Aluminium sand casting and the aerospace sector - Haworth Castings

Aluminium sand casting and the aerospace sector

Published - 9th Aug 2016

In the rapidly changing aerospace sector, the need for high-precision, reliable and cost-effective components for aircraft is a given. As aircraft technologies evolve and become ever more sophisticated, casting looks set to play an increasingly vital role in the production of advanced aerospace components[1].

 At Haworth Castings, we’ve been working with customers in the aerospace sector for many years and produced a wide range of engine and cockpit components, alignment fixtures and electronic housing parts in that time. Our high-precision castings are designed to meet the exacting standards demanded by the aerospace industry.

 Aluminium sand casting

Aluminium alloys, which are used in our sand casting processes, have the ideal properties for aerospace components. Aluminium is light weight, with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio and heat/stress/corrosion resistance – offering obvious benefits for aircraft operating in extreme conditions.

Aluminium sand casting is also a relatively cost-effective process, with quick set-up times. It is ideal for the production of complex shapes and intricate details – which offers a huge benefit over other manufacturing techniques.

Casting also allows us to produce parts with the high levels of dimensional accuracy demanded by aircraft manufacturers. Using our in-house machining capability, we can create a fully machined component with accuracies as high as +/-5 microns while our post processing allows us to fully finish the product – delivering a seamless service from concept to final production. 

Testing and inspection

Certification is a notoriously complex process in the aerospace industry. We offer a comprehensive range of non-destructive testing and inspection to provide assurance of the quality of each and every part. Our testing capabilities, which include x-ray and crack detection, enable us to check for surface defects, porosity and shrinkage. Furthermore, we offer UKAS-approved independent testing and inspection services.

In addition to aluminium sand casting, we can also offer gravity-die casting. This is another option for medium- or high-volume production. We can advise our aerospace customers on the most suitable option for any particular project.

If you would like to find out more about our work in the aerospace sector, please call us today on +44 (0)1794 512685 or email us: sales@haworthcastings.co.uk

 

[1] ‘Opportunities in the Aerospace Casting Market’, Abhilash Edacherian, B Ravi and S S Joshi. Conference paper presented at the 26th Indian Engineering Conference, 2011.

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