Foundry work is one of the oldest manufacturing methods in the world. The production of today’s foundry has become mechanized and automated, which saves lots of larbour cost and improves production efficiency for casting production.
A steel foundry is a specialized steel casting manufacturing company that melts steel ingots into liquid status, pours it into a mold, and once it solidifies, removes the solid castings from the mold, and shot blasting, may well need some post treatments like machining and heat treatment until it is a finished part. Steel castings produced in a steel foundry are all used for industrial and commercial applications. Of course, each steel foundry has its own production procedures, and the production cost and capability will also vary from each other.
Process
The general steps operated in a steel foundry are:
1. Project and design
All the procedures started below are based on the order from our customers. Initially it is necessary for steel foundries to study the feeding & filling system of the pieces to be built, and make the necessary molds and patterns. Studies and computer simulations of steel castings solidification are made by the steel foundry to ensure the highest quality of the goods to be obtained during the process.
2. Melting & casting
For obtaining the liquid steel, the steel ingots are melted by the steel foundry in electric induction furnaces of medium frequency placed in the melting section. Depending on the type of steel alloys to be manufactured (carbon steel, alloy steel or stainless steel), the steel is melted at a temperature between 1450 °C and 1650 °C.
After the melting process, the steel is download to the ladle, and finally the liquid steel is poured into the moulds. After the solidification of the steel, the solid piece (as cast) is obtained .
3. Demoulding
Demoulding of the castings is produced with the separation of steel castings and shell, which will be performed by a vibrating shake-out system in steel foundries. Next is to remove the entries and the channels designed from the feeding system of the part. Cutting operations used can be air-gaz cutting , arc-air electrodes cutting, manipulators for feeders breaking
4. Heat treatments
The steel castings will be subjected to special heat treatments when required, in order to achieve the mechanical properties of strength, hardness and toughness. CFS foundry performs standard heat treatments, annealing, tempering, quenching and hardening in heating furnaces to natural gas.
The result of heat treatment of steel castings will be inspected by the steel foundry in different test equipment of the mechanical and metallographic analysis laboratory. Any requirement about tensile strength, yield strength, impact resistance and hardness can be obtained by heat treatment.
5. Shot-blasting
To obtain smooth surface, the steel casting blanks will be introduced into a shot-blasting machine.
6. Machining
Machining will be performed on some areas only when casting can not meet, and extra machining cost will be paid to the steel foundry. After machining, all the final dimensions and tolerances
required by the customer will be ensured.
7. Quality control and inspection
Final quality control procedures (dimensional and visual inspection, hardness, magnetic particles control, X-ray,…) should be carried out by all steel foundries, this will help to avoid delivering unqualified steel castings to the customer.
About CFS Steel Foundry
CFS Steel Foundry has an extensive history of steel casting at our location in Ningbo, China. Our Steel Foundry has rich experience in pouring all type of steel castings, and is capable of producing steel castings from a few ounces, up to 150 pounds utilizing investment casting and sand casting processes. We produce high quality steel casting products and provide exceptional customer service.
- Carbon steel castings, alloy steel castings or stainless steel castings from a few ounces to 150 pounds; any amount to meet our customers’ needs
- Wide range of ASTM standard cast steel grades
- In-house metallurgical testing and machining capabilities
Trust CFS Steel Foundry with your next metal casting project. Contact us for a quote today!