Hansheng Automation (Dongguan) Co., Ltd. is one of the most experienced manufacturers and suppliers of lost foam casting in China. If you're going to wholesale bulk cost-effective lost foam casting made in China, welcome to get pricelist and quotation from our factory. Also, customized service and OEM&ODM service are available.
Hansheng Automation has been deeply involved in the foundry industry for many years, not only has an independent casting factory and casting processing factory, but also has a complete set of large-scale equipment, which can meet the casting needs of most customers, we often use the casting process Sand Casting, Lost Foam Casting, Investment Casting, etc. has provided precision casting parts services for tobacco machine manufacturers, CNC machining machine tool manufacturers and other large equipment manufacturers, and has been recognized and rebated by customers. We hope to be able to pass on our high-quality service to more customers and solve the problem of parts casting for customers.
Features of lost foam casting
Lost foam casting is a casting process that uses polystyrene plastic to make molds for casting, which has many characteristics:
Molds are not reusable
Metal molds used in other casting processes can be reused.But lost foam casting using polystyrene plastic mold in the casting will be molten metal solution melting, so the mold is a one-time, can not be reused.
Short casting cycle
We are equipped with CNC Automatic Mold Making Equipment for mass production of molds, and the cycle time from the making of the mold to the completion of the casting usually takes only 2-3 days.The cycle time for other casting processes can take weeks.
Support for complex structures
Vanishing mold casting can be used to cast blanks for impellers or other precision parts with internal cavities and thin walls, but it is necessary to prepare the mold core in advance to realize the internal cavities and thin walls.
Lost foam casting process
Lost foam casting enables precision manufacturing of complex metal parts through several key steps, and the following is a detailed description of the lost foam casting process:
For casting, it is necessary to make the mold of the product first, and different molds are used for different casting processes.Lost foam casting uses Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) to make the molds, and in order to make the pouring go smoothly, we also need to design and make the intersection system and assemble it with the molds.
In order to prevent rough sand from affecting the smooth surface of the foam mold, it is necessary to cover the surface of the foam mold with a fire-resistant coating.The refractory coating is able to restore all the details of the mold very well.
After the molds are prepared, the corresponding metal materials are selected according to the customer's drawings, and the materials are melted in the furnace.Because the melting point of the metal material is very high, so it needs to be well protected from high temperature.
After doing the above three steps, you can place the mold into a container with sand.Fill the container with sand and gently vibrate the container to fully coat the mold with dry sand.The molten metal is then poured into the mold and cooled to shape.
After molding, it is necessary to remove the casting from the container and clean the surface of the casting from residue and sand.If higher precision is required for the cast product, CNC finishing is performed.
The above is the process of Lost Foam Casting, in which the generation of waste can be greatly reduced and the dry sand used in casting can be recycled.This type of casting can provide complex shapes with a high degree of finish and precision, and can meet the needs of many fields.
Common materials and applications
Lost foam castings can be used in a variety of materials, including cast iron, cast steel, cast aluminum and cast copper. For each material, the casting application scenarios are also very different, and the following table will give you a faster understanding of the typical application scenarios of these materials.
|
Type of material |
Commonly used models |
Typical application scenarios |
|
cast iron |
HT250/HT300/QT200 |
Machine tool bed, engine housing |
|
cast steel |
ZG270-500/ZG20Cr13 |
Mining machinery, corrosion-resistant valves |
|
Cast aluminum |
A356/ZL104 |
Automobile wheels, aviation brackets |
|
Cast bronze |
C90300/C95500 |
Marine accessories, wear-resistant bearings |
In addition to the above commonly used models, we can also carry out other types of material castings according to customer needs, you are welcome to contact us to get the right casting service for you.
Lost Foam Casting Technical Capabilities
At Hansheng Automation, we adhere to strict industrial standards to ensure the performance and precision of every casting.
| Parameter | Specification / Capability |
|---|---|
| Max. Processing Size | 3800 mm × 1500 mm × 1200 mm (Overall company capability, subject to project evaluation) |
| Casting Tolerance (General) | ISO 8062 CT8 - CT9 (Free tolerance approx. ±1mm) |
| Casting Tolerance (High Precision) | Achievable specified tolerance of ±0.03mm through post-machining |
| Surface Finish (Ra) | Ra 6.3 - 12.5 µm (Better than sand casting, comparable to investment casting) |
| Weight Range | 0.5 kg - 500 kg |
| Min. Wall Thickness | 3.0 mm (Depends on material and geometry; can be thinner for aluminum alloys) |
| Draft Angle | 0° (No Draft) – A core advantage, enabling the casting of perfectly vertical walls. |
| Machining Allowance | 1.5 mm - 3.0 mm (Near-net shape, can reduce machining time by up to 50%) |
Why Choose Lost Foam? Process Comparison
Understanding the differences between Lost Foam, Sand Casting, and Investment Casting helps you choose the most cost-effective solution for your project.
| Feature | Lost Foam Casting | Sand Casting (Green Sand) | Investment Casting (Lost Wax) |
| Design Complexity | Very High (Can cast complex internal channels without cores) | Low to Medium (Limited by core placement) | High |
| Surface Finish | Excellent (Smooth) | Rough | Superior (Mirror-like) |
| Dimensional Accuracy | High (CT8-CT9) | Low (CT10-CT12) | Very High (CT5-CT7) |
| Tooling Cost | Medium (Aluminum molds for foam) | Low (Wooden/Metal patterns) | High (Metal dies for wax) |
| Unit Cost | Lower for medium/high volume | Lowest for simple parts | Highest |
| Parting Lines | None (Seamless finish) | Yes (Requires grinding) | None |
| Best For... | Complex structural parts, Housings, Manifolds | Simple, heavy machinery parts | Small, intricate, high-value alloys |
FAQ
Q: Are lost foam castings suitable for producing oversized parts?
A: Yes, castings up to 10 tonnes can be produced (e.g. machine beds), but large flasks and dedicated shakers need to be customized.
Q: How to solve the problem of carburization of steel castings?
A: The STMMA model (carbon content is 30% lower than EPS) was adopted, and 0.1%-0.3% decarburizer (such as CaO) was added during pouring, and the pouring temperature was controlled ≥ 1550°C.
Q: What are the causes and solutions of common defects (porosity, slag inclusion, collapse box) of lost foam castings?
A: The porosity is mainly due to the fact that the foam pyrolysis gas is not discharged in time, which can be improved by increasing the pouring temperature (1470-1580°C for gray cast iron) and the vacuum pumping rate. Due to the poor sealing of the gating system or the involvement of sand particles, it is necessary to seal the connection between the sprue and the model with a quick-drying coating, and cover the top of the sand box with asbestos cloth to prevent sand particles from splashing, and at the same time use resin sand to prefill the edge of the box to strengthen the support. The collapse of the box is often caused by insufficient negative pressure or "flash" of molten metal, so it is necessary to embed resin sand stiffeners around the pouring cup and maintain negative pressure through a variable frequency vacuum pump.
Q: What types of castings are not suitable for the lost foam process?
A: Lost foam casting has clear restrictions on materials and structures: the most suitable gray cast iron (second to ductile iron, cast steel), low carbon steel and alloy steel need special treatment; The structure is suitable for complex parts (such as boxes and shells) with uniform wall thickness (10-20mm), and thick-walled parts (>50mm) are easy to fracture due to foam slag inclusions.
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