Standard aluminum castings are strong and durable, but have traditionally had very little flexibility, which can hinder their use when some flexing of the casting would ease fabrication or be artistically beneficial. Alloy Casting has developed three grades of bendable aluminum that exhibit pliability and plastic characteristics that allow them to be formed for artistic purposes including furniture, sculptures, belly rails, balcony rails, and spiral staircases. These three alloys – EC, EC5, and CA5 – are progressively
BENDABLE ALUMINUM
Standard aluminum castings have good strength properties but very little ductility. This lack of ductility is a hindrance when some forming of the casting would ease fabrication or be artistically beneficial. To address this constraint, Alloy Casting has developed 3 grades of bendable aluminum castings that exhibit good formability for use in furniture, sculptures, belly rails, balcony rails, or spiral staircases. Each alloy, EC, EC5 and CA5 progresses from most bendable and lowest strength to least bendable and highest strength. Even the lowest bendable alloy, CA5, shows much more ductility than the standard alloys normally used.
MARINE GRADE ALUMINUM
Many alloys of aluminum contain residual amounts of copper. These aluminum metals, when exposed to a corrosive environment (sea coast areas, swimming pool areas, golf courses, etc), exhibit white corrosion on the surface. This white corrosion will flake and peel the decorative coating on the surface. It is this galvanic corrosion set up between the aluminum and the residual copper that causes the white corrosion and it is the same process that turns your battery terminal white. To eliminate the galvanic corrosion, a higher purity aluminum is used. Because that the higher purity aluminum is very soft, magnesium is added back to raise the operating strength. Typically we use specified alloy 535 and our own blend, CA5 to greatly reduce the corrosion. Any casting in our full range catalog can be produced in the marine grade alloys.
SPECIFIED ALUMINUM
The aluminum association numbers all aluminum casting alloys with a 3 digit code, i.e. 356, 319, 713. The beginning digit denotes the alloy family. The work horses of the aluminum foundry industry revolve around 356 and 319 which are silicon base alloys with different hardening agents and heat treat abilities.
Alloy Casting standard casting alloy is a blend of 356 and 319 and shows good detail retention and structure integrity. It is used in all cases where a non-specified alloy would be acceptable.
OTHER METALS
Other metals and alloys upon request; please inquire
- BRASS
- BRONZE- aluminum bronze, silicon bronze, nickel, silver
- CAST IRON
- MILD STEEL
- STAINLESS STEEL type 304 and others