Composition and Material: Aluminum castings are made by the green sand mold method. Castings are cleaned by sand blasting and parting lines are cleaned and deburred.
Aluminum Grades: Aluminum Association alloys 319, 356, 514, 535, and 713 are available on a certified basis. Other alloys can be cast upon request. A standard blended alloy is available for non-critical, non-certified applications.
Sizes: Castings range from 1″x1″x1″ (.1lb.) to 48″x48″x2″ (350 lb.). Cores are used for horizontal holes and tight fit applications.
Finishes: The surface has an “as cast” texture. The surface can be sanded, ground, and polished with different grits and wire sizes. Castings are readily painted and coated via:
- Flouropolymers
- Powder coats
- Paints
- Antiquing
- Electroplating
Fabrication: Welding of castings together and/or with extrusions or plates into larger configurations can be handled by the foundry. Hole drilling and thread tapping are also available. Heat treating subcontractors are in the Dallas area.
Limitations: Caution should be used in coastal applications where salt spray can cause electrolysis between dissimilar metals. Proper choice of alloy and coating can retard this possibility. Most aluminum alloys provide poor anodizing characteristics. Proper alloy selection can be a solution to this problem. Take offs for quantities on-site measurements, and installation are not practical for the foundry.
Other alloys available upon request. Information source: Aluminum Association Standards 13th Edition, 1992.
Welding: Aluminum castings can be welded to other forms of aluminum (i.e. tubing, plate, sheet), but cannot be welded directly to steel. To overcome this restriction a steel tab or stub can be cast into aluminum, that insert can then be welded to steel.
Maintenance: Surface maintenance requirements are determined by the coating manufacturer. Aluminum will not rust and with proper alloy selection and a coherent contract coating it will not corrode, even in a sea coast environment.