26 Advantages and 19 Disadvantages of Slush Casting Process Explained With Neat Diagram

Slush Casting Process Advantages And Disadvantages Are Explained Below With Diagrams

Slush casting advantages and disadvantages.

The merits of slush casting outnumber other casting processes when it comes to manufacturing hollow-casting objects.

Demerits of the slush casting process are equally important to understand the limitations of the slush casting process.

I have listed both sides below-

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Advantages Of The Slush Casting Process

What are the advantages of slush casting?

No core is required for making a hollow casting.
Tooling cost is low making it an inexpensive process.
This is a higher-yield casting process.
If the process is automated high-volume casting can be made.
Best for pure and low-temperature metals. Metals used in the slush casting process are explained in the slush casting material article.

Complex shapes can be manufactured as shown below in diagram (a).

(a) Slush casting complex shape.

This is a relatively less expensive process for producing hollow casting.
The external surface finish is smooth, shiny and aesthetically appealing. Read applications of the slush casting process to understand the type of product manufactured by this process.
Production cost is less, this is a more economical casting process for hollow casting.
Suitable for small to medium size production.

As shown below in diagram (b), lightweight thin casting can be manufactured.

Slush casting lightweight casting product.

(b) Lightweight thin slush casting.

Both symmetrical and asymmetrical casting can be produced with high control over the external surfaces.
Being a permanent mould casting all advantages and principles and permanent mould will apply.
The mould used here has only one gate. It does not have a sprue, runner or riser. Read the slush casting mould design article to understand the simplicity and uniqueness of slush casting mould.
Slush casting has an immense advantage over sand casting for producing hollow objects. All the benefits of slush casting over sand casting are mentioned in the slush casting vs. sand casting topic.
Solidification time is less in the slush casting process for thinner casting.
Excess metal is recycled, and the process is good for the environment.
The process is similar to the metallic mould casting process.
Multiple pouring will produce casting products at a faster rate.
Mould can be reused multiple times as slush casting is a permanent mould casting process.
Molten metal is not wasted during inverting mould.
Nonmetallic material can be slush cast.
Small-size casting can be produced using a miniature die for producing casting products such as jewellery, toys and a variety of ornaments.
The floor space required for the process is less as compared to sand casting.
Slush casting does not have sand moulds so casting produced from this process is free from casting defects such as sand inclusion defects, scabs, core shift defects, runout defects, metal penetration defects, cuts and mould wash defects.
The machining allowance required in slush casting is much less compared to sand casting.

Disadvantages Of The Slush Casting Process

What are the disadvantages of slush casting?

There is no control over the internal geometry of casting.
The interior of the casting is rough in texture and inaccurate.
The labour-intensive process is if the metal is poured manually.
Suitable for only low-temperature pure metals such as lead, zinc, tin, cadmium and magnesium.
There are limitations on how strong a casting can be made.
This process is only good with some alloy metals, only selected alloys such as aluminium and copper alloy metals to work well.
It is a slow and time-consuming process if not done under automation.
Difficulty in controlling the thickness of the hollow casting, uniform casting thickness cannot be produced.
Suitable for casting with thin thickness only.
Large-size components cannot be manufactured due to problems in inverting the mould and draining molten metal.
Casting made by this process cannot sustain high-stress conditions.
External appearance is of primary importance only.
Only lower melting point alloys can be used.
Process control over parameters is required if the process is manual.
Low-cost die and maintenance are required in this casting process.
Large solid casting cannot be produced.
Does not have wide applications for manufacturing complex casting compared to investment casting.
The quality of the final casting depends upon the foundrymen's skills.
Process parameters in slush casting such as the solidification process, molten metal temperature, pouring temperature, solidification rate and thickness of the final casting need to be controlled for good casting.

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Slush Casting Conclusion

Advantages of Slush Casting	Disadvantages of Slush Casting
1) Thin lightweight hollow casting without a core can be produced.	1) Solid casting similar to sand casting cannot be produced.
2) The exterior of the casting is superior to the sand casting products.	2) Produces a shiny exterior surface but the interior of the casting is rough.
3) Production time for casting is less as no mould-making process is involved.	3) A higher rate of production can only be done if the process is automated.
4) Decorative hollow items such as car toys, pewters, trains, jewellery, ornaments and bowls with beautiful exteriors can be produced.	4) Casting products have limitations in strength, hardness and other engineering properties.
5) The process has a higher yield, saves molten metal, has no gating system, reduces scrap and requires less secondary finishing and machining operations.	5) Process parameters need to be controlled properly to achieve thin hollow casting.
6) The permanent mould used produces high-quality large quantity casting.	6) Casting orders in small quantities cannot be taken as the cost of permanent die needs to be recovered.