Casting Gallery
Permanent Mold Casting
Products
What We Do
Trega has incorporated the permanent and semi-permanent mold casting process (aka gravity die casting) since 1973 to cast aluminum parts from a few ounces to thirty pounds in 300 or 400 series aluminum, and other alloys upon request. Trega is capable of producing aluminum castings of many shapes including dimensions of 30” X 48” and larger. Trega can make runs as few as 50 pieces scaling up to several thousand annually.
One example of a permanent mold casting Trega makes is its product line of water well caps. We offer water tight, bug tight, artesian, conduit and locking well caps for many well drillers, well pump services, well chlorinator treatment, and distributors. Please visit our well cap page for more information.
Getting Started
Trega works with customers to design a permanent mold for their part. This ensures a quality casting is produced in the alloy most suitable for their needs.
Why the Permanent Mold Casting Process
Permanent mold castings are greater in strength, have a better surface finish and hold closer tolerances than sand castings. Permanent mold tools are made from gray cast iron, which is less expensive than die cast tooling materials. Many companies cannot afford the high cost of die cast tooling for low volume runs. The permanent mold casting process fits this application nicely; lowering their tooling costs and matching Trega’s short run capabilities.
There are multiple benefits to the permanent mold casting process, including:
Casting Information Documents
- High dimensional accuracy ( +/- .010" )
- Excellent mechanical properties
- Reduced machining
- Cast-in inserts
- Reduced porosity and inclusions
- Permanent mold castings can be CNC machined, powder coated, anodized and heat treated
Semi-permanent mold castings use sand cores in the permanent mold process to produce complex internal features. The permanent mold casting process can also use metal pull cores to replace the use of sand cores. This lowers the production cost by not having the added cost of the sand core tooling, the sand core itself and the removal of the sand core.
Tilt-Pour Method
There are two methods of filling a permanent mold with molten aluminum ranging from 1,300 to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. Metal
is either poured directly into a cast iron mold or a tilt-pour cup. The tilt-pour cup is mounted on the mold and holds the metal as the mold is tilted up. The rate at which the metal flows into the mold can be controlled and allows
for repeatable, consistent quality aluminum castings.