Main Advantages of Lost Foam Casting

1. High dimensional and shape accuracy
Castings feature excellent dimensional accuracy and repeatability, exhibiting the characteristics of precision casting.

2. Superior surface finish
Castings have smooth surfaces and high surface quality.

3. Elimination of sand cores and core-making processes
Defects and scrap caused by core making and core setting are fundamentally eliminated.

4. No mold parting or pattern withdrawal
The molding process is greatly simplified, eliminating defects and scrap caused by pattern removal and mold assembly.

5. Dry sand molding without binders, moisture, or additives
Casting defects caused by moisture, additives, and binders are completely avoided.

6. Simplified sand handling system
Molding sand can be fully recycled and reused, eliminating sand preparation and waste sand treatment processes.

7. Easy sand removal
Shakeout is extremely easy, significantly reducing workload and labor intensity.

8. No flash or burrs on castings
Cleaning and grinding workload is reduced by more than 50%.

9. Flexible gating and riser design
Gating and risers can be placed at optimal positions with rational shapes, free from traditional constraints such as parting lines and pattern withdrawal, reducing internal casting defects.

10. Vacuum pouring
Negative-pressure pouring improves metal filling and feeding, increasing the density of the casting structure.

11. Combined pouring (multiple castings per flask)
One flask can produce multiple castings, greatly improving process yield and production efficiency.

12. Reduced machining allowance
Machining costs are significantly lowered.

13. Easy implementation of mechanized and automated production lines
Production lines offer high flexibility, allowing the production of different alloys, shapes, and sizes of castings on the same line.

14. No draft angle required
Draft angles can be completely eliminated.

15. Long service life of metal molds
Metal molds can achieve a service life of over 100,000 cycles, reducing mold maintenance costs.

16. Improved working environment
Dust, fumes, and noise pollution are significantly reduced, greatly improving working conditions and lowering labor intensity. The process allows traditionally male-dominated casting operations to shift toward more female operators.

17. Simplified process operation
The required skill level of operators is greatly reduced.

18. Freedom in casting design
Casting geometry is no longer constrained by traditional processes, enabling designers to freely create optimal shapes based on functional requirements.

19. Reduced casting weight
Lighter castings can be achieved.

20. Lower production costs

21. Simplified foundry layout and reduced capital investment
Fixed asset investment can be reduced by 30–40%, land use and building area by 30–50%, and power consumption by 10–20%.

22. Wide application range
Lost foam casting is suitable not only for steel and iron castings, but is especially well-suited for copper and aluminum alloy castings.

23. Capability for complex geometries
The process is applicable not only to simple shapes, but is particularly advantageous for castings with multiple openings, multiple cores, and complex geometries that are difficult for conventional casting methods.

24. Micro-vibration pouring capability
Pouring under micro-vibration conditions promotes the formation of special metallographic structures, improving internal casting quality.

25. Heat treatment using residual heat
Combined pouring in dry sand enables easy sand removal and synchronized temperatures, allowing residual heat to be used for heat treatment. This is especially effective for water quenching of high-manganese steel castings and solution treatment of heat-resistant steel castings, saving energy and shortening production cycles.

26. Capability to produce castings of virtually any size
Based on melting capacity, lost foam casting can be used to manufacture castings of any size.