112 Industrial Park Road •
Greensburg, PA 15601 • (724) 838-5500
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Process Design
Guidelines
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Ten Most Asked Question About PIAD Castings 1. What is the PIAD Process?PIAD produces precision casting by the chill-cast permanent-mold process. Whereby, molten materials are poured into a precision metal die. The molds, which are chilled in a liquid bath between cycles, rapidly draw the heat out of the molten material to produce a component with high integrity and dense grain structure. It is a one-step process, which significantly reduce labor and overhead cost. Queue times are shortened because there is no waiting or bottlenecks between required operations and steps. The components go from liquid material, to casting, cool down, and cleaning operation within hours. Compared to what could take weeks with other processes. 2. What alloys are poured in the PIAD process?PIAD alloys range from pure electrolytic copper, chromium-copper, brass, aluminum-bronze, tin-bronze, and ZA73 All alloys have been developed for the process with specifications much tighter than commercial grade alloys The alloys all start with pure, virgin materials. No scrap is ever used. The alloys provide a wide range of properties to meet most engineering requirements from electrical conductivity of 98%minimum to tensile strength in excess of 115,000pounds per square inch. 3. What is the size range in geometries that fit the PIAD process?Components can be produced from ounces to 35 lbs., with up to 18 linear inches in size. Most any geometry can be accommodated. PIAD sales and engineering will help to design products to fit all functional requirements, yet provide all the value and advantages the process can offer 4. What tolerances are obtainable?The size and complexity of a component, somewhat, dictate the achievable tolerances. Normal tolerances are = .010 for 2 inches and =. 002 for each additional inch. Special and premium tolerances are achievable in selected areas by pouring procedures or fixturing of components upon removal from the mold. PIAD provides completely finished components in instances where secondary operations cannot be eliminated. 5. What type of surfaces can be expected?Because the castings are formed in a precision die with closely machined surfaces, inherently, the casting surface is smooth and brightly metallic. Secondary surfaces are easily achievable by sand blasting, polishing, plating or painting.
6. How do PIAD casting prices compare with other casting methods?The "price" of a PIAD casting may appear to be more expensive than other methods. It is important that the price be compared to the actual "cost" of a component. The higher price should be evaluated against the turning, milling pricing and grinding operations that have been eliminated or reduced by the near net shape capabilities of the process. 7. What usage ranges fit into the PIAD process?Usage ranges of 100 to 100,000 pieces per year will comply with the process requirements. However, the economics of the total savings and tooling expenditure dictate the actual range of use. 8. What type of tooling is required and what is the tooling life span?As previously mentioned, the molds are highly precision metal dies, manufactured from a variety of materials to optimize the operation and life of the tooling. Customers pay only for the initial mold and any modifications requested by the customer. PIAD maintains and replaces tooling, as required. Mold pricing is derived from the size and complexity of the component. Most mold costs, range between $2,000 and $8,000. The average cost is approximately $3,500. 9. What are the lead times?Generally tooling and samples require 10-12 weeks and 3-4 weeks for production. This is negotiable depending on work loads and backlogs at any particular time. 10. What is the integrity of a PIAD casting?The geometry of a particular component is directly related to its functional requirements. When the geometry is adverse to laws of nature, there are only limited amounts of actions that can be taken to overturn the natural reactions. PIAD's designers are experienced in developing those criteria that minimize casting problems and irregularities. When uniform walls, directionalized solidification methods, proper gating and risering, and generally sound casting practices can be employed, the result is strong, dense, porosity free castings of high integrity. Typical Design Criteria:
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