铸造的优点和应用.doc

Metal casting is unique among metal forming processes for a variety of reasons.perhaps the most obvious is the array of molding and casting processes available that are capable of producing complex components in any metal,ranging in weight from less than an ounce to single parts weighing several hundred tons. Foundry processes are available and in use that are economically viable for producing a single prototype part. While others achieve their economies in creating millions of the same part. Virtually any metal that can be melted can and is being cast.this article will examine the advantages of the metal casting process,the major applications of cast components,and the technical and market trends that are shaping the foundry industry and the products it produces. It is estimated that casting are used in 90% or more of all manufactured goods and in all capital goods machinery used in manufacturing. The diversity in the end use of metal castings is a direct result of the many functional advantages and economic benefits that castings offer compared to other metal forming methods.the beneficial characteristics of a cast component are directly attributable to the inherent versatility of the casting process. Beyond the rapidly emerging technologies that are keeping metal casting in the forefront in the metal forming industry,casting posses many inherent advantages that have long been accepted by the design engineer and metal parts user. In terms of component design,casting offers the greatest amount of flexibility of any metal forming process. The casting process is ideal because it permits the formation of streamlined, intricate ,integral parts of strength and rigidity obtainable by no other method of fabrication. The shape and size of the part are primary considerations in design ,and in this category,the possibilities of metal casting are unsurpassed. The flexibility of cast metal design gives the engineer wide scope in converting his ideas into an engineered part.