Pentz Cast Solutions FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions for Casting Manufacturing, CNC Machining & More
How does a project flow?
We take a client-focused approach to creating castings to ensure the final product exceeds your expectations. This involves directly coordinating with our customers, determining the best processes during design, prototyping, production, tooling and frequently testing for quality during the casting creation process. Our dual approach allows us to prototype tooling while simultaneously manufacturing castings. Learn more about our workflow process.
Why Pentz Castings?
At Pentz we support our customers from first inquiry thru delivery of your production requirements. We utilize CAD development and 5-axis CNC machining to design and manufacture castings, CMM, Laser and CT Scans to verify tooling and are an ITAR-registered castings manufacturer. Learn more about the benefits of choosing Pentz.
Who uses Pentz Cast Solutions?
We have experience providing castings for a variety of clients and applications and are always eager to create unique casting for low and high-volume casting production. Some frequent industries served include:
- Aerospace
- Medical / Robotics / Life Sciences
- Railroad / Positive Train Control electronic cases
- Defense / Military / Homeland Security
- Transportation / Automotive / Truck / Electric Vehicle
How does sand casting work?
The sand casting process begins with a Pentz engineer meeting with the customer to review the proposed project and determine if it’s a good candidate. We then determine the most efficient geometry, casting process, prototyping and tooling process that should be used moving forward. Our dual approach allows us to prototype tooling while castings are manufactured simultaneously. Castings and tooling are tested for quality to ITAR-registered standards. Learn more about our project / job flow diagram.
How do I get started in casting?
We see the casting process as a collaborative effort—we use your spark and initial ideal and support you in every step of the production development process. Our early involvement in your project can enhance the entire engineering process. Together we can quickly identify the best design configuration, casting process, alloy, tooling approach and the best manufacturing plan to yield exceptional results. Learn more about our full casting Engineering / Design & CAD development process.
What is the Pentz Dual Path?
Our dual approach to prototyping and production allows us to hog out prototypes and casting tooling simultaneously. This ensures you get the prototypes and casting tooling that you need as quickly as possible. Additional services include:
- Fast track engineering
- CAD engineering
- Casting development
- CNC hog out prototypes
- CNC machine automated sand cast tooling,
- Build automated sand castings
- CNC machine castings
What is the Pentz Triple Path?
Our triple path process involves the following steps:
- Hog out billet aluminum fast prototypes creating quick product introduction
- Build production sand casting tooling CNC machined for automated sand molding production to supply demand
- Build die-cast tooling for very high volume, low cost production while making design and engineering improvements at each step to reduce manufacturing costs.
How do I select the right casting process?
The right casting process for your project is based on the size, complexity, alloy, physical properties required, quantities required / anticipated, schedule, and if the casting design is fixed or still developing. Pentz Cast Solution engineers will guide you through each phase of your project. Contact us today for a consultation on your project or view our casting, engineering or mold process pages below.
How do I select the right Prototype process?
Pentz Cast Solution engineers will guide you through each phase of your project. Contact us today for a consultation on your project or view our sand molding and permanent molding processes below in the meantime.
Precision Green Sand Molding?
CNC machined aluminum tooling, managed sand system PLC sand system sand testing compaction results in .150 rms as cast finish detailed
What is “green sand”?
The term “green sand” refers to molding sand containing about 3% temper water required to activate clay in sand to bind the sand as it is compacted to build a green sand mold. The sand mold holds its highly detailed geometry accurately just long enough to be poured in aluminum and make a casting. Casting have a superior as cast finish of 150 RMS with thin walls to heavy walls.
Green Sand Molding sand is recirculated thousands of times, so it is very efficient and ecologically sound and only requires small amounts of water. Green sand molding usually requires a total of 2% moisture additions to be made back into moldable sand.
What is a core?
A core is made of hard bonded sand that is shaped to create negative space(s) within a casting.
Call 425-788-6490 (x306) to speak with a Pentz Cast Solutions Sales Engineer or Representative.
What is “Dry Sand molding”?
Dry sand molding consists of sand mixed with chemical binders to build sand molds or cores for making sand castings. Dry sand variations include air-set self-setting chemical bonding or Sodium Silicate and CO2 gas for catalyst set. Dry Sand molds are not 100% reclaimable to be remade into molds, unlike “green sand” which is 100% reclaimable.
What is casting tooling?
Casting tooling can be used to create intricate permanent molds of gray iron, ductile iron, bronze alloys and additional material from complex geometries in large proto and production castings. At Pentz Cast Solutions, we design and engineer precision ITAR-registered sand casting tooling and permanent mold tooling for low and high-volume casting production. Custom equipment Pentz engineers, designs and creates to manufacture castings and CNC machined parts per customer specifications and PO.
Can Pentz use existing customer-supplied casting tooling?
We make every effort to utilize existing customer-supplied tooling. Customer tooling will be inspected, evaluated, and costs-quoted so modification can be made as required to build great castings efficiently.
What kind of “as cast” finish can I expect from green sand castings?
Pentz Cast Solutions “as Cast” 150 rms surface finish is extraordinary and unsurpassed in the industry. See Case Study: Precision Automated Sand Cast O Ring Grooves.
Only sand touches our CNC machined aluminum tooling, so every casting is built with a new green sand mold utilizing a PLC-managed sand system and extensive testing.
How long does tooling last?
Production CNC machined aluminum tooling can easily build 50,000 to 100,00 castings.
What details can be “as cast” without machining?
Decal recesses and “O” ring grooves without machining can be considered “as cast.”
See Case Study: Precision Automated Sand Cast O Ring Grooves.
Can steel inserts be cast in?
Acceptable cast in inserts include complex stainless-steel tube assemblies, large stainless-steel parts, pre-machined steel parts and even die-castings containing machined steel inserts into our aluminum castings.
See Case Study: Precor Exercise Machine.
Can die castings be cast into aluminum parts?
Pentz routinely builds aluminum castings with molded in die cast parts, even with cast in steel inserts in the diecasting.
See Case Study: Cast in Diecasting.
Do castings need draft to be built?
Pentz can build castings with little 1-2 degrees to no draft depending on casting geometry and use of cores.
See: Case Studies
Does casting manufacturing result in highly porous castings?
Our castings have extremely low porosity, assuring pressure-tight castings.
Pentz removes porosity, causing hydrogen gas and oxides in aluminum alloys by rotary degassing and flux injecting. Specific gravity tests alloy density before pouring castings[BR1] . This achieves pressure-tight, oil-tight, vacuum-tight parts, that can be anodized or polished.
How many castings can Pentz Cast Solutions manufacture?
We are ready to provide any quantities required from 1 to 1 million. Our precision manual green sand mold or Sinto Automated sand molding process is scalable, so if you start with one prototype in low production, we can use the same prototype to create thousands of castings with the same tooling.
For larger, higher volume castings, Pentz has Permanent mold capabilities, usually 5,000+ EAU or more. Pentz Cast Solution expert engineers will guide you through each phase of your project.
Which alloys does Pentz use?
We have an extensive selection of Alloys available for casting, including heat-treated aluminum alloys. Contact us today and Pentz Cast Solution’s expert engineers will guide you through each phase of your project.
What are the common applications for castings?
We have worked with applications ranging from aerospace to food production.
Contact Us For Your Next Casting Project
Thank you for your interest in Pentz Cast Solutions’ services. Please Contact us online or Request a Quote and let us handle all your casting needs.
