Bad workers are mocked, according to the old saying, for blaming their tools. They might be onto something, though. Successful projects require good planning, good workers, good tools, and another factor which is sometimes overlooked: good components.
For many large-scale projects, the components are likely to be investment castings. These are pieces of metal that have been cast into very specific, and often very complicated, shapes. As the name implies, they are not usually cheap. That is why picking the right foundry to do the metal casting work is crucial.
So, how can you find a high-quality foundry which can meet your demands? This short guide will introduce the qualities you should look for.
- Consistency: Examine some non-military castings for every prospective investment casting foundry you consider. Why non-military ones? Firstly, because non-military ones are more likely to be available to you if you are not in the defense or national security industries. Secondly, because the requirements of military castings are often much higher.
To get a clearer picture of how reliable and consistent a firm is, take a look at more routine castings. If their work is sloppy with these, it might be time to consider other options.
- Versatility: Many foundries will only accept relatively simple casting jobs that come with a high volume of orders. There’s nothing wrong with that, unless you are looking for a foundry to form a long-term business relationship with.
Chances are, not all of your projects will be the same size or complexity. If you’ve found a fairly priced and reliable foundry, it can save you time and money if you can stick with them when you are working on smaller or more complex projects.
- Expertise: Metals, like other commodities, are often affected by geopolitical events. This can cause prices to shift a lot. What you don’t need on top of this is a foundry which wastes resources by making mistakes.
Make sure your foundry has expertise and experience in pouring a wide range of metals and alloys. Expert staff that stick with the company for many years and up-to-date equipment are also useful things to look out for.
- Communication: Reputable foundries are often happy to host potential clients on visits to their casting facilities. There, the visitors can conduct their own quality checks on the castings and get an insight into the process the foundry uses.
This is all valuable information and foundries not being willing to do this could be a red flag. If you choose to go ahead with the investment casting, the firm should update you about your project’s progress.
- Attention to detail: This should be a given, but you might be surprised how many foundries are happy to try and pass off “close enough” work instead of meeting the exact specifications.
If they do need to make changes, they should consult you first.
The metal casting industry provides components for many economically vital industries, such as defense, energy, automotive, and construction industries, along with many more. In any project and any industry, it is essential that metal castings are done to a high standard. Using these tips, you should be able to find a firm that reliably produces consistent castings of excellent quality.