Steel casting | Cast Steel

Cast steel components are used to replace other types of manufacture, such as fabrication, machined from solid or combinations of the two. In producing a cast steel part it is possible to reduce the labour content and number of processes to produce an item; as an example, a simple fabrication may be made from a number of laser cut plates and turned parts that are subsequently welded, dressed and machined to achieve the finished component. By replacing with a steel casting, particularly an investment casting, it may be possible to replace all the sub assembly parts with one single part that requires no post finishing. The cost of the component parts for this assembly may only be small compared to the cost of the cast steel part but the total process cost would not compare. Add to this potential benefits from lack of joints and welds, the improved aesthetics that a steel casting would offer, the design freedom and ability to add value by including part numbers or company logos into the tooling, and the “added value” that the steel casting offers increases significantly.

Other types of steel casting fit different applications, sand cast steel parts, commercial grade investment cast parts and die castings all have their own benefits. But in all cases the same basic rules apply. Each process requires an initial investment in tooling, so, unless there are exceptional circumstances, very low quantities tend not to be commercially viable, and each steel casting process has its own tolerances that need to be factored in when choosing the right process for the specific application. In certain circumstances, where the design is fairly straightforward, alternative low cost tools can be used. These could be made from silicone or resin and produced at a fraction of the hard tooling costs and are particularly suitable for investment castings.