Benefits of Foamcast Lost Foam

Advantages of foamcast® - lost foam casting process over traditional sand casting:

Can be used for precision castings of ferrous and non-ferrous metals of any size.
Fewer steps are involved in foamcast® - lost foam casting process as compared to sand casting.
Core making is eliminated.
Binders or other additives and related mixing processes are eliminated.
High dimensional accuracy can be achieved and thin sections can be cast (i.e. 3 mm).
There is lower capital investment.
The flasks used are less expensive and easier to use because they are in one piece.
The need for skilled labour is reduced.
Multiple castings can be combined in one mold to increase pouring efficiency.
Consistent casting quality
Lower operating costs can be achieved for appropriate castings. Complex castings, particularly internal sections, which require high dimensional accuracy and have thin sections, can be produced very cost effectively in comparison with to conventional sand molding processes.
Fettling and machining is minimized due to high dimensional accuracy and the absence of parting lines or core fins.
The shakeout process is simplified and does not require the heavy machinery required for bonded sand systems.
High levels of sand reuse are possible. As little as 1-2% of the sand is lost as a result of spills. Periodically a portion of sand may need to be removed or reclaimed to avoid the build-up of styrene.

For a brief comparison between the foamcast® - lost foam casting process and the Green Sand Process please click here

foamcast® - lost foam casting process compared with the lost wax process:

Lower pattern costs
Increased productivity due to fewer shell coats and accelerated drying
Efficient manufacture of larger castings
Lower material costs per kg of finished casting

For a brief comparison between the foamcast® - lost foam casting process and the Lost Wax Process please click here

The foamcast® - lost foam casting process puts to use economical materials:

The ceramic shell process for foamcast® - lost foam casting process has several advantages over the lost wax process. Fewer coats are needed making the process quicker and more cost effective. The finished shells are also lighter and easier to handle. foamcast® - lost foam casting process uses less than 50% of the same high quality ceramics as investment casting.

To know about the Environmental advantages of foamcast®-lost foam casting process please click here

Once coated Polystyrene Foam Patterns are dried they are transported to the firing furnace where the polystyrene is burnt out before pouring. Using a firing furnace with a substantial afterburner makes foamcast® - lost foam casting process is a very clean process with no emissions. Up to 15kg of polystyrene patterns can be fired in each batch. Given that each kilogram of polystyrene is replaced by roughly 160-200 kgs. of metal, a full furnace of molds is equivalent to 2.4-3.0 tonnes of poured steel.

Non-proprietary terms that have been used to describe similar processes include: cavityless casting, evaporative foam casting, foam vaporization casting, lost pattern casting, the castral process, expanded polystyrene molding, EPC, Evaporative Pattern Casting, LFT, Lost Foam Technology, Expendable Pattern Casting, lostfoam, shellfoamcast, etc.