Aluminum Sand Casting Services
American-Made Aluminum Sand Castings From Prototype Through Final Production
Cast Metals Technology is an aluminum sand casting foundry providing complete casting and machining solutions for manufacturers throughout the United States.
From low-volume, air-set castings to repeatable high-volume green sand production, CMT combines multiple molding processes, engineering support, tooling, core making, heat treatment, finishing and CNC machining to provide customers with a complete manufacturing solution.
With foundry operations in Ohio and Indiana and dedicated machining capabilities, we can support a project from initial design review and tooling development through casting production and final machining.
Need an aluminum casting supplier for a new or existing part?
Why Aluminum Sand Casting?
Aluminum sand casting is one of the most versatile methods for manufacturing complex aluminum components.
Unlike processes that require expensive permanent dies, sand casting uses a pattern to create a mold cavity in specially prepared sand. Molten aluminum is poured into the mold, allowed to solidify and then removed for cleaning, finishing and any required post-casting machining.
- Economical tooling
- Low to High volume production quantities
- Complex part geometries
- Large casting capability
- Multiple aluminum alloy options
- Internal features created with sand cores
- Tooling that can often be modified as designs evolve
- Ability to combine casting and CNC machining
- Practical production for both new programs and established components
Sand casting can be especially attractive when annual requirements do not justify the tooling investment associated with die casting or permanent mold casting.
Green Sand and Air-Set Aluminum Casting
Not every aluminum casting should be produced using the same molding process.
CMT offers both green sand molding and air-set/no-bake molding, allowing our engineering team to help customers select a manufacturing process based on casting size, geometry, annual volume, tooling, dimensional requirements and overall economics.
Green Sand Casting
Green sand casting is typically well suited for repeat production and medium- to high-volume applications.
CMT utilizes both manual and automated green sand molding processes, providing the flexibility to manufacture a wide range of aluminum components efficiently. Learn more about green sand aluminum casting.
- Fast molding cycles
- Repeatable production
- Competitive piece prices
- Long tooling life
- Efficient medium- and high-volume manufacturing
- Compatibility with complex sand cores
Air-Set / No-Bake Casting
Air-set molding uses chemically bonded sand to produce rigid molds without traditional sand compaction.
The process provides additional flexibility for larger castings, lower production quantities and complex components.
- Low-volume production
- Large aluminum castings
- Heavy industrial components
- Complex geometries
- Parts requiring complex core packages
Aluminum Castings From Ounces to 100 Pounds
Our combination of molding processes allows Cast Metals Technology to serve a broad range of casting requirements.
CMT can manufacture aluminum castings ranging from ounces up to approximately 100 pounds, with annual requirements ranging from individual pieces to thousands of castings.
Aluminum Alloy Capability
Selecting the appropriate alloy is an important part of any casting program.
- A356
- 319
- 355
- 359
- 535
- 713
Additional alloys may be available depending on application requirements. Our team can work with customer specifications to help determine an appropriate alloy and heat-treatment condition for the component.
Complex Cores and Internal Geometry
One of the major advantages of aluminum sand casting is the ability to create complex internal features using sand cores.
- Shell cores
- Isocure cores
- Air-set cores
- 3D printed cores
- Multi-piece core assemblies
- Complex internal passageways
Engineering and Solidification Analysis
A successful casting program begins before the first mold is produced.
- Casting orientation
- Parting-line location
- Draft
- Wall thickness
- Core requirements
- Gating
- Risering
- Metal flow
- Solidification
- Shrinkage
- Machining stock
3D solidification analysis can help identify potential casting issues before production tooling is finalized, allowing changes to be evaluated earlier in the development process.
For more detail, read our aluminum sand casting design guide.
Existing Tooling and Foundry Transfers
Changing foundries does not always mean starting over.
CMT works with customers transferring existing aluminum casting programs from other suppliers. Our team can review existing patterns, match plates, core boxes and related tooling to determine whether they can be placed into production, repaired or modified for CMT’s molding processes.
Supplier capacity problems
Quality concerns
Long lead times
Delivery issues
Foundry closures
Supplier consolidation
A need for a second source
Casting + CNC Machining From One Supplier
Producing the casting is often only the first step.
- CNC milling
- CNC turning
- 4-axis machining
- 5-axis machining
- Live-tool lathes
- CMM inspection
Combining casting and machining with one supplier can reduce transportation, simplify purchasing, improve accountability and shorten the overall supply chain.
Industries We Serve
Pumps
Compressors and blowers
HVAC
Agriculture
Construction equipment
Power generation
Electrical equipment
Oil and gas
Material handling
Food processing equipment
Large trucks
Machine tools
Liquid and fuel handling
Looking for an Aluminum Sand Casting Foundry?
Whether you are developing a new component, converting a fabricated part to a casting, transferring existing tooling or looking for a supplier that can provide both casting and CNC machining, Cast Metals Technology can review your application.
Send us your drawing, 3D model, annual volume and material requirements and our team can help determine the appropriate manufacturing approach.
Evaluating suppliers? See how to choose an aluminum sand casting foundry and why manufacturers choose CMT for aluminum sand casting.
From Concept to Casting Through Final Machining