Core Making

The Unicast Ceramic Core process is the leading choice in the industry for do-it-yourself coremaking.  It is commonly known that a ceramic core is what is needed when a high degree of internal precision is needed.  Only Unicast can allow you to make a core in-house that gives you the precision of ceramic but avoids the tooling costs associated with other molding technique.

Below you will find some of the features of a Unicast molded core.  You are invited to download a reprint of an article on ceramic cores by clicking here

With any core there needs to be a balance of strength with removability.  A Unicast core can provide the strength desired while still allowing for removal..   Notice the core below and the strength it has in the green state.  There are no wire supports in this core at all.

Pump and valve work is a large application for the process.  In parts such as this, it is extremely important that the inside has a precision smooth surface.  Unicast accomplishes this by using a unique blend of ceramics and binders.  Many times companies will automatically look to lost wax to make part like this because they believe it is the only way to get the precision on the internal.  What happens then is that the entire casting is invested, and the unimportant external is also cast in ceramic as well.  This adds substantially to the cost of the casting.  Sand foundries who once thought they could not compete in precision casting are recapturing this market by using a Unicast core in a sand mold to produce a part that has high precision internals at a much lower cost than investment casting.

Here you can see the fluid flow through an impeller in a centrifugal pump.  The pump is more efficient and requires less energy to do the same work when an impeller with a smoother surface finish is used. 

Complex internal passageways with intricate details usually have no other choice than to be cast to size.  Notice the detail that is generated for the seamless golf grip mold below.  This tool is done in BeNi.  There is no way the internal cavities could be machined or even touched up to create the details required.  Only Unicast can hold this kind of detail and give you a ready to use cavity.

Interested in the process, but not in taking it on yourself?  If you demand precision in your castings, we can help direct you to a Unicast licensed facility in your area that is ideally suited to your type of work.  To request additional information, click here and select "Foundry References"