If you move the tooling to another foundry in the future, it must also be able to accommodate that flask size.Ĥ. When a new pattern is developed with a casting supplier, the pattern will fit a specific flask size. This will be a significant step in the process of cost reduction. If possible, when designing castings, keep in mind the flask size to maximize the number of patterns on a plate. Which flask sizes are available and what is the casting weight range?įlask size can affect the price and quality of castings. However, most foundries understand they do well by only accepting orders which fit their production profitably and will advise if a part is better suited in another process, material or design.ģ. Mutual trust is needed to ensure the foundry is using complete objectivity in the advice, and in return, the foundry may wish to have the opportunity of recovering the cost of this service in the volume of sales. Forward-looking foundries are willing to provide advice on casting design, choice of material, and even foundry process. If it is intended to buy heavily cored castings, look for the supplier that produces this type of casting. Which molding processes and coremaking processes are offered? Opting for a foundry that can handle the multiple grades of metals will be advantageous.Ģ. Perhaps you have a variety of parts to be cast in various grades. Does it pour the grade of metal you need, but it only makes up a quarter of its total average output? That might factor into your lead time, because it is likely the foundry will wait to pour that grade until it has enough orders on the schedule to make it operationally efficient.
#IRON CASTING FOUNDRY EXPORTER FULL#
But knowing the full picture of a foundry’s alloy options and melting operations will help paint a picture of how the foundry can serve your needs.
Obviously, you will want to know whether the casting supplier pours the type of metal you want for your part. Which grades of metals are poured and what is the average tonnage output for each grade? The answers should be considered with care because they will reduce the scope of error and provide guidelines for future purchasing policy.ġ. A few examples of the types of questions to ask potential foundries are listed in this article. To gain the most reliable information about a casting source, it is worth taking an active role in seeking out specific information to match available foundry capacity with your sourcing needs. Supply chain managers can find the names of casting suppliers from a variety of sources: supplier directories (see box on this page), advertising and marketing material, web searches, magazine articles, and recommendations from other buyers and engineering staff. Narrow down the search for a new foundry with these basic questions.