2024 05 Sarginson Studio0114 1 (2) Mirror
Aluminium Sand Casting

Transforming Sand Casting

Sarginsons is an aluminium sand casting foundry specialising in prototype and large, complex castings. It focusses on combining its proprietary casting technologies, Smart Cooling and Intelligent Tooling, with its world leading Digital Twin Simulations. This combination enables Sarginsons to create lighter, more complex sand castings, as it can better manipulate mechanical strength to better replicate the characteristics of production components. 

This application of cutting edge technology is transforming the capability of sand casting, not just in its ability to create extraordinary geometric castings, but also in its ability to address age old issues, like thin wall sections, strength and weight. But it is with the lightweighting of castings that the most impressive achievements have been made, with consistent reductions of over 30%.  

Sarginsons sand casting is pushing boundaries to deliver better, more capable, more reliable components.

Sarginsons Sand Technology

  • 3D Printing: Using additive manufacturing for rapid sand mould and core production; reduces lead times and enables complex part geometries. 
  •  Simulation Software: Digital twins and predictive modelling can identify defects and optimize designs virtually.
  • Distortion Control: Sarginsons simulates deformation, including heat treatment, to find alternative design solutions that minimise or counter issues.
  •  Industry 4.0 Integration: Real-time monitoring with sensors for temperature, pressure, and sand compaction; AI-driven process control for consistent quality.
  • Advanced Materials and Binders: Modified silica sands for thermal stability with eco-friendly inorganic (carbon free) binders reducing emissions.
  • Thin wall Sections: Problematic thin wall sections are negated through topologized designs finding alternative solutions. 
  • Enhanced Testing: Sarginsons uses real time degassing and pre-filana lysis for superior metal conditioning as well as digital metrology for quality control.
  • Zero Carbon: Sarginsons uses recycled aluminium, renewable energy, inorganic sand cores & moulds in its pursuit of building a zero carbon foundry.

The Sand Casting Process

The traditional sand casting workflow:

  • Patterns Made: Patterns machined from wood, metal, artificial or 3D-printed.
  • Mould Preparation: Sand & resin packed, with pattern impression, in cope and drag.
  • Core Insertion: organic and inorganic sand cores, for voids in complex parts.
  • Melting and Pouring: Alloy melted, additives added and gases removed.
  • Cooling and Shakeout: Metal solidification, mould removal, and cleaning.
  • Finishing: Trimming, grinding, surface finishing.
  • Post Casting Services: CNC machining, heat treatment & coating

Sarginsons Sand Services

Sarginsons offers a range of unique services not traditionally associated with sand casting.

·       Sand Casting – Low Pressure and gravity sand casting – reservoir and top fed.

·       Perfect Prototypes – Prototypes that accurately reflect production component TYE.

·       SCARP – Unique emergency supply chain solution for cast components.

·       Remediation – Sarginsons specialise in fixing problems in existing castings.

·       Raid Iterative Design – Classic design strategy applied to casting; needs simulation.

·       Alloys – Huge range including Sarginsons zero carbon recycled aluminium.

 

Sarginsons Secondary Sand Services

There are a comprehensive range of casting services offered that complement Sarginsons casting.

·       Pattern Making – All manner and size of sand patterns are catered for.

·       CNC Machining – Up to 1.6m five axis machining.

·       Heat Treatment – Innovative protocols designed to improve component performance and designed deformation simulations.  

·       Coatings – all types covered, from anodising to wet paint and powder coating.

·       Testing – X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, DyePen, CMM, Laser Scanning, Pressure Testing, Cleaning

·       Assembly – some simple assemble can be accommodated.

AAA Wingroller B
AAA Wingroller C

Unique Technologies

Sarginsons has developed unique technologies which give it an extraordinary flexibility in accommodating geometrically challenging components. Most notably, Sarginsons has developed the Freeform Casting philosophy, which effectively allows any geometry to be successfully created through the sand casting  process.

Sarginsons is the only UK company that operates a Low Pressure Sand casting unit which research shows can achieve TYE mechanical performance that is close to that achieved in permanent mould. This, with other Sarginsons technologies, allows issues such as thick wall sections to be designed out. 

The key industries for casting are

o   Automotive: Engine components, transmission housings.

o   Aerospace: Structural parts, turbine blades.

o   Industrial Machinery: Pumps, valves, gears.

o   Energy: Wind turbine hubs, oil & gas fittings.

o   Consumer Goods: Artistic castings, hardware.

o   Others: Marine, defence, medical.

Core Capabilities:

  • Prototype to full production sand casting
  • Manual moulding lines
  • Casting simulation and 3D modelling
  • Post-casting machining and heat treatment
  • Advanced quality inspection and metallurgical testing

More Articles

PIVOT: Sarginsons Lead & Win £6m Research Grant
17th September 2024

PIVOT: Sarginsons Lead & Win £6m Research Grant

Read More
Low Pressure Casting Principles
5th August 2024

Low Pressure Casting Principles

Read More
DFM+ A New Approach to Casting Development
2nd July 2024

DFM+ A New Approach to Casting Development

Read More
Explore more Articles & Research
Contact Us
Contact

Get in touch with the
Sarginsons Team

UK Office
US Office

Torrington Avenue, Coventry,
West Midlands, CV4 9AG

Get Directions
This field is required
This field is required This field is invalid
This field is required
This field is required
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.