Many industries need castings for the final product. However, not all are equipped with their casting facilities, particularly the small and medium industrial sector, due to a lack of expertise, funds, and infrastructure.
Therefore, a vast number of manufacturers outsource their casting requirements. Sand casting is a century-old technique, although various other types have been introduced due to technological development.
Castings play an essential role in making innumerable engineering goods which are then finished to get the final product assembled with others. For example, valve casting may be required for pipelines to deliver chemicals, water, oil and gas, and many other products.
Steel castings mixed with other alloys are also required for making specific precision products that are also in demand by many manufacturing industries.
However, when there is no facility in-house, it is time to outsource the castings. Selecting the proper steel casting, valve casting, or even sand casting suppliers is a critical matter, and one should pick up the right supplier for the same. Let us discuss how one can pick up the right foundry for casting needs.
Things to Consider When Picking Casting Suppliers
- Work experience
Various types and methods of castings are required for some specific jobs. Your job may require split patterns, cope and dag pattern, skeleton pattern, single piece pattern, or other types. One should check that the foundry or the casting supplier is experienced enough to supply the castings of the required type. They should know and deliver using the right pattern for the ultimate purpose.
Casting is not only of the pattern; it is also a part of metallurgy where different alloys are mixed to get the proper hardness of the casting material. It is, therefore, best to gauge their experience of the supplier in various metal castings, look for the experts in their company of handling the proportions for specific castings and then select the best one.
- The foundry’s reputation
One should also check their reputation in the market of delivering suitable castings in proper time from the market sources, reading reviews, checking the websites, and finding their existing client base. May time heavy engineering industries fail to supply the final products to the market or other sectors due to casting delays or faulty workmanship by the casting suppliers.
- Testing and certification provisions
While choosing the casting suppliers, ensure they have testing and certification facilities. Many end users look for Destructive certificates provided by the casting suppliers at inspection or after delivery. In addition, today, many end-users look for NABL certification or load testing of the castings before accepting any product. Again, ensure the casting supplier has these facilities, and if not, they are at least roped in some accredited laboratory for the purpose.
- The capacity of the foundry
As a manufacturer, one may require a variety of types of castings for different applications. They can be small items required for mass production or massive item for critical work. The foundry or the casting supplier should be capable of handling your casting needs. The foundry should have enough diversity to handle various types of castings required by you from time to time. They should have strict quality control and no manipulation of the raw materials.
- The product quality
It is of utmost importance these days. With the Indian markets going global, the quality of the castings should be of high standards, and the casting suppliers should always adhere to strict quality control. The supplier should be experienced enough in diversified techniques of castings and handling many metals and alloys. They should not be doing stereotype castings but ready to explore new horizons.
- The price
It is obvious that lower prices often mean more inferior quality products, but it is also true sometimes for a higher price. For example, the casting suppliers often charge a high rate, but the castings are of lower grade, Ensure that you get the best quality castings at a market-reasonable price.
Overview
The casting industry no more operates in the dingy foundries in Gujarat or West Bengal as in the past. Today many foundries are coming up in different parts of the country. The suppliers use modern techniques, hire metallurgists, and recruit and train an experienced workforce. Therefore while selecting the best casting suppliers for your need, ponder the above points and then only seal the deal.
Also Read: What are the Development Methods of Valve Casting?
