Lost-foam casting (LFC) is a casting method used to create solid metal parts from molten metal. It is a new method of casting and it is often confused with lost wax casting, everybody thought lost foam casting and lost wax casting are same method with different name but they are totally different method .
- The first step of lost-foam casting is the creation of the foam mold. For small volume, the pattern can be hand cut or cut by CNC machine with pre setting program from a solid block of foam; if the shape is simple enough it can even be cut using a hot-wire cutter. If the shape is complex and the quantity is large, then the pattern can be mass-produced by a process similar to injection molding. I will show you guys automatic molding. This is automatic molding machine, foam bead is filled in the cavity of aluminum mold and under low pressure, it forms in pattern. For example, the pattern in my hand. The final pattern has 97.5% air and 2.5% EPS.
- Clustering: Glue the runner and raiser into pattern. What is raiser and runner? They are the system allow metal follow go in the pattern when pouring.
- Next, the cluster is coated by special coating, via dipping, brushing. After painting, the pattern is dried under 50°C. The coating thickness should be thin 1-2mm, the coating will protect foam pattern free from breaking, defecting. When metal burn the foam, the coating builds the wall between foam and sand, helps to keep the shape of casting.
- After the coating dry, the cluster is arranged to metal drum (flask). The drum has a system to discharge gas when pouring metal.
- Drum is filled in sand and vibrate. A vacuum pump is used to create negative pressure inside the drum.
- Pouring molten metal through the raiser, runner, go to foam pattern, pattern is burnt and metal takes place inside. After cooling, the metal formed the casting shape.
- Unloading the mold, cutting the runner, excess of metal and casting will be cleaned by shotblasting.
- Engineer will check the dimension, surface, tolerance and move to packaging area.
- Herein my hand is casting made by lost foam casting product. The surface is very good Specially, it is possible to foam pattern with thread and hole then casting, so no further processing is required.
Lost foam casting in Vietnam
Vietnam now becomes an excellent place to source products, and assuming that your product can be made here, maybe cheaper cost and high quality. Many people are finding that the products can be better in Vietnam.
Vietnam has set up several industrial Investment Zones to promote free trade. In 2019, there are over 18 Economic Zones and 369 Industrial Zones. The manufacture landscape of Vietnam is now better and clear.
Foundry companies in Vietnam, especially traditional villages, is now investing in mass production, improving their capability and quality. Many customer found that the skill of worker here is very high- qualified. Vietnam foundry focuses on sand casting technology, including green-sand system, furan, lost foam,.. The lost foam casting technology is widely and popular applied in foundries in Vietnam of its economic effectiveness and high quality.
Taniguchi Vietnam casting
We are proud to be an expert in casting industry. We manily do gray cast iron, nodular cast iron and stainless steel. Our products are highly appreciated by Japan market by its quality. With 50 years experience, we now transfer and train a technical to Vietnam foundry company. We comprehensively cooperated with many foundry companies which can well perform the casting processes such as green sand, furan, lost foam casting. Our strength is lost foam casting, we have factory to make lost foam pattern, we have mold maker and cooperate with equipment supplier (coating, machine,..) who are experts in this industry. And our Japanese engineer always works closely with production line, observes and monitors whole process from molding, pattern, casting, machining. Therefore we are confidently assure our quality before shipment.
We do many OEM casting part: motor housing, pump housing, lamp post, manhole, pulley...
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