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The net shape capabilities of lost foam outpace all other technologies. With other casting methods, the material is simply meant to fill the mold but with lost foam casting, the polystyrene foam actually expands within the space, filling out every detail of tight internal passageways.
Other methods may require creating several patterns to piece together later if a part is intricately detailed or complex, leading to potentially inaccurate final castings. But with lost foam casting, the entire part can be cast as a whole, dynamic, 3-dimensional unit that is far more accurate and detailed with little risk of being thrown out for misconstruction.
While some methods have a challenge keeping dimensional accuracies in internal passageways, the best companies have a process that lends itself to intricate design, fully captured internal passages and perfect net shape dimensional accuracy that isn’t seen in other technologies.
Lost foam casting helps reduce the number of steps in the manufacturing process which translates to less time and labor costs.
While most other casting methods require additional machining and assembly steps to piece parts together and smooth out the rough edges, with lost foam casting, the process can help reduce the forming, conditioning or finishing steps required. By condensing intricate designs into a single unit, it minimizes the time and energy spent creating the final product.
Lost foam casting also reduces the amount of metal in the finished part. Since other technologies cannot provide the same net-shape accuracy — and oftentimes cannot obtain a whole cast — additional metal is used then extracted when joining pieces together. But with lost foam casting, there is less of a need for extra materials or effort.
In fact, it can help reduce the amount of overall waste, so it is an environmentally friendly option as well. Plus, lost foam castings can limit the amount of flash that requires secondary steps. because there is limited flash with lost foam casting
And since lost foam casting can provide a consistent surface finish, it can save manufacturers additional time and steps to get the right finish. Speed and accuracy are benefits every step of the way with lost foam.
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