Category: General

Futuristic general engineering implies improved productivity, smart functionality and sustainability. Precision casting of metal parts for general engineering is the process to make the parts with precise finishing. One can achieve accurate size and shape of engineering parts and excellent surface finish only with precision casting. These casted parts, in turn give shape to futuristic general engineering. As we are talking about precision casting, how can we not mention leading precision casting manufacturing companies? Austin Alloy Cast, which employs more than 250 employees at the world class foundry set-up back in India is one of the prominent manufacturers.

Why choose only precision casting?

As mentioned above futuristic general engineering will be more advanced with smart functionality and improved productivity. Finishing quality of the metal parts used in general engineering is the crucial matter. Having blemishes, defects, porosity, uneven or unfinished surfaces in your metal components can lead to impaired productivity. Precision casting or investment casting process produces metal parts with excellent surface finish. Moreover, precision casted parts are visually appealing and look better than any parts manufactured using other processes.

Apart from finishing quality, precision casting can handle complex shapes of the components which are used for general engineering.

For all the reasons one should choose precision casting for manufacturing of general engineering metal parts or components. It is also important to choose the right foundry which can handle the process very well. Austin Alloy Cast offers a complete solution to manufacture your general engineering parts under one roof. Austin has expertise in gear blank casting, rope fitting components, marine transducer housing, rail coupler lock lift assembly, lantern, etc.

At Austin Alloy Cast, every project is handled with care and considering the requisites of it. If required technical consultation and value added services are offered.

Contact us on below given details to check availability and booking an appointment with our sales agent in your area.

When you choose feinguss casting for your metal parts project, the first thing that comes to your mind is to find the right foundry to take over the projects. India is the best country to source for your feinguss casting project requirements. Going for Feinguss in India will have many advantages. But, how to choose the right foundry for your requirements?

Feinguss is a lost-wax casting in which a molten metal is poured into a mould that has been created by means of a wax model. The process requires following steps:

This process takes a lot of time and labour. Any investment casting manufacturing foundry having required set-up and labours can do the job very well. Feinguss in India could be the best option for cost-effective and quality solutions.

Feinguss in India and Austing Alloy Cast:

Austin Alloy Cast offers a comprehensive solution for any of your metal parts which is for stainless steel, alloy steel, duplex steel & nickel base castings. Austin has one of the largest manufacturing facilities for investment castings in India at a single location. We can handle large volumes and weight per piece of upto 150 kgs. Detailing in each process is our forte and we have acquired expertise in the investment casting process.

From technical consulting to sample development or to convert your sand casting or other metal casting processes to Feinguss in India, contact Austin Alloy Cast at the following given details or our sales agents in North America, Europe or APAC regions. Our sales agents are easy to reach and available according to your time zone. Furthermore, we have sales agents who speak languages like English, Hindi, Danish, Portuguese, German, French and Japanese.

Let’s work together for your next project.

Investment casting is one of the processes which can give precise shape to your metal casting components. So, it’s well-known as precision casting also. When you have a project for casting metal parts which require exceptional surface finish or have complex shape then our wide-reaching investment casting solutions can be just right for you.

Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd., one of the well-established investment casting foundry based out of India provides wide-reaching investment casting solutions to leading companies in Europe, North America and South America.

How is it a wide-reaching investment casting solution?

1. Wide-reaching in terms of sales and support: Our sales agents are available to help when the customers need them. A network of our sales agents is spread across the globe in different countries. They can speak various languages like English, Hindi, Danish, Portuguese, German, French and Japanese so it’s very easy to reach you and offer you the best solution for your metal casting projects.

2. Wide-reaching in terms of solutions: When investment casting is just a service provided in the market, we offer a wide-reaching solution for metal casting projects that cover project consulting, value added services like machining, etc. In-house testing facilities and certifications make the projects perfectly executed.

3. Wide-reaching in terms of technology and infrastructure: High-end technology i.e. design and development softwares, testing machines, expert human resources to manage the projects and state-of-the-art infrastructure has taken the place of old family run foundries now. To fulfil large projects for metal casting parts, having essential technology and infrastructure is a must. Austin’s foundry which has spread across 25000 sq. mt. The area has advanced technology and infrastructure to deliver best quality products to their customers globally. Our investment casting manufacturing unit meets high level quality standards (find the details in the link). Not only that but we generate and use 1.5 MW green energy for the manufacturing process which comes from our solar power plant.

Make sure that your metal components in any of the alloys from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, Martensitic Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel Based Alloys, Duplex, Cobalt based alloys, and Heat Resisting Steels are made of highest quality. Austin Alloy Cast, through its wide-reaching investment casting solutions can help you achieve desired results.

We undertake investment casting projects for metal parts from food processing, oil and gas, pulp and paper, heavy earth moving, medical and general engineering industries. Reach to book a brief consultation session.

There are more than 10 casting processes used for casting metal parts in different industries worldwide. Each casting process has its own advantages and qualities to fit for certain requirements. Moreover, different metal parts have different complexity. So, choosing the right process for that complexity is very important. Here, in this blog we are going to give you detailed insight of two metal parts casting processes – Sand Casting (SC) and Investment Casting (IC) with the case studies.

While the sand casting process involves sand to create a mould for casting of metal, investment casting involves wax pattern to create a mould. But, that’s not the only difference between the processes. Sand casting suits for the low-volume production runs and for large components. However, investment casting is a time taking process due to more steps than sand casting involved in it. Sand casting is a suitable process for large parts while investment casting is the suitable process for medium to large parts. Investment casting is capable of producing complex parts with excellent surface finishes. And that’s why the investment casting process is also called ‘precision investment casting process’. A near net shape finish achieved by investment casting reduces the need for machining which helps save your overall project cost.

Why should you convert your process from Sand Casting to Investment Casting?

1. When you want near net shape and better surface finish for your metal components.

2. When there is a requirement to produce complex shape casting.

3. When you don’t have more time for machining or secondary processing (polishing, trimming, etc.)

4. When you want to incorporate logos, product IDs, numbers or texts onto the surface of your metal parts.

5. If you are facing problems in the sand casting process like porosity, etc.

Austin Alloy Cast is a well-established investment casting foundry based out of India offers the highest level of investment casting solutions to their customer-base in major EU countries and North America.

Case Studies of our clients converted Sand Casting (SC) process to Investment Casting (IC):

One of our customers from Europe converted to an investment casting process from sand casting process for hydraulic cylinder products. They were getting cost benefit due to near et shape finish and lower need of machining. Converting to investment casting (IC) also helped them to get a better surface finish (aesthetic look) than sand casting.

One of our customers from Turkey converted from sand casting due to better lead time and found the pricing we offer very competitive for investment casting (IC).

An American company using a sand casting process was facing a quality issue (porosity) which made them look for another process option. They consulted us about the issue. Our consultative approach helped them find the solutions and they converted from sand casting to investment casting for their project. We successfully delivered them in bulk.

Canada’s medical device industry is mainly an export oriented industry and contributes 1.8% of the global medical device market. Canada made exports worth of $ 4.4 Billion medical devices in the year of 2020 which increased from $3.2 Billion from 2015. This obviously shows that Canada’s medical device industry’s future is bright. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2021 to 2028. The Canadian government showed and offered great support to the research programs to develop innovative medical devices through federal funding and tax incentive programs. Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta provinces have the majority of medical device manufacturing establishments.

New avenues are opening up for the medical device companies and startups in Canada as the industry is expected to grow at a very decent level and government as well as private support are offered to medical device startups in Canada.

How investment casting solutions from Austin could play a very important role to enhance the growth in the market for the companies.

Austin Alloy Cast, a leading investment casting foundry manufactures and exports medical devices in North America and European countries. As Austin Alloy Cast understands the stringent requirements of the industry concerning the product quality, surface and hygiene, medical device companies in Canada have never had to worry about it. Austin Alloy Cast has a well-established manufacturing set-up back in India and a huge logistic network to deliver the cast pieces on time. The medical device market which has huge demand for hospital furniture, Orthopaedic, Oncology and prosthetic devices are casted at the foundry of Austin Alloy Cast. Not only metal casting of the medical devices but also post processing, machining, value added services and packaging are done as per the requirement of industry standards.

When there’s requirement of casting medical devices like briquetting rolls, bushings, valve trims, grinding plates, wear components, mixing blades, tubing and piping, and other such devices, Austin Alloy Cast can be the trusted investment casting company to deliver you them on short turn-around time. Austin Alloy Cast also offers technical consultation if you are starting a new project.

Book an appointment to schedule an online meeting by sending an email given below or browse the official website for more details.

Source:

https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-life-science-industries/en/medical-devices/industry-profile

When you source for an investment casting company for your valve casting project, you look for capacity, expertise, value added services offered and other such things in a foundry. One more parameter to source the right investment casting company for your valve casting project is to look into the portfolio of the company.

Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. is one of the pioneers from India in valve casting manufacturing. Our company casts more than 840 MT of valve castings in different types of alloys every year and are exported to North American, European and APAC regions. Not only our expertise, capacity and high quality standards, but also our diverse valve casting portfolio which makes our service competitive and a preferred supplier to the valve customers.

Our valve casting portfolio:

Ball valves:

Ball valves which are widely used for flow control of fluid in the Oil & gas industry, Cryogenic application industry, pulp and paper industry, Pharmaceutical industry, Paint industry, water application Industry, Fertilizer plant are required to be casted precisely. Our ball valve casting gives you quality and perfection in the product which is incomparable.

Ball valve types we cast:

Full bore, Reduce bore, Floating ball valve, Metal seated ball valve (MSBV), Soft seated ball valve (SSBV) , Trunnion mounted ball valve, etc.

Alloys:

Stainless steel, Hast alloy, Inconel, Super alloy, Low alloy steel, Carbon & low carbon steel, Duplex and Super duplex, Monel, etc.

Size:

DN15 MM to DN300MM

Tests:

RT, Impact up to -196°C, DP, MPI, Corrosion Test as per (ASTM A 262, DIN EN 3651-2,ASTM G-28 & G-48), Ferrite, Microstructure, etc.

Certification:

ISO 9001:2015, PED 2014/68/EU, AD2000 W0, UKCA, NORSOK, DNV MARINE, ABS MARINE, (LR & BV MARINE IN PROGRESS), etc.

Gate valves:

Gate valves which are primarily used for start or stop the flow of fluid are casted at Austin Alloy Cast. Our gate valves are used by Oil & gas companies, Marine industry, mining industry, fire water and water application industry, chemical and petrochemical industry, etc.

Alloys:

Stainless steel, Hast alloy, Inconel, Super alloy, Low alloy steel, Carbon & low carbon steel, Duplex and Super duplex, Monel, etc.

Size:

50 MM to 150MM

Tests:

RT, Impact up to -196°C, DP, MPI, Corrosion Test as per (ASTM A 262, DIN EN 3651-2,ASTM G-28 & G-48), Ferrite, Microstructure, etc.

Certification:

ISO 9001:2015, PED 2014/68/EU, AD2000 W0, UKCA, NORSOK, DNV MARINE, ABS MARINE, (LR & BV MARINE IN PROGRESS).

Butterfly valves:

Butterfly valves are used in Fertilizer plants, fire water and water industry, Marine industry to shut-off flows of fluid.

Butterfly valve types we cast:

Wafer type, Lug type, Double Offset, Triple offset

Alloys:

Steel, stainless steel, carbon and low carbon steel, duplex and super duplex

Size:

50 MM to 300MM

Tests:

RT, Impact up to -196°C, DP, MPI, Corrosion Test as per (ASTM A 262, DIN EN 3651-2,ASTM G-28 & G-48), Ferrite, Microstructure, etc.

Certification:

ISO 9001:2015, PED 2014/68/EU, AD2000 W0, UKCA, NORSOK, DNV MARINE, ABS MARINE, (LR & BV MARINE IN PROGRESS).

This is just a glimpse of our valve casting portfolio which is much more diversified than the above mentioned portfolio. We also manufacture globe valves, check valves, knife gate valves, pressure relief valves, strainers etc.

Are you looking for an investment casting manufacturer company for your next valve casting project? Ask Austin Alloy Cast. Our sales and technical experts are always happy to help you.

Germany – Europe’s largest economy has officially entered into the recession. GDP fell by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2023 followed by 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2022. Before we look into the solution of how some industries can stay unaffected, let’s look into the summaries of how it affects many industries if they use metal components or machine parts.

How industries will be affected by this economic slowdown.

Shut down of foundries:

Metal components and machine parts used in general engineering, oil & gas, heavy earth moving, food processing, medical and marine industry are casted in foundries. Many German smelters and casting foundries including a 200 year old foundry have already shut-off due to the energy crisis. The recession will lead to layoff and closure of the metal casting foundries as paying high wages and energy bills are a huge burden on them. Shutdown of foundries mean no supply or scarcity of metal components to the industries.

High production costs and tight raw material supply:

Recession has caused inflation which in turn led to higher production costs in Germany. Metal casting foundries rely on raw materials (steel, aluminium, copper, etc.) and casting alloys suppliers and scrap. Prices of raw materials are hit by the recession but the supply remains tight.

Decrease in industrial output:

Industrial output decreased during the recession. It went down 3.4% in March 2023. Production in machinery and equipment also fell by 3.4%. Export has correlation with industrial output. Downward industrial output stagnant the economic growth. It can be balanced by outsourcing raw materials or the entire processes from other economies.

Alternative metal casting sourcing which can help stay the industries unaffected:

Alternative sourcing from fast growing major economies like India can prove to be a shock absorber for Germany in this economic downturn. Talking specifically about metal components especially Investment castings, OEMs need to rely on foundries, which is an energy & labour intensive industry. The Indian economy has abundant availability of foundry workers and energy has a reasonable cost. According to a survey report by World Economic Outlook (April 2023) GDP growth in India has been 5.9% in comparison to Germany -1%. This shows the stability and economic absorbance level of the country. According to a report by statista.com energy prices in Germany were at $0.52/KWh (Rs 42.5 per unit) however India’s domestic power tariffs are one of the lowest at $ 0.07 (Rs 5.7). Not only by price comparison but from consumption and production/supply of energy and gas point of view, India stands in a favourable position to shift the sourcing of metal casting. Apart from labour and energy availability there are many other favourable conditions, which makes India the best place for German companies to shift their metal casting sourcing and stay unaffected from the economic downturn. For example, easy and fast logistic connectivity, advanced banking and other infrastructure, etc. make favourable conditions for germany industries to do business with Indian companies. Also, a stable government leads to good diplomatic relationships with countries across the globe. If you are looking to source investment casting from India, Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. can help you at any stage from technical consulting to investment casting manufacturing and post manufacturing services. You can find more details on our website or contact on the details given below:

Source:

https://news.yahoo.com/gas-crisis-german-metals-foundry-104403147.html

https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/european-metal-short-term-buying-uncertainty-2023-preview

https://www.dailysabah.com/business/economy/recession-fears-rise-as-german-industrial-output-slumps

https://www.ft.com/content/d204f3f0-f03e-4c9d-846a-eca425fb48e4

https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2023/04/11/world-economic-outlook-april-2023

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/03/electricity-generation-renewables-power-iea/

https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/255e9cba-da84-4681-8c1f-458ca1a3d9ca/ElectricityMarketReport2023.pdf

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/power/power-tariffs-in-india-are-one-of-the-lowest-in-the-world-rk-singh-10415291.html

Radiography Testing (RT) also popularly known as a type of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) uses Gamma rays or X-Ray testing as a component inspection method to detect volumetric casting defects by foundries or investment casting manufacturers, which can not be seen by naked eye.

A big stand-out factor from the competitors within the Investment casting industry is that we have in-house Radiography testing (RT) facilities. We at Austin Alloy Cast, use IR 192 & Co 60 Gamma rays sources to inspect the casted metal through Radiography Testing (RT). We have separate facilities for both the sources – IR 192 and Co 60. Tests using both the sources separately have many advantages. Cobalt 60 (Co 60) and Iridium 192 (IR 192) produce high energies which makes it possible to penetrate thick materials in short exposure of time. Cobalt-60 emits a 1.33 and a 1.17 MeV gamma ray, and iridium-192 will emit 0.31, 0.47, and 0.60 MeV gamma rays. Due to this our team is able to detect casting defects in thinner as well as thicker metal components during the inspection.

Necessity of Radiography testing in the Investment casting industry and the method we use for inspection:

> The method detects thinner as well as thicker wall size metal components.

> Verify internal flaws on complex structures like porosity, cracks, shrinkages

> Detects external as well as internal flaws or defects due to greater penetrating power.

> RT is mandatory for castings used in Hazardous environments like Oil & Gas to prevent leakages that could in some cases lead to fatalities.

We use various other NDT methods like Dye Penetrant Testing, Magnetic Particle Testing and Ultrasonic Testing depending on the requirements of the project, alloy types, component types and other factors. Our experts have many years of experience tackling the complex flaws and issues arising during the manufacturing process. Which is a value addition to the advanced technology.

Comprehensive investment casting manufacturing facility at one place makes you worry-free for your metal components casting projects. Get in-touch on the below given contact details to discuss your next project.

Stainless Steels are the best materials when you want your components to be corrosion-resistant, aesthetic surface finish and long lasting. And for the same reasons Stainless steel investment casting is the preferred casting process to manufacture the components which are used by food processing, medical, mining, and general engineering industries. The Investment Casting process was first used 5500 years ago and since then has evolved to what it is today. Investment Casted components are used globally in a variety of industries. Germans call it Feinguss, Italians call it Microfusione and it is also called precision casting.

Details you would want to know about steel investment casting.

Before you start any project and choose steel casting for it, here are a few questions answered. If there are still any questions, please feel free to contact us on details given at the end of the post.

What are the advantages of the steel investment casting process?

There are many advantages to choosing a stainless steel investment casting process. First of all stainless steel is a corrosion resistant material, so it adds to the life value of the component. It has excellent precision tolerance which other metals don’t have. And third is that you can achieve superior surface finish through the process.

What grade of steel is best for my industry?

300 series grade steel has good corrosion resistance and softer material. This grade of steel is best for food processing and medical industries. 304, 304L, 316, 316L are 300 series of stainless steel grades.

400 series steel has high strength quality but rigid nature so can be difficult to bend. So, this grade of steel can be used for making general engineering parts or machine tools. 410 and 416 are both 400 series steel grade.

What components or machine parts can be manufactured through the steel investment casting process?

● Valve bodies including gate valve castings, ball valve castings, butterfly valve castings, globe valve castings, triple eccentric valve castings, knife gate valve       castings, pressure relief valve castings

● Pump castings like centrifugal pump casing, closed & open impellers, lobe pump bearing housings, lobe pump rotor housing, split case pump housing

● Investment Castings for heavy equipments like Hydraulic cylinder castings

● Investment Castings for measurement instruments like flow meter bodies, pressure transmitter housing & cover

What is the general steel investment casting process?

Steel or any other investment casting follow following process:

1.   Tool Making

2.   Wax Injection

3.   Pattern Assembly

4.   Shell Coating

5.   Dewaxing

6.   Pouring

7.   Shell Removing

8.   Heat Treatment

9.   Finishing

10. Final Inspection of the raw casting

11. Other value added processes like machining

Is the steel investment casting process costly?

The cost of steel investment casting is medium to high. Investment casting, popularly known as lost-wax casting process takes longer time than other casting processes but offers great versatility in complex geometry and materials.

Have more questions? Reach us on the details given below.

In oil & gas, marine or any industries, where the process piping system is installed, valves are one of the most crucial parts of the system to control the flow. Valves are used to stop, allow or reroute the flow of fluid, gas or chemical. To make this process smooth different kinds of valves are used to manage the flow depending on the functionality and requirements. Gate valves are very popular for the processes. If gate valve investment casting is done right, the pipeline process runs smoothly for a longer period of time. Gate valve failure like seat or wedge corrosion, stem break-off, etc. can arise if the gate valve investment casting manufacturer has no adequate knowledge or facilities to adhere to the tight tolerances and manufacture it according to the technical literature. One can obviously repair a malfunctioning gate valve but it’s always better to prevent it from malfunctioning.

Valves are critical components in a piping system. It may contribute 15 to 30 percent of the total piping system cost. So, the engineers have to choose the right quality of valves at the design stage only. Failure of valves can result in entire piping system failure and a lot of cost of the project. Gate valves are the most common types of valves used in any piping system.

How gate valve casting by Austin Alloy Cast helps make your piping system smooth in the harshest environment?

Austin Alloy Cast has vast experience in valve casting. In fact, 50-60% of our total revenue is derived from the Valve industry. As a renowned investment casting company, Austin understands the requirements and mechanism of valves and its applications. Austin Alloy Cast supplies the valves and other metal components to leading oil & gas, marine, food processing and other companies globally. Austin has developed advanced facilities at their casting foundry to bridge the gap between the requirements of the piping system and making it efficient.

If you need consulting for your next project for gate valve casting or any other metal component casting, Austin Alloy Cast can be contacted on the below given details.