> casting and machining

Aluminum casting

At Chassix, we offer a complete range of aluminum casting processes and technologies to optimize product design and mechanical properties. In addition to green sand, permanent mold and squeeze casting, we have the ability to utilize sand cores in our casting processes to obtain hollow, lightweight castings that require less machining and have higher strength.

  • > Pressure counter pressure casting (PCPC)
  • > Vacuum riserless casting (VRC) and pressure riserless casting (PRC) for high mechanical properties

In our VRC and PRC processes, molds are made from a permanent, reusable steel pattern. Cooling rates are tightly controlled to maximize the mechanical properties of aluminum that enters the bottom of the mold via pressure resulting from a vacuum placed at the top of the mold.

Advantages

  • > Reusable permanent mold
  • > Multiple casting cavities (impressions) in each mold
  • > Controlled mold filling rates
  • > Closed system to contain molten aluminum
  • > Cooling technology maximizes mechanical processes
  • > Provides ability to accommodate complex casting designs
  • > Provides ability to use complex cores for hollow casting
  • > High mechanical properties
  • > High casting yield
  • > High quality

Gravity tilt pouring

Aluminum is poured into tilt pouring units, standalone or turntable, which are made in a permanent steel pattern and are reusable. Mold cooling rates are controlled using various methods to maximize the mechanical properties of the aluminum being formed.

Advantages

  • > Reusable permanent mold
  • > Great for low-cost, low-volume applications (low tooling cost)
  • > Controlled mold filling rates
  • > Cooling technology maximizes mechanical properties
  • > Provides ability to mold complex casting designs
  • > Provides ability to use complex cores for hollow castings
  • > Provides high mechanical properties
  • > Allows quick changeover
  • > Provides multiple casting cavities (impressions) in each mold
  • > Allows tight temperature control
  • > High quality

Squeeze casting

Metal is poured into a permanent steel mold under high pressure. This increases the mechanical properties of the aluminum and eliminates internal porosity.

Advantages

  • > Reusable permanent mold
  • > Controlled pressure mold filling
  • > Provides high mechanical properties
  • > Offers dimensional control equal to die-casting with high-strength alloys
  • > Provides small dendrite arm spacing (DAS)
  • > Provides nonturbulent mold filling
  • > High quality

Carousel handling design for multiple patterns

Gravity die casting

Green sand casting

Green sand casting is accomplished through our high-output Disamatic® molding process; molds are made of recycled sand, clay and water.

Advantages

  • > High molding rates and low tooling costs for patterns
  • > Provides ability to use complex cores for hollow castings
  • > Low cost per unit
  • > Decreased part changeover time
  • > Ability to run thin wall castings with complex shapes
  • > Vacuum pouring for higher quality

Ductile iron casting

At Chassix, we specialize in high-volume, structural ductile iron castings and offer a complete range of one-to-80-pound castings through our green sand Disamatic® molding process.

Advantages

  • > Electric melting with holding furnaces
  • > Tight chemistry control
  • > Utilization of all grades of pearlitic and ferritic ductile iron
  • > Nondestructive testing
  • > Resonant frequency testing
  • > Laser-controlled layout
  • > Core-making for complex, lightweight and hollow castings

Chassix offers fully machined and assembled castings in both aluminum and ductile iron. Through our diverse group of in-house machining service offerings, we are able to:

  • >Integrate machining requirements into casting designs
  • >Decrease cost and improve quality
  • >Maintain very tight tolerance control in microns
  • >Produce lightweight machined solutions through integrated design
  • >Provide flexible machining cells
  • >Decrease project lead times
  • >Automate machining processes