Ceramic cores
Ceramic cores for creating internal cavities
In some investment casting applications, cavities are included in the geometry of the casting components. Such cavities are required to fulfil special technical requirements to the casting part, for example cooling in later use under high temperature or high stress of the finished part. These cavities are designed and integrated into the casting geometry with the use of ceramic cores. Ceramic cores allow the creation of internal cavities that are too small or complex to destroy in the investment casting process. If the best possible result is to be achieved, the ceramic core must be adapted in each application of most materials - for each application a certain type of ceramic offers the best solution.
Ceramic cores can be produced by using the Ceramic Injection Molding (CIM) process. In this process the refractory raw material powder is homogenized with a binding agent, preheated and then pressed under high pressure into a specific mold. The core is then demoulded and sintered at high temperatures to achieve the final strength.
For this high-demanding process, the raw materials used are characterized due to their outstanding properties such as strength, refractory qualities and stability in extreme conditions.
We offer a broad range of products to match any core producing need. For example, our Fused Silica TecoSil®. Its high melting point, excellent thermal stability, low reversible thermal expansion, low porosity, high resistance to thermal shock and chemical corrosion at high temperatures make it ideal for the production of ceramic cores.
Beyond the traditional core
Advances in 3D ceramic printing technology are opening many new doors for core producers, allowing for increasingly complex core geometries that would have been impossible or too expensive to create using traditional means. From form to function, the applications are seemingly endless across a broad spectrum of industries.
Casting parts for use in automotive, aerospace, agriculture and many other industrial equipment manufacturing sectors requires high-quality raw materials that enable precision and ensure high-performance. We are a leading supplier of trusted products and innovative solutions for investment casting cores.
We offer a broad range of products to match any core producing need. For example, Alodur® WFM is a first quality refractory material, composed of massive crystals of mullite which are formed during cooling after fusion. Its high melting point, excellent thermal stability, low reversible thermal expansion, low porosity, high resistance to thermal shock and chemical corrosion at high temperatures make it ideal for the production of ceramic cores, as well as flour or stucco for shell building.
