MetalTek International

United States

Centrifugal casting is a process that delivers castings of very high material soundness, and thus is the technology of choice for applications like jet engine compressor cases, petrochemical furnace tubes, many military products, and other high-reliability applications. In the centrifugal casting process, molten metal is poured into a spinning die. The die can be spinning either on a vertical or horizontal axis depending on the configuration of the desired part. Ring and cylinder type shapes are cast vertically; tubular shapes are made with the horizontal centrifugal process. Either process may be used to produce multiple parts from a single casting. External structures and shaping can be cast in place to significantly reduce post-processing including machining or fabrication.

High performance alloys like 718, 625, GTD222, and Rene77 may require the use of vacuum during casting.Vacuum is used when part detail and control of exposure to oxygen is critical. MetalTek can centrifugally cast parts in vacuum in sizes up to 18" x 42" (455 mm x 1, 070 mm) and pour weights up to 800 lbs. (364 kg).

Investment castings are typically selected because they can be produced with fine detail, excellent "as-cast" surface finish, shape into internal or external features, thin walls, and internal passageways to get to a near-net shape. This often leads to significant customer cost savings in material, labor and machining.