Importance of casting in auto industry

 One of the most efficient and economical means of shaping metal into a particular form is called casting. It is a process in which metal is heated to a molten state, and can be poured into a mould of choice and left to harden by foundry workers.

Castings are used in virtually all walks of life with the automotive sector and heavy equipment taking up over 50% of castings produced, according to Key to Metals AG.

“There is a huge construction boom in Saudi Arabia at the moment and the region is attracting a lot of interest as a result. Companies are focused on expanding their vehicle fleets, and the increased demand for quality parts for these vehicles increases simultaneously,” states Asad Badami, managing director for A-MAP. Having previously only focused on passenger cars, Badami says that there has been a great demand for products within the commercial vehicle industry from local clients.

In recent years, casting in the automotive industry has gone through some significant changes. For starters, the current higher than expected oil prices have created a demand for a smaller, lighter style of passenger vehicle. The result is a rise in car imports, leaving the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) market and its heavy automotive parts with a less than positive outlook. New fuel-economy standards are expected to drive the renovation of iron blocks, suspension castings and carriers to aluminium in light trucks and increase the development of all lightweight metals.

Industrial casting applications

Castings can range in size from a few grams (for example, watch case) to several tones (marine diesel engines), shape complexity from simple (manhole cover) to intricate (6-cylinder engine block) and order size one-off (paper mill crusher) to mass production (automobile pistons).

The desired dimensional accuracy and surface finish can be achieved by the choice of process and its control. Castings enable many pieces to be combined into a single part, eliminating assembly and inventory and reducing costs by 50% or more compared to machined parts. Unlike plastics, castings can be efficiently and completely recycled.

Virtually any metal or alloy that can be melted can be cast. The most common ferrous metals include grey iron, ductile iron, malleable iron and steel. Alloys ofFUTSAL