting (metal)
The process of plaster casting is similar to sand casting, with the exception that the sand is replaced with a model made of plaster. This technique makes it possible to create molds varying from 30 grams to 45 kilograms. Materials frequently made with plaster casting are for example: locks, gearshifts, tools and valves.
Compared to other casting processes this method is relatively cheap, due to the fact that it easy to shape plaster. The quality depends much on the way the mold is made and needs to be very precise in order to guarantee optimal quality.
Similar to sand casting the process can be automated, with the right supervision of staff.
Die Casting
Die casting is one of the most frequently used casting processes for synthetic materials. This technique is applicable for materials with a low melting point, for example thermoplastic synthetic materials. The model is made of steel and therefore it is impossible to cast under high temperatures.
The material is melted and injected under high pressure into the die, which is shaped according to the desired final product.
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