Production Processes
A fitting solution for every product.
The largest price advantages are usually gained (or missed) when deciding which material and production process to use. The first important question is “which material is most suited for my product, within the financial restraints?”. After you’ve decided on the material, you will have to consider the limitations of producing with said material. The second relevant question, then, is how we are going to transform the chosen material into your end product, depending on for example the weight and mechanical demands of the product. Using our decades long experience and expertise, we can expertly guide you through this decision process to ensure you are making the right decisions from both an economical and qualitative perspective.
Always the most suitable foundry
Every foundry has different areas of expertise and equipment, and every foundry has pros and cons. Thanks to our large professional network, we can always match your needs to the most suitable foundry to maximize the cost-benefit ratio.
Priceless knowledge
Due to our wide range of options in terms of techniques and materials, deciding what’s best for your product can be confusing. That’s why we employ the knowledge we’ve gained over the last few decades, manufacturing hundreds of different products, to help you every step of the way and ensure the very best end result.
A few of our production possibilities
Castings
With Iron and Steel, the processes used are usually sand casting or lost wax casting. Unlike metals with a lower melting point (such as aluminium), iron and steel can’t be poured into a steel mold (this would amount to welding). To pour these metals, we need something with a higher melting point than approx 1450°C.
Sand Casting
Sand Casting entails creating a hollow form in sand and filling it with liquid metal. This process is mostly used for iron. There are several variants available.
Lost Wax Casting
In Lost Wax Casting, the product shape is made out of wax and then dipped in porcelain. Thereafter, the wax is melted out and a hollow mold remains in which the liquid metal is poured. This is mostly done for steel alloys.
Forgings
The choice for forgings rather than castings is usually made in view of mechanical properties. Casting has an amorphous structure, so it always results in weaker material than forging. Forging is mainly applied to steel.
Free form forging
A finished block of steel is heated and placed on a hardened steel base plate. A mechanical hammer then strikes a certain place with a pre-calculated force. A skilled worker turns the workpiece with pliers, so that the blow ends up in the right location.
Die Forging
In this method, a pre-measured amount of steel is heated until a cherry-red temperature is reached. This block of steel is placed in a two-part mold, which then closes under high pressure and forms the steel.
Press forging
During press forging, an amount of material is cut (usually soft materials such as copper or brass) and heated to a malleable temperature. This block is then shaped in one fell swoop by a hardened steel die
Castings
When casting aluminium, copper, zinc and other metals with low melting points, pressure is highly important. The general rule is the higher the pressure, the more air bubbles are created. These materials have a much lower melting point than steel and can therefore be poured into a steel mold that can be reopened and reused afterwards.
Gravity Casting
Gravity Casting consists of heating up an oven above a mold, heating the mold to a similar temperature, and then slowly pouring the liquid metal into the mold.
Steel Mold Casting
In Steel Mold Casting, a steel mold with the shape of the desired product/part is filled with liquid metal.
Die Casting
Using a cylinder behind a steel mold, high pressure is used to quickly fill the mold with for example liquid aluminium.
Forgings
The choice for forgings rather than castings is usually made in view of mechanical properties. Casting has an amorphous structure, so it always results in weaker material than forging. Forging is mainly applied to steel, but can also be used for other materials.
Free form forging
A finished block of steel is heated and placed on a hardened steel base plate. A mechanical hammer then strikes a certain place with a pre-calculated force. A skilled worker turns the workpiece with pliers, so that the blow ends up in the right location.
Die Forging
In this method, a pre-measured amount of steel is heated until a cherry-red temperature is reached. This block of steel is placed in a two-part mold, which then closes under high pressure and forms the steel.
Press forging
During press forging, an amount of material is cut (usually soft materials such as copper or brass) and heated to a malleable temperature. This block is then shaped in one fell swoop by a hardened steel die
When producing with plastic, there are three things that mainly determine price. In the first place the “open-close” time per production cycle, secondly the amount of material required, and finally the tonnage pressure of the used machine. The mechanical properties of plastic are inferior to those of steel for example, but plastic is not subject to corrosion and is often cheaper, making it an attractive option in suitable cases.
Injection molding
In injection molding, plastic, in the form of a granulate or powder, is melted into a viscous mass and injected into a mold under high pressure.
Rotation Casting
A mold is filled with plastic, closed, and then heated while rotating. This causes the plastic to melt and to move towards the sides under the influence of centrifugal forces (just like laundry in a washing machine).
Blow Molding
Using this production technique, plastic is melted above a vertically divisible mold, and then drops through a round discharge opening. This creates a hollow preform, which is then inflated under pressure (like a balloon) against the wall of the mold.
Castings
When casting aluminium, copper, zinc and other metals with low melting points, pressure is highly important. The general rule is the higher the pressure, the more air bubbles are created. These materials have a much lower melting point than steel and can therefore be poured into a steel mold that can be reopened and reused afterwards.
Gravity Casting
Gravity Casting consists of heating up an oven above a mold, heating the mold to a similar temperature, and then slowly pouring the liquid metal into the mold.
Steel Mold Casting
In Steel Mold Casting, a steel mold with the shape of the desired product/part is filled with liquid metal.
Die Casting
Using a cylinder behind a steel mold, high pressure is used to quickly fill the mold with for example liquid aluminium.
Forgings
The choice for forgings rather than castings is usually made in view of mechanical properties. Casting has an amorphous structure, so it always results in weaker material than forging. Forging is mainly applied to steel, but can also be used for other materials.
Free form forging
A finished block of steel is heated and placed on a hardened steel base plate. A mechanical hammer then strikes a certain place with a pre-calculated force. A skilled worker turns the workpiece with pliers, so that the blow ends up in the right location.
Die Forging
In this method, a pre-measured amount of steel is heated until a cherry-red temperature is reached. This block of steel is placed in a two-part mold, which then closes under high pressure and forms the steel.
Press forging
During press forging, an amount of material is cut (usually soft materials such as copper or brass) and heated to a malleable temperature. This block is then shaped in one fell swoop by a hardened steel die
There’s a plethora of options to postprocess metal with machining techniques. We usually divide these options into three main categories: machining without material retention, machining with material retention, and joining.
Machining
Machining without material retention
Machining processes without material retention are those that remove parts of the material and create swarf (metal chips) as waste. Swarf looks like the curls that appear when scraping a knife over butter.
Machining with material retention
Machining with material retention entails the shaping of metal without swarf (metal chips) being created as a result.