Aluminum Castings – From Raw Material to Finished Product
A finished aluminum casting is the result of several decisions made before the metal reaches the mold: the choice of alloy, process and tooling. Below we show the path from raw material to the part delivered to the customer, using our foundry as an example. A detailed description of the process itself can be found in the article key stages of the aluminum casting process.
1. Raw material
Casting alloy per PN-EN 1706
Castings are made from aluminum alloys with a defined chemical composition. The PN-EN 1706 standard specifies their composition and mechanical properties, and the alloy designation, e.g. EN AC-42000 or EN AC-46200, should be given on the drawing. The alloy is selected to suit the requirements of the part: strength, corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, and suitability for heat treatment and welding.
Charge: alloy ingots and revert scrap
The charge material consists of ingots of finished casting alloy with a known composition, supplied in accordance with PN-EN 1676. Foundries also remelt revert scrap, meaning gates, runners and risers cut off from castings of the same alloy, which reduces the consumption of virgin material.
2. Process and tooling
The casting method is chosen based on the weight and shape of the casting, the production volume, and the surface and tolerance requirements:
| Method | Tooling | When it works best |
|---|---|---|
| sand casting | pattern and core boxes, expendable mold | prototypes, short runs, large castings – from 1 to 100 kg at our foundry |
| permanent mold casting | permanent mold – a durable metal mold | repeatable production runs – castings from 0.1 to 50 kg at our foundry |
| high-pressure die casting | tool steel die | large volumes, thin walls – up to 100,000 pcs per year at our foundry |
We make patterns, core boxes and permanent molds in our own pattern shop (for some projects with trusted partners), while we design die casting dies in CAD/CAM and make them in our own tooling department. How to choose the right method is described on the page aluminum castings – choosing the technology.
3. Casting
We melt the ingots in electric melting furnaces with digital melt control. Before pouring, the liquid metal is refined to remove hydrogen and oxides and modified to improve the casting's structure. The metal then enters the mold and solidifies, and the casting is removed from the mold and separated from the gating system.
4. Machining and finishing
A raw casting is rarely a finished part. On request, we heat treat castings and machine functional surfaces on CNC machines – we have 3- and 5-axis machining centers and CNC automatic lathes. We can also subject castings to grinding and polishing and powder coating in RAL colors.
5. Quality control and documentation
We inspect castings against the drawing and the technical acceptance conditions: dimensions, tolerances and surface condition. On request, we carry out strength tests and material structure analysis. We operate under ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 management systems, certified by TÜV Rheinland Polska. The acceptance rules and delivery documents are described in our technical acceptance conditions for castings.
6. Delivery
Finished castings can be collected at our plant in Janikowo near Poznań (using your own transport, by prior arrangement), or you can have us arrange delivery; the delivery term (Incoterms) is specified in the quotation. We ship castings to customers in Poland and abroad.
In short: the path of an aluminum casting runs from the selection of the alloy (PN-EN 1706) and charge, through the choice of process and tooling, melting and casting, to machining, finishing, inspection and delivery. At our foundry, casting, machining and finishing take place at a single plant.
See also: aluminum castings – properties, foundry quote request i how much an aluminum casting costs.
Need a quote for an aluminum casting? Send a drawing or 3D model to odlewnia@adjatech.pl or call: +48 61 662 43 37 (Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.).
Scope of services: foundry production capabilities.