What is Sand Casting Used For?

 

Casting is one of the oldest manufacturing processes in existence. For over 7,000 years, humans have been able to create intricate objects by pouring liquid metal into a mold. While it is a very cost effective method for making intricate objects, the mold matters just as much as the molten metal when making objects.

The most popular mold material option for casting is sand. Sand casting is the art of casting liquid metal with a sand mold. Despite being one of the oldest molding processes, sand casting continues to be popular in the manufacturing industry for a variety of reasons. There are all sorts of objects that can be made with sand casting despite its low investment cost.

What Objects are Made with Sand Casting:

One of the great advantages of sand casting molds is how versatile it is. Sand molds support a wide range of metals, including aluminum, iron, steel, and more. While many manufacturers work with much cooler metals, sand casting molds are able to support liquid metals up to 3,000 degrees fahrenheit.

Sand casting can be used to create a wide variety of products, no matter their complexity or size. Some of the most popular products created by sand casting include:

• Medical equipment
• Automobile components
• Small screws, nuts, and gears
• Electrical components
• Mining gear
• Common home tools
• Home appliances
• Plumbing components

The Benefits of Sand Molds for Casting:

• Price. Molds are typically damaged or thrown away in order to retrieve the metal components formed inside. Sand is highly reusable, and even when the mold is damaged is very inexpensive to replace.
• Strength. Casting molds have to withstand high pressure and intense heat. Sand molds possess both of these characteristics. The stronger the mold, the more likely the metal object solidifying within will form properly. Sand molds have a high success rate because of these qualities.
• Moisture Absorption: Moisture has a huge impact on the casting process. A mold with too little moisture can fall apart during formation. A mold with too much moisture can cause steam bubbles to form, ruining the metal object solidifying within. Sand molds strike a perfect balance that accounts for moisture as part of the casting process.
• Ease of Moldability: Different objects require different molds. These molds have to be precise, and depending on the part may require small, minute adjustments. The flowability of sand allows it to be very easy to work with, allowing for more intricate metal objects to be created without excessive effort when designing the mold.

Contact Atlas Bronze for your Sand Casting Needs:

While sand casting is a very effective and popular manufacturing process, it requires specialized equipment if you want to craft products using sand. Both the molten metal and the sand can heat up to several thousand degrees fahrenheit. As such, a bronze container is often required to contain the sand mold and liquid metal while the metal within cools and solidifies.

Atlas Bronze is here to help with your sand casting needs. We have over 25 years of experience in the metal industry, and have established ourselves as one of the leading distributors of bronze in the country. We’re experts in sand casting as well, and can help you determine if the product you’re making can be made even quicker with sand casting.

So if you have any questions about sand casting, be sure to contact us today at Atlas Bronze! We’re excited to answer any questions you have, and help you with all of your manufacturing needs.

How Does a Thrust Bearing Work?

 

One of the most important components in any machine that moves is a bearing. A bearing is a traditionally circular shaped part designed to restrict the movement of other machine components. Furthermore, bearings reduce the friction that comes with metal moving against other metal surfaces. As such, bearings are essential for preserving the longevity of machines. There are many different types of bearings, and one of the most important is a thrust bearing. A thrust bearing is a bearing specifically designed to support components that rotate. In more technical terms, a thrust bearing is any bearing designed to support an axial load. There are many different types of thrust bearings, each of which function a little bit differently from each other. Even so, we hope to explain how a few of the most common thrust bearings work, and explain why they’re so important.

How do the Most Common Thrust Bearings Work:

A thrust bearing primarily works by limiting which directions a moving machine part can turn. Most often, thrust bearings restrict moving machine parts to rotating in a circular direction, though these bearings can also be used to only restrict horizontal or vertical movement. By restricting movement, all thrust bearings serve the same main function. They are designed to reduce the friction between moving metal parts and prevent machine damage from parts moving in the wrong direction. This is true of all thrust bearings, no matter what type of thrust bearing they are. Even so, different thrust bearings accomplish their purpose in different ways. Depending on your machine, it may require one of the following types of thrust bearings:

• Ball Thrust Bearings: One of the oldest and most basic thrust bearings systems.These thrust bearings have tiny balls in the perimeter of the bearing. This is one of the most common types of thrust bearings, and is particularly effective for small machines or those made with inexpensive components.
• Cylinder Thrust Bearings: As the name suggests, this thrust bearing is made up of a cylinder shaped roller. It is specifically designed to accommodate much heavier axial and impact loads compared to ball thrust bearings. Automobile crankshafts are almost universally made with cylinder thrust bearings.
• Magnetic Thrust Bearings: One of the most advanced thrust bearing systems, magnetic thrust bearing use magnets for maximum machine support within minimal friction. This is especially useful for machines that would be complicated by oil interaction, and is often used in generators and other electronic machines.

What Machines Use Thrust Bearings:

Almost everyone modern machine with moving parts will use thrust bearings of some kind. They’re easy to mount, while offering fantastic strength, durability, and reliability to significantly increase the longevity of the machines they’re incorporated into. Furthermore, thrust bearings can be used in extreme environments, and can support high loads when incorporated correctly. Some of the most popular and important machines that rely on thrust bearings include:

• Automobiles
• Airplanes
• Mining equipment
• Oil rigs
• Home appliances
• Air conditioning systems
• Generators
• Turbines

Get Thrust Bearings Built to Last At Atlas Bronze:

A good thrust bearing can add years to the functional lifespan of a machine. Even so, a thrust bearing won’t do much if the bearing itself is made poorly. There are also other components to be aware of, such as the washers that will help a bearing stay in place despite the heavy movement and axial loads it will have to sustain. Atlas Bronze is here to help you get the parts you need to sustain your thrust bearings and other machines. Founded in 1994, we have over 25 years of experience providing excellent service and selling top of the line metal products throughout the United States. We aim to be metal experts, and are one of the leading bronze, copper, and iron distributors in the nation. If you have any questions about metal, or need help addressing problems you have with your thrust bearings, be sure to contact us today. Our experienced staff is happy to provide any support we can here at Atlas Bronze!