Permanent mold casting is the process that uses metal as the mold material instead of sand. Typically cast iron is used as the mold material and cores if needed are made from either metal or sand. The cavity of the mold is coated with heat resistant material during use.
While not quite as flexible as a sand casting due to mold considerations, small production runs can produce a casting at a lower unit cost. Also the castings have a better surface finish and dimensional stability than a typical sand casting.
The materials that are available are aluminum and some copper alloys. Part sizes can range from 1.5 oz. to approximately 100 lbs ( 50 g to 45 kg ).
A variety of secondary operations can be performed on the permanent mold castings. They include heat treatment, machining, painting, polishing, assembly services and even custom packaging.
