Permanent Mold Process

As its name implies, the permanent mold casting method makes use of reusable metal molds in place of the sand-base molds used in conventional foundries. The molds are made from steel and the cavity surface is coated with a thin layer of heat resistant material and release agent. There is NO sand involved in the process. Molten metal is carefully poured into the open cavity of the mold where it is allowed to cool to temperature before being removed from the mold.

The molds are considered “permanent” because they can be used multiple times before being replaced. This reuse lowers the cost of the product over other methods requiring a pattern expense for each pour.

The permanent mold casting method is clean and environmentally friendly. It produces very little waste and almost no fumes. In the case of the Dura-Bar XL ingots, there is no scrap or excess metal. All turnings produced during the proof turn are remelted. Most importantly, because there is no sand in the process, it avoids all of the contamination and product defect problems common to sand castings and traditional foundries.