Cast Heat Treating Baskets Archives

Is Steel Good for Casting?

Steel castings are incredibly strong and durable, making them ideal for a wide range of applications. They are also resistant to both heat and corrosion, meaning that they can withstand high temperatures and harsh conditions.

In addition, steel is relatively easy to cast, which means it can be used to create products with intricate designs. It is also castable at lower temperatures than other metals, making it ideal for use in extreme situations.

Comparison Between Iron Casting and Steel Casting

Iron Casting

This process is also popular because iron is plentiful and the castings are strong and durable. Iron casting is also an ancient art that has been used for thousands of years. Today, it is still used to create a variety of objects, from cookware to sculpture. The iron castings produced today are of a high quality and can last for centuries.

Steel Casting

Aside from the advantages mentioned above, there are some disadvantages to using steel for casting. Steel is significantly heavier than other metals, making it difficult to transport. It is also more expensive than other metals, making it a less cost-effective option in some situations. However, considering all the factors, steel is a versatile and durable metal that has many advantages and a few disadvantages for casting applications.

The Verdict

Steel castings are widely used in a variety of industries for their strength, durability, and precision. They are made by pouring molten steel into a mold, where it cools and hardens into the desired shape. Iron castings are also used in many applications, but they are not as strong or durable as steel castings.

In addition, iron is more susceptible to corrosion than steel, making it a less desirable choice for some applications. However, iron castings are typically less expensive than steel castings, making them a good option for budget-conscious consumers.

Eager to Know More About Steel Castings?

If you’re planning to dive into the metal casting industry, you can contact our professionals at Ferralloy Inc. They will be glad to assist you!

What Materials are Used to Make Closed Die Forgings?

Although closed die forging is enforced for almost all the metal materials, especially in physical production, only a portion of the materials is used for several characteristics. The prevailing materials used are one of the main factors that affect the cost of the forgings. Check out the prevailing materials used in closed die forgings to determine which best suits your goal.

Different Closed Die Forging Materials Used

Brass or Copper

Brass or copper is also popularly used in closed die forging, which is the most expensive of the common materials that will be discussed. Brass or copper forging is more often than not the most frequently used material for pump and valve fittings.

Aluminum

This type of material is commonly used by forgers because of its easy machining, high strength, and low density. It is extensively used in the closed die forging process, particularly for the aerospace and automotive industries. While it is commonly used in the automotive and aerospace industries, it is a daring process for domestic forging due to the fact that it is straightforwardly deformed after forging. However, the typical heat treatment can assist in the hardness improvement of other properties.

Steel

Among the prevailing materials used in closed die forging, steel is by far the frequently used material due to its quality and durability. Stainless steel, carbon steel, and alloy steel are all used subject to what the forging will be used for. Carbon steel and alloy steel are the most extensively used in forging because of its easy deformation capability and competitive price.

Do you Need More Information About Closed Die Forging?

One of the best things about forging is its versatility and adaptability with its components because the manufacturer can use any form of raw metal or even alloys using this method. It doesn’t matter if the user needs small or medium-sized metal parts – closed die forging can easily produce them. If you need more information about open and closed die forgings, Ferralloy, Inc. is the leading global supplier of engineered products and services to a diverse metalworking customer base. Schedule an appointment with us now to know more!

Investment Casting | Common Casting Surface Treatment Methods

Investment casting refers to the metalworking manufacturing process that’s widely used in various types of industries. Sometimes called lost-wax casting or precision casting, it involves the use of a wax pattern in shaping a ceramic mold before molten metal gets poured into the ceramic shell to create the desired part. To improve the appearance and quality of an investment casting, manufacturers apply surface treatment methods.

What are the Common Types of Surface Treatment Methods for Investment Castings?

Hot Dip Galvanizing

The application of this method requires the immersion of the carbon steel part in a plating bath of liquefied zinc at 510˚C in order to turn the iron-zinc alloy on the steel component’s surface into passivated zinc. This process is a lot similar to the hot-dip aluminizing method.

Auto-catalytic Plating

Commonly known as chemical plating, this popular surface treatment method is primarily known for being eco-friendly and easy to operate. Its end product is a workpiece that exhibits high resistance to corrosion, as well as good wear.

Vacuum Plating

This encompasses different types of vacuum evaporation, ion plating, and sputtering plating. These are all utilized to facilitate the deposition of various metal as well as non-metal films on the surface of the parts until it reaches the point where a thin coating is obtained. Compared to other surface treatment methods, vacuum plating offers extremely fast adhesion. For this reason, this method is typically used as an internal shield or a functional coating that’s ideal for products of higher-grade.

Paint Finishing

Did you know that various types of coating can be used to complete this surface treatment method? These types include electrophoretic coating, hand coating, and electrostatic coating. Primarily operated according to the manufacturer’s sample or even their color number, the paint finishing surface treatment method is commonly used for both iron and steel castings.

Where to Find Top-Quality Investment Casting

If you’re looking to find top-quality investment casting, get in touch with the leading comprehensive engineered product resource – Ferralloy, Inc.

Seamless Rings | Why Choose Seamless Rolled Ring Forging Over Other Options?

The process that’s involved in forging seamless rings produces components that feature toughness, strength, as well as fatigue resistance through its contoured grain flow. If you’re not familiar with this process, it starts with the starting stock of the desired material that’s being cut to size before they’re being rounded on open die presses. Once the rounded piece is produced, it’s upset and pierced in order to create a doughnut-shaped preform that’s ready to be placed on the rolling mill where the ring’s diameter is increased, and its height and thickness are decreased until the desired output is achieved.

Reasons for Choosing Seamless Rolled Ring Forging Over Other Options

Seamless Rolled Ring Forging vs Castings

Cast rings are vulnerable to cracks and fractures because of their lack of grain structure which significantly affects the rings’ ductility, toughness, and fatigue strength. On the other hand, the forging process features controlled directional grain flow – the result of which are seamless rings that’s superior in terms of structural integrity and highly resistant to inclusions and porosity.

Seamless Rolled Ring Forging vs Welded Rings

The chances of producing a distorted ring shape that has a jeopardized corrosion resistance and reduced part integrity are extremely high with extensive welding. Forged seamless rolled rings will not have these issues because of the absence of welding. You can expect to produce stronger rings with fewer chances of exhibiting part fatigue and breakage.

Seamless Rolled Ring Forging vs Hot Rolled Burnout Plates

A ring that’s produced through hot rolled plates has exposed grain ends when the ring shape is cut. This is due to the grain flow that’s inherently unidirectional in a hot rolled plate. This results in a ring that’s more vulnerable to fatigue and stress corrosion cracking. With the forging process, the target ring size is achieved because of controlled directional flow while minimizing waste.

Do You Need Seamless Rings for Your Next Project?

If your next project requires the use of seamless rings, get in touch with Ferralloy, Inc. We supply rolled ring forgings in diameters up to 110” from carbon, alloy, and stainless steel. Call us today.

Steel Castings | The Key Benefits of Steel Castings

Wondering about the many benefits that steel castings can offer? Why is this process widely used in industries as diverse as oil and gas to food equipment and automotive? To give you a clear snapshot of how your project may benefit from using castings, check this out:

Design Flexibility

With these castings, you can choose from a wide range of alloys that can give your designers the flexibility to configure your cast according to your needs. Aside from the fact that maximum design freedom to produce complex shapes and hollow section parts is made possible, these can also be configured in a sturdy and repeatable manner. Since this flexibility allows you to make quick changes as needed, your delivery time is shortened significantly.

Economic Benefits and Greater Reliability

You can count on cast steel parts for day-to-day use because they’re made of an isotropic material that increases engineering reliability. When you factor in its design flexibility and shorter delivery time, steel castings can give you the economic efficiency that you’re looking for.

Metallurgical Versatility

Steel castings make it possible for you to choose among various chemical compositions and organizational control that fit your project’s requirements. In other words, steel castings offer strong metallurgical variability and adaptability. Furthermore, compared to any other cast metal, you can obtain a wide array of physical and mechanical properties by simply making variations in its carbon and alloy content and/or heat treatment.

It Allows a More Streamlined Approach

With steel castings, it won’t be difficult for you to create streamlined and repeatable shapes. Once you create the mold, you’ll be able to create multiple casts.

Do You Need More Information About Steel Castings?

If you want to know more about steel castings, get in touch with Ferralloy, Inc. today. We are the leading supplier of quality castings to major companies throughout the world.

Investment Castings | Types of Casting and Their Process

The casting process involves the mass production of components in which metals in a molten state are poured or injected into prepared molds where they solidify into solid metal shapes before being sand or shot blasted to their desired shapes. Compared to other methods such as shaping or cutting, complex metal parts can be rapidly formed at a much lower cost with the use of this manufacturing process. No wonder different types of industries prefer to use the casting process to create large varieties of metal parts. There are three major types of casting processes – investment castings, sand castings and die castings. Let’s take a look at each one of them.

Investment Castings

When you’re processing metals that are extremely difficult to be fabricated or machined or those that can’t be formed by your usual techniques for manufacturing, you’ll need to use the ancient manufacturing processes of investment castings. Investment castings provide outstanding surface finish as well as dimensional accuracy that are critical for turbine blades or other airplane components that are subjected to high temperatures. Its pattern is made of wax that would leave behind a cavity which will then be filled by the metal material of the component being produced.

Sand Castings

Large parts are normally produced by filling the mold cavity with molten metal. This mold cavity is usually shaped from synthetic or natural sand and is created by the use of a pattern that’s made of metal or wood with the shape and dimensions that are identical to the actual component.

Die Castings

This process involves forcing the metal into a mold at high pressure to ensure the production of identical components with an increased dimensional accuracy, and a better finish. Some of the produced components will require little or no machining after casting.

Do You Want to Know More About Investment Castings?

Ferralloy, Inc is a premier provider of top-quality investment castings that would suit your needs. Contact us today for more information!

Steel Castings | The Differences Between Cast Iron and Cast Steel

One of the most popular ways to make lasting and quality components is through castings. Casting allows for a high level of detail, which results in not needing and additional fabrication or assembly. While many different materials can be cast, steel and iron are the two most popular due to their excellent mechanical properties for a wide range of applications. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between steel castings and iron castings.

Corrosion Resistance

When it comes to corrosion, iron has better corrosion resistance than steel. That doesn’t mean that either is impervious to corrosion though. When left unprotected, both metals will oxidize in the presence of moisture. Eventually, they will completely decompose. To prevent this, the coating is recommended for both steel and iron castings.

Cost

Cast iron is often cheaper than cast steel because of the lower material costs, energy, and labor required to produce a final product. While raw steel is more expensive, there are, however, prefabricated forms of steel. Those include sheets, rods, bars, tubes, and beams.

Castability

Cast iron is relatively easy to cast, as it pours easily and doesn’t shrink as much as steel. This flowability makes cast iron an ideal metal for architectural or ornate ironwork structures such as fencing and street furniture.

Are You in the Market for Steel Castings?

Whether you are in the market for cast iron or cast steel, at Ferralloy we have you covered. No matter what the project, we have the product for you. Contact us today to learn more about our casting products and to place an order.

Heat Treating Baskets | The Benefits of Using the Right Heat-Treating Basket

The heat-treating process is one of the most important steps in preparing components to be used on job sites. One crucial piece of the process is the heat treating baskets. These baskets are often overlooked but play arguably the most important part of the process.

What is a Heat-Treating Basket?

A heat-treating basket is used in the heat-treating process. It is what the components that are about to be heat treated get put onto before being exposed to the extreme heat. Depending on what kind of treatment they are getting, it will vary for how long these baskets need to be exposed to the heat. Normally, these baskets break down quickly and can only be used a couple of times before they are completely broken down.

Benefits of a Better Basket

Typically, the average treating basket is designed to break down. Due to the extreme environments that they are constantly exposed to in the heat-treating process, manufacturers usually do not try to create something that lasts. But by doing that, you are already tacking a lot onto the final cost of the project because of all the baskets you will have to buy. Our heat-treating baskets are designed to last longer so you can get the most out of them without re-buying them constantly or having them break down mid-project.

Looking for the Best Heat Treating Baskets on the Market?

If you’ve been looking for the best heat treating baskets that are second to none, then you need to contact us today. Ferralloy only carries the highest-quality baskets that are made to last longer than the average piece of equipment. Save yourself from constantly re-buying heat treating baskets by picking up the phone and getting in contact with one of our sales representatives today.

Castings | What You Need to Know About Gravity Fed Castings

Have you wondered about how castings are made, specifically gravity fed casting? Fear not, it isn’t as complicated as you might think.

How Are They Made?

Making castings is one of the oldest manufacturing processes known to man. While it is an old method, it is one that is constantly evolving and improving. They are created by a unique mold that workers apply coatings in order to create and recreate intricate parts and more. This not only allows workers to produce high-quality castings but produce them quickly. They can be made with a wide variety of materials, especially alloys and other heat-resistant metals.

What Goes into The Gravity Process?

When it comes to gravity process, it isn’t as difficult to understand as you might think. Basically, gravity is used to fill the mold instead of gas pressure or a vacuum process. The process starts with a preheated mold that helps the materials flow where they need to go. After that, workers or machines coat the mold to prevent it from sticking. Lastly, the material is then poured, hardened, and removed. This is repeated until the order is fulfilled.

Why You Should Use Gravity Fed

They are mostly used for completing a large production order. It is really easy to repeat the molding process for several different castings. Another benefit is there is less gas trapped within the mold, which makes it stronger and less likely to be compromised.

Looking for Different Types of Castings?

If you have additional questions about castings, contact us today. For 40 years, Ferralloy has been providing engineered products and services to a diverse metalworking customer base.

Heat Treating Baskets | Should I Use Heat Treating Baskets?

Material handling baskets, such as heat treating baskets, can have a large impact on the efficiency of the parts finishing processes. A well-designed basket is effective at keeping parts safe from damage. While many manufacturers rely on plastic baskets, steel fabrications for material handling baskets can have several significant benefits. Let’s take a look at some of those benefits.

Heat Resistance

Unlike plastic, steel is significantly more resistant to heat. The melting point of a basic stainless steel alloy is about 2,550 degrees Fahrenheit. The strongest plastic polymer out there has a melting point of 750 degrees. The high-temperature tolerance of steel allows these baskets to take on oven-like temperatures with ease without degrading or losing tensile strength like a plastic container would.

Larger Load Capacity

Steel has a greater strength than plastic. The higher strength of steel allows baskets to handle loads that would crush a frame made of plastic. One of the weakest steel alloys on the market it’s still four times stronger than one of the toughest polymers on the market.

Lasts Longer

As we talked about earlier, steel has a greater strength and heat tolerance than plastic. That means that no matter what you are using the basket for, the steel version will be more durable and last longer than one made of plastic.

Should I Use Heat Treating Baskets?

Steel heat treating baskets are much better to use than their plastic counterparts. If you are looking at using a heat treating basket for your next project, contact us today.