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imbalance stems in part from the intri- cate passageways that must be cast into the rear of the plate, where strings of different pitches pass under, over and around each other. The plates also are designed with several cast-in holes that lighten the massive pieces of metal and also contribute to the acoustic signature of the instrument. The metalcasting process used to produce the plates in pianos remains traditional, from the development of patterns to pouring in sand molds, but each is unique to the model of piano that it is made for.


Handbells


Handbells are most often associat- ed with religious services and church choirs, but the melodic noisemakers rely on a recognizable casting to pro- duce their musical brilliance. Because of the exacting specifications of the metal that is used in the produc- tion of instrument-quality bells, the process has changed very little over time.


Bells feature a special bronze al- loy of 80% copper and 20% tin. Several casting processes have been tested for their abil- ity to improve the grain struc- ture and subsequent sound quality of bells, but sand casting is the preferred process. Finishing bells re- mains tedious and manual,


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and scrap is common considering the instrument’s necessary fine grain struc- ture for acoustic resonance. Bells are cast with excess metal on the inner surface, which will be struck by the clapper. To tune them, trained acous- ticians machine away layers of metal, judging by ear when the bell produces the desired sound. Unfortunately, in the course of this process, subsurface defects can be found. But the cost of metalcasting scrap is minimal enough to avoid the need for non-destructive testing prior to machining.


Woodwind Components Clarinets and flutes have intricately designed sets of keys and rods that allow musicians to hit all the necessary notes. The flute, for instance, requires some 120 different components to pro- duce a final set of 20 keys. While these can be stamped or forged, the highest quality keys are investment cast in alloys containing nickel, brass, silver and/or gold.


The process begins with the injec- tion of hot wax into a plaster mold of the particular cast component. After cooling, the ceramic is removed and discarded. The cast components are broken off the tree and machined and polished. Some are plated with other alloys before final installation on the instrument.


MELTING POINT


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