Permanent Mold Casting
What is permanent mold casting?
Permanent mold casting (also known as gravity permanent mold) applies molds made out of tool steel that create high-quality aluminum parts at a low cost.
Mold life is typically 100,000 pieces or more compared to sand casting that uses a new mold for every part. Mold costs are kept low because castings are poured under gravity as opposed to being injected under tonnes of pressure as with die casting.
The advantage of permanent mold castings
- Affordable tooling and competitive part cost
- Excellent dimensional tolerances (As low as +/-0.015)
- Superior mechanical properties over sand castings
- Excellent surface finishes (RMS of 200-420)
- Effective use of sand cores that create internal cavities and undercuts within the casting.
Is permanent mold right for you?
In one of our recent blog posts, we compare permanent mold casting to other processes including sand casting, fabrication, and high pressure die casting to help you determine which process is best for your needs.
Read our article on permanent mold casting to see if it’s the right solution for you.
Know when to transition from sand casting to permanent mold
Permanent mold is ideal if your part quantities are rising and if you’re looking to produce a higher quality part that achieves tighter tolerances and dimensional stabilities. While sand casting provides many benefits including low tooling costs, it’s worth knowing when you should make the switch.