Aluminium casting | Cast Aluminium

Aluminium casting can be performed successfully in a number of different processes from sand casting and investment casting to high volume applications such as gravity and pressure die casting. Cast aluminium benefits from being light and easy to work, melting temperatures are relatively low at about 700 deg C removing many of the process obstacles associated with casting steel. Aluminium castings as die castings can produce high quality, highly accurate parts requiring minimal post operations, its low strength in comparison to steel means it is easily machined if required. Cast aluminium alloys are also used extensively in the automotive industry with the sand cast process to produce low cost, light weight engine and transmission parts. Think of your cylinder head, gearbox casing etc, these parts would not be commercially viable from solid and although they still require finish machining, the aluminium casting reduces the machining element and mass dramatically, and also allows for complex shapes and geometry to be produced. The same applies to investment cast aluminium parts with design parameters maximized due to the flexibility of the process.

Aluminium casting is a massively used process providing a low cost solution for applications where strength is less important but with good corrosion resistance. Being non ferrous the material will not “rust”; although the surface can deteriorate in general atmospheric conditions it will not affect its structural integrity. Suggested protective finishes for cast aluminium include anodising or painted finish.