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unique chill-casting process assures our customers of precise,
economical parts
When PIAD was first issued a patent
for its casting process in 1923, that was only the beginning. Many
times since then, the process has been improved and refined. Because
of this continuing development, we've been able to meet the growing
needs of industry, which has been demanding castings with greater
quality and precision. For more than sixty years, our permanent-mold
castings have been used effectively in the electrical, mining, and
industrial-machinery industries, to mention a few.
Today, the PIAD process is better
than ever.
The PIAD process employs
chill-casting techniques and a specialty-steel mold to produce
precision castings made from copper and copper-base alloys.
Liquid metal enters the mold via
gravity or low pressure. Pouring of the metal and movement of the
mold are coordinated to avoid turbulence when the metal enters
(right)
Because molten metal flows into all parts of the mold by gravity
pressure, each casting is dimensionally accurate and free of
porosity.
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the mold.
As the metal is poured, the mold is gently vibrated to ensure the
complete filling necessary to produce sharp corners and fine detail
in the castings.
After each casting cycle, the mold
is water cooled to create a significant temperature difference
between the liquid metal and the mold. This temperature difference
causes a fine, dense grain structure.
The high-quality chill castings that
result from the unique PIAD process offer designers, engineers, and
manufacturers many advantages:
- Engineered components with
near-net-shape characteristics
- Dimensional uniformity
- Improved mechanical properties
- Pressure tightness
- Close tolerances...dimensional
accuracy
- Precision and dimensional
repeatability
- Bright, smooth metallic surface
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Other
advantages of selecting PIAD castings include:
- Design freedom... highly complex
parts can be produced quickly in virtually any copper alloy,
eliminating costly fabrication. Pins, screws, bushings, springs,
and other foreign components can be integrated into castings.
- Reduction (or elimination) of
secondary machining operations... a substantial cost savings.
- Large alloy selection.
- One-time tooling charge... an
important economic feature.
- 125 RMS surface finish offers
additional savings.
- Quality assurance from drawing to
finished products.
Let us help you with a program to
economically improve the quality of your existing components. If you
need new ideas or ways to cut costs, contact us. Let's talk about
your requirements.
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Chill Casting
