feed metal into the heavier bosses. Investment casting is ideal for
complex parts in which multiple fea- tures will be combined, but the parts are relatively expensive compared to a sand casting. “To make up for the cost, you have
The electronics housing exhibits cost- and weight-saving features at every angle.
to have detail,” Willson said. “T e part is going to cost about the same to make no matter the detail. Size mat- ters more than what it looks like.” The customer packed as much value as possible into the electronics housing, adding features to improve function, reduce machining cost, lower inventory requirements and aid manufacturability. D holes that are fl at on one edge and then rounded off are diffi cult to machine, so those are cast as part of the net shape. A rectangular opening on the bottom of the part likely to be used for some sort of screen includes cast-in hooks to clamp it in place. T in fi ns on parallel sides remove heat. T e fi ns are relieved on one side for access to screw on a cover. T e interior confi guration is
undercut and provides a sealing surface on top of a thin wall between the top and bottom half of the cast- ing. A slot consisting of two vertical rails opposite each other is cast-in for insertion of a card or similar device. On the tallest portion of the part,
what looks to be a thick wall is actu- ally hollowed out from the backside to remove more weight. T e walls are 0.06 in.—just as thick as the other walls in the casting. “It’s rigid, but it is also hollow and light,” Willson said. And though 0.06 in. is a thin wall, in O’Fallon’s investment casting facility, that thickness is fairly optimal for production.
MEDIA RESOURCE Using the Actable App, scan this page to watch a video pointing out the features of O’Fallon’s casting. For instructions on how to use the app, go to page 4. To watch online, go to
www.metalcastingtv.com.
22 | MODERN CASTING June 2013
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