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between 413 and 427 °C (775 and 801 °F), whereas it actually melts much lower around 260 °C (500 °F). If the metal is introduced to the mold at a higher temperature (in this case, above 427 °C or 801 °F), it will wear the silicone prematurely, shortening the mold life. If the metal is introduced at significantly lower temperatures (below 413 °C or 775 °F), its solidification time will similarly be shortened resulting in incomplete or low quality castings. Spin casting metal requires a furnace with fine temperature control, and knowledge of proper casting temperature.
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237:. Zamak 2, of a slightly different composition, was originally developed as a gravity-cast alloy with greater finished strength but was found to work well with spin-casting. Its extra copper content encourages the eutectic behaviour and gives a lower freezing point. It has become known as 'Kirksite' and has given rise to a range of dedicated spin-casting alloys, some with additional components, such as magnesium, to control the surface finish.
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especially at larger diameters and when casting metal. Because loading and unloading the caster is performed by hand, it is easiest and less fatiguing to manipulate the mold at waist level in one fluid motion as allowed by a front-loading spin caster. This is important in production spin casting, to maximize the number of casting cycles per hour.
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properly while it spins at a steady rate. These components are placed inside of a machine body, which shields against flashing of molten metal or liquid plastic that is inadvertently ejected from the mold during the spinning process. Without the proper containment, hot melted flashing can be a serious hazard to nearby persons.
164:-like consistency and when heated using a conventional oven hardens enough to hold up under the vulcanization process, producing an original mold where models are then cast for the production mold. These qualities also encourage operators to use casting materials specially formulated for low melting points and
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Because of low start up costs and ease of use, spin casting is available to individuals and businesses unable to make the deep investments required by die casting, injection molding or similar processes. These users include smaller business and design houses that would normally contract their work to
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During the casting process, the finished mold spins along its central axis for anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes depending upon the chosen casting material. Internally, a spin casting machine or spin caster consists of a motor and pressure clamping system, which holds and positions the mold
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Spin casting is a favored method for fabricating items in the specified materials – low temperature metals and thermoset plastics. Compared to the two main competing processes, injection molding and (zinc) die-casting, spin casting has significant advantages in terms of startup cost and ease of use.
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Aside from the aforementioned metal alloys, thermoset resins and plastics work well with spin casting as they can be introduced as liquids and will set or solidify while the mold spins. In general, spin casting encourages the use of casting materials that are liquid upon introduction to the mold and
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A melting furnace is necessary only when spin casting metal. The metal must be molten prior to introduction into the mold. It is necessary for a spin casting furnace to have a temperature controller, as there is an optimal range for each metal. For example, a particular zinc alloy is typically cast
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The remarkable disparity in tooling cost and lead time is a result of the expensive and time-consuming machining required to produce the precision metal molds (dies) used with die-casting and plastic injection molding. The precision tooling and resilient nature of the machined metal die yields an
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is a necessary step to prepare the uncured silicone mold for spin casting. Under controlled heat and pressure the silicone slowly cures to a heat-resistant, flexible, permanent mold. The vulcanizing press or vulcanizer uniformly compresses the mold while exposing it to heat for several hours. The
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The two defining characteristics of spin casting are semi-permanent (non-expendable) rubber molds, and the use of inertial force. These make the process relatively unique compared to machined die-based and expendable mold casting methods. These qualities enable operators to design original models
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After vulcanization, before it is usable, the mold must undergo gating and venting. This involves carving channels to ensure proper air and material flow during the casting process. Gating and venting is typically done by hand using a sharp knife or scalpel and varies in time depending upon the
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Commercial spin casting machines are available in two different types, front-loading and top-loading. Owing to the weight and bulkiness of spin casting molds, front loading machines tend to offer several advantages regarding ease of use and time savings. Rubber molds can become quite heavy,
316:. Smaller or home-made vulcanizers may compress the mold via screws or a heavy duty clamp instead of hydraulic pressure. Some spin casting operations choose to forgo running their own vulcanizer and procure molds from a supplier.
247:- Spin casting is a low temperature process, as overexposure to high temperatures causes the rubber mold to degrade. Depending on the actual compound, the mold may become overly soft or hard while forming cracks and chips.
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extremely long-lasting mold and slight improvements to casting tolerances. Thermoplastics and die casting metal alloys are in wider use than their specialized spin casting analogs, and are typically cheaper.
143:), is a method of utilizing inertia to produce castings from a rubber mold. Typically, a disc-shaped mold is spun along its central axis at a set speed. The casting material, usually molten metal or liquid
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To ensure replicable casting cycles of accurate reproductions with a high quality finish, the spin casting process requires casting materials with the following qualities, for the following reasons:
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can be used but will solidify too rapidly from a molten state when cast with centrifugal force. This typically results in incomplete filling of the mold as well as a rough, porous finish, called
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production "job" shops, as well as hobbyists producing unique items for personal enjoyment. Thus, spin casting is accessible to a broader range of applications than competing technologies.
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is an integral step that occurs halfway through the mold-making process. Prior to vulcanization, the mold rubber is a soft and malleable solid-like fluid, in many ways very similar to
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complexity of the mold. The final product is a cured rubber mold, which can withstand anywhere from hundreds to over a thousand casting cycles before replacement is needed.
200:. Because of the clay-like nature at this stage, the mold is easily cut or shaped to accommodate irregular models. Vulcanization serves two purposes: establishing the
554:– spin casting is an excellent adjunct process as it allows the quick and efficient production of fully functional copies from fragile rapid prototype models.
147:, is then poured in through an opening at the top-center of the mold. The filled mold then continues to spin as the metal (or thermoset plastic) solidifies.
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253:- Uniform and unrestricted flow of the casting material has a substantial effect on the quality and finish of the final items.
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354:. These three techniques (sand, plaster and lost wax) are not directly comparable as each utilizes an expendable mold.
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Top loading machines tend to be cheaper and theoretically have less of a restriction on maximum mold thickness.
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577: – Casting technique where a small mould is poured, then spun on the end of an arm, for a smaller scale
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571: – Casting technique that is typically used to cast thin-walled cylinders, on an industrial scale
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are similar, but not suitable for spin casting. For example, a typical zinc die-casting alloy such as
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inside the mold as well as hardening the rubber so it will remain strong and rigid during casting.
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Spin casting is commonly used for the manufacture of the following types of items:
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536:– belt buckles, pins, emblems, medallions, trophies, assorted souvenirs etc.
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Method of utilizing centrifugal force to produce castings from a rubber mold
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Generally, the casting materials used for competing processes like metal
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23:. For the process of making solid paraboloids from rotating liquids, see
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vulcanizer consists of a pair of parallel heated platens mounted on a
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Comparison of spin casting to various other casting processes
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In some cases, spin casting can also be an alternative to
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Industrial manufacturing and replacement part production
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Zinc, tin, lead, pewter, thermoset plastics, pattern wax
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solidify at a slow, uniform rate during the spin cycle.
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184:The spin casting process typically uses vulcanized
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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120:Learn how and when to remove this message
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251:Slow solidification and low viscosity
575:Centrifugal casting (silversmithing)
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58:adding citations to reliable sources
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21:Fishing reel § Spin cast reel
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168:. Most spin casting is done with
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569:Centrifugal casting (industrial)
486:0.5–24 in (13–610 mm)
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483:0.5–24 in (13–610 mm)
480:0.5–12 in (13–305 mm)
421:Ability to make design changes
304:12" and 18" vulcanizing presses
275:A 24" front-loading spin caster
192:as the mold-making substrate.
137:centrifugal rubber mold casting
45:needs additional citations for
872:Semi-finished casting products
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407:Average cost of tooling (USD)
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160:, which has an easy to carve,
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521:and fishing tackle components
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328:An electric melting furnace
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435:Typical initial lead time
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19:For the fishing reel, see
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396:Zinc, aluminum, magnesium
245:Low temperature operation
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955:Casting (manufacturing)
176:or thermoset plastics.
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25:Spin casting (mirrors)
929:Tools and terminology
745:Investment (Lost wax)
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960:Sculpture techniques
348:plaster mold casting
156:using media such as
54:improve this article
728:Evaporative-pattern
551:rapid manufacturing
449:Casting tolerances
382:Machined tool steel
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151:General description
533:novelty type items
413:$ 50,000–2,500,000
371:Injection molding
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352:investment casting
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965:Plastics industry
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608:Compare Processes
547:Rapid prototyping
527:and lead weights.
507:Gaming miniatures
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438:4 hours to 2 days
416:$ 25,000–150,000
390:Casting material
379:Vulcanized rubber
337:Similar processes
227:injection molding
212:Casting materials
145:thermoset plastic
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410:$ 7,500–20,000
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615:on 2021-05-13
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71: –
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65:Find sources:
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43:This article
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816:Molding sand
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770:Shaw process
755:Plaster mold
661:Metalworking
617:, retrieved
613:the original
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581:Spin coating
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497:Applications
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463:Piece price
365:Spin casting
344:sand casting
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158:polymer clay
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133:Spin casting
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110:October 2008
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52:Please help
47:verification
44:
899:Fabrication
840:Terminology
713:Centrifugal
477:Size range
368:Die casting
280:Spin caster
235:orange peel
223:die casting
198:Silly Putty
174:zinc alloys
166:viscosities
949:Categories
919:Metallurgy
789:Components
718:Continuous
619:2014-09-25
593:References
523:including
452:Very close
296:Vulcanizer
162:Plasticine
80:newspapers
914:Machining
909:Jewellery
738:Lost foam
733:Full mold
706:Processes
525:jig heads
511:figurines
267:Equipment
924:Smithing
563:See also
466:Very low
458:Closest
186:silicone
934:Welding
904:Forming
894:Casting
862:Foundry
821:Pattern
699:Casting
472:Lowest
455:Closest
424:Easiest
258:Plastic
231:Zamak 3
94:scholar
469:Lowest
170:pewter
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867:Ingot
857:Dross
852:Draft
831:Sprue
826:Riser
811:Flask
796:Chill
399:Most
217:Metal
101:JSTOR
87:books
877:Slag
806:Core
780:Spin
760:Sand
509:and
225:and
172:and
141:CRMC
73:news
723:Die
350:or
188:or
56:by
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