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Each engineering component has a story to tell, demonstrating the intentions behind its design, the discipline behind its manufacture and the unlimited drive to achieve precision. Investment casting presents a compelling story for a component’s growth from raw casting, which is structurally intact and able to be close to produced form, to having all its features engineered by means of the machining process.

In Austin Alloy, we have developed additional strength within our machining ecosystem. The machining ecosystem allows us to ensure every component manufactured within Austin Alloy is produced to meet the highest degree of accuracy, consistency, and ready to assemble. Herein lies the story of this transformation.

As Global Customers shifted and demanded turnkey/machining ready components, the leadership team of Austin Alloy decided to take a strategic leap in order to develop Austin Alloy as a strategic partner, while still meeting the stringent international quality standards of our International global customers.  Austin Alloy made this strategic decision through extensive investment in In  house Machining capabilities.

Austin Alloy Cast has built a 15,000 square foot dedicated machining shop engineered to meet all of the immediate needs of our customers and anticipate all future needs related to the expansion of our business.

Our Process of Converting a Raw Casting into a Finished Product

Machining of an investment casting cannot simply be classified as mechanical; rather, it is a very sophisticated process of transforming raw materials into a finished product. The end result of the machining process has its own unique shape and features, but it is still only part of the complete process of creating a finished product.

Machine Workflow for our Products:

• Ensuring that the finished product meets the customer’s specifications.
• Removing only the material necessary to achieve the finished geometry of the part, i.e. preserving the integrity of the casting.
• Providing the highest quality of surfaces including mirror like finishes as needed.
• Machining critical features such as interface surfaces and other mating features to ensure proper fit, alignment, and functionality.

Through integrated methods, we manufacture parts in a machined and assembled state, providing added value to our customers by reducing their costs and lead times while creating finished products ready to be received and used.

Manufacturing Companies Face Challenges With Complex Part Designs

All Manufacturing companies face difficult part designs that take their machining knowledge to the limit. Austin Alloy Cast has developed a reputation for taking on difficult projects and succeeding with these projects.

We have achieved the following:

• Complex Parts – Developed a custom mirror finish on Complex Surfaces
• Precision Bores – Machined Precision Bores to High Degree of Accuracy
• Multi Operation Machining – Precision Machined Multi Operation Parts with Tight Tolerances to High Accuracy
• Surface Related Components – Machined Surface Critical Components with Fine Finishing Required.
• Machining of components from Iron Castings, Bar stock & Forging.

Each of our successes gives evidence of our experience and capability. The machining team is a vital part of our success on these complex projects, providing us with over 15 years of experience with complex projects, which enables us to provide flawless results.

In house Machining at Austin Alloy offers following advantages:

• Faster Turnaround on Urgent Needs
• Complete Control over the Quality of Machining
• Less Reliance on Outside Vendors
• Ability to Change Machining Processes Easier
• Improved Repeatability and Process Consistency

Austin’s in house systems have been developed to meet the highest standards of Robustness, Flexibility, and Precision which are the three core principles by which Austin Alloy Cast operates.

Austin’s Machining Resources: A Closer Look

Austin Alloy Cast operates a well equipped machining shop capable of handling a wide range of component sizes, geometries and finishing requirements. Our machining infrastructure enables smooth transition from casting to precision finished component while maintaining dimensional accuracy and repeatability.

Austin Alloy’s Machining Capabilities:

• CNC Turning Centers

Austin Alloy Cast operates advanced horizontal CNC turning centers, sourced from trusted manufacturers like LMW, ACE and Jyoti. These machines are used for high precision turning of shafts, round components, bores and other rotational features, ensuring excellent dimensional accuracy, consistency and surface quality in finished parts.

• Vertical Milling Centers (VMC):

Austin Alloy Cast uses modern Vertical Milling Centers, from renowened brands like Doosan, all equipped with Siemens control systems. These machines are used for accurate milling, drilling, tapping and contour machining of complex faces and multi surface components, ensuring precise geometry and consistent quality.

• Horizontal Milling Centers (HMC):

Our Horizontal Milling Centers, are ideal for machining heavy and complex castings. They provide excellent rigidity and stability, making them well suited for components that require multiple machining operations with high accuracy.

• Vertical Turning Lathe (VTL):

Austin Alloy Cast operates Vertical Turning Lathes for machining large diameter and high weight cast components. These machines deliver superior concentricity, surface control and dimensional consistency for oversized and heavy duty parts.

• Boring & Tapping Machines:

Our precision boring and tapping machines are used for accurate hole finishing, threading and alignment of critical features. These operations ensure proper fit, function and assembly of components where precision holes and threads are essential.

• Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM):

For dimensional verification, we use a ZEISS Coordinate Measuring Machine, this ensures high precision inspection of dimensions, geometry and tolerances, confirming that every machined component meets customer drawing requirements.

Metflow Partnership: Building the Capacity for Large Scale Machining

• Austin Alloy Cast works closely with its sister firm Metflow Cast, located just 7 km from our casting facility.
• Metflow’s machining capabilities supports our large component requirements with large machining centers, including Vertical Turning Lathes (VTL) and Horizontal Milling Centers (HMC).
• These machines are well suited for oversized, high mass and large diameter cast components that fall outside standard machining limits.
• VTL capabilities at Metflow enable accurate machining of large diameters with excellent concentricity and surface control.
• High rigidity machine setups help minimize vibration, ensuring stable machining and consistent dimensional accuracy.
• Due to the close proximity, we seamlessly rely on Metflow for VTL and large scale machining operations, enabling faster turnaround and smooth coordination for customer projects.

Strong Vendor Network for Complex & Critical Machining

Although most of our machining capabilities are sourced through our own machining facility, there are some machining projects that require very specialized processes, tools or equipment, such as deep hole drilling, advanced grinding, super finishing, multi axis robotic machining etc. For complex high precision machining, we have established and fostered a network of trusted machining vendors who can fulfill these needs.

Through our vendor partners, we can reach our customers for work requiring:

• Ultra Critical Tolerance Levels
• Highly Specialized Machining Setups
• Non Standard Machining Operations
• Complex Assemblies Requiring Hybrid Machining processes

This network allows us to scale rapidly, maintain flexibility, and deliver projects with uncompromised quality even under tight timelines.

Quality Control: What are the Primary Quality Control Functions for All Machined Parts

Machining is the process of manufacturing parts that have been manufactured based upon specifications. There are many ways to do machining, however, machining itself has a number of functions including:

• Dimensional Inspection with Measuring Instruments and Gauges;
• Sampling Checks on Big Batches;
• Evaluating Surface Roughness;
• Verifying Fit and Functionality on Demand.

These processes are what allow each machined part to meet customer specifications, engineering requirements, and all governing specifications set forth by the Industry.

Final Product: High Performance, Ready to Use Component.

The transformation of a raw casting into a machined part that meets specifications is significant. Through these processes you have now a high precision, ready to use component with the following characteristics:

• Accurate Geometry;
• No Defects were found on any of the Machined Surfaces;
• Tolerances Indicated on Drawings are Met;
• Excellent Surface Finish;
• Consistent Quality in Every Batch Produced;
• Fully Ready for Use or Assembly from the Point of Manufacturing.

Final Thoughts

The skill, accuracy and engineering effort that goes into every machined investment casting are represented in the finished product. Austin Alloy Cast considers itself to be more than just a supplier of castings; they provide total manufacturing excellence from beginning to end so that all products that leave their facility perform well, last long, and are capable of functioning as intended in everyday use.