What is Carbon Steel Casting
Carbon steel castings (also called carbon steel investment casting) are mainly made of iron and carbon. Carbon steel is one of the main materials in the current cast steel industry. It has the advantages of low cost, high wear resistance, easy preparation, and can be heat treated to improve its strength, ductility, and processability.
Classification of carbon steel
Low carbon steel (<0.20% C):
Because of its low strength, low hardness, and softness, it is also called soft steel.
Medium carbon steel (0.20 to 0.50% C):
It is the most widely used material in various uses at medium strength levels. In addition to being used as a building material, it is also widely used in the manufacture of various mechanical parts.
High carbon steel (> 0.50% C):
After being properly heat-treated or hardened by cold drawing, high carbon steel has the advantages of high strength, high hardness, high elasticity, and not easy to deform.
Advantages of Carbon Steel Investment Castings
- Compared with other steels, carbon steel uses the largest amount and is easily obtained by casting.
- Carbon steel can obtain higher hardness and better wear resistance after heat treatment.
- The hardness in the annealed state is very moderate, and it also has good machinability.
- The raw materials of carbon steel are very common and easy to obtain, and the cost of production is relatively low.
Carbon steel investment castings offer several advantages over other casting methods and materials. Here are some of the benefits of using carbon steel investment castings:
- Design flexibility: Carbon steel investment casting offers design flexibility, which means that complex and intricate shapes can be easily cast. This makes it possible to create parts with complex geometries and shapes that would be difficult or impossible to achieve using other casting methods.
- Superior surface finish: Carbon steel investment castings provide a superior surface finish compared to other casting methods. The casting process allows for precise and accurate details to be captured, resulting in a smooth and polished surface finish that requires minimal additional machining.
- Tight tolerances: Carbon steel investment castings can achieve tighter tolerances than other casting methods. This means that the parts produced are more accurate and consistent, with fewer defects and better performance.
- High strength: Carbon steel is known for its high strength and durability, making it an excellent material for investment casting. The resulting parts are strong and able to withstand high stress and wear.
- Cost-effective: Carbon steel investment casting is a cost-effective way to produce parts in small to medium-sized runs. The process is efficient, and the molds can be used for multiple parts, reducing the overall cost of production.
Overall, carbon steel investment castings offer numerous advantages over other casting methods, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, construction, and manufacturing.
Carbon Steel Casting Process
There are currently two processes for carbon steel castings: water glass investment casting or silica sol investment casting
Water glass casting: Water glass is added to the molding material (commonly referred to as silica sand) according to a certain ratio, and it is made into “water glass sand” by stirring, rolling and mixing, and it is blown into the mold and sand box with CO2 gas, CO2 and water. The glass undergoes chemical reaction to form silica gel to harden the water glass sand, and is completed through the processes of mold lifting, box closing, and pouring.
Silica sol investment casting: This is a lost wax casting method. The mold is first made according to the shape of the silica sol cast part; the wax mold is placed in a solution made of silica sol and quartz sand. There will be a layer of material on the wax mold and then it will solidify. After repeated soaking and curing, it is basically formed. Finally, it is dewaxed and cast.
Application of Carbon Steel Castings
Carbon steel castings are used in a wide range of applications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, and manufacturing. Here are some common applications of carbon steel castings:
- Industrial machinery: Carbon steel castings are widely used in industrial machinery such as pumps, valves, compressors, and turbines. These components require high strength, durability, and wear resistance, making carbon steel an ideal material for their construction.
- Construction: Carbon steel castings are used in the construction industry for manufacturing structural components such as beams, columns, and girders. Carbon steel is a cost-effective option for building large structures, as it offers excellent strength and toughness.
- Automotive industry: Carbon steel castings are used in the automotive industry for manufacturing engine blocks, cylinder heads, and other critical components. These castings provide high tensile strength, hardness, and durability, making them ideal for high-performance applications.
- Oil and gas industry: Carbon steel castings are commonly used in the oil and gas industry for manufacturing components such as pump casings, valve bodies, and piping systems. Carbon steel is an ideal material for these applications due to its high resistance to corrosion and erosion.
- Agricultural equipment: Carbon steel castings are used in the manufacturing of agricultural equipment such as plows, cultivators, and harrows. These components require high strength and durability to withstand the stresses of working in tough conditions, making carbon steel an ideal material.
- General mechanical parts： gears, connecting rods, hoods, etc.Ordinary hardware tools： wrenches, bucket teeth
Overall, carbon steel castings are versatile and widely used in various applications due to their excellent mechanical properties, durability, and cost-effectiveness.
Secondary Processing of Carbon Steel Castings We Provide
High-precision machining
Surface treatment
Heat treatment
Carbon steel casting parts
Carbon Steel Casting Manufacturers
As an excellent carbon steel manufacturer in China, we provide the most professional investment casting process solutions. Working with us can give you the following benefits:
- Through mature quality control systems, we can provide unparalleled quality and dimensional tolerances
- Efficient and professional casting process to save your costs.
- Strict quality control guarantees the quality of products delivered
- The professional technical team can produce high-quality parts according to your requirements.
- Improve the after-sales system and answer all your doubts.