metal casting

Me t a l C a s t i n g
Profile The metal casting sector2 encompasses
both foundries and die casting facilities. Metal casters are
primarily small businesses that produce a wide range of
goods, ranging from engine blocks and cylinder heads to jewelry and plumbing fixtures.
Metal casting facilities are located across the country, but most are concentrated in the
Great Lakes states, Alabama, California, and Texas.3
PRODUCTION PROCESS The metal casting process involves pouring molten metal
into molds, allowing it to cool, then removing the resultant casting. Die casters and
foundries utilize different casting processes.
? ? ? ? Die casters produce non-ferrous (primarily aluminum) castings under high
pressure in permanent metal molds.
? ? ? ? Foundries cast both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, using primarily disposable
molds made of sand, wax, foam, or other materials. Foundries (but not die casters)
must break apart their molds in order to remove the castings.
All metal castings require some degree of finishing to remove excess metal as well as dirt,
grease, oil, oxides, and rust.