Precision foundry on reclaimable pattern for the producers of plastic injection moulds, glass moulds for the producers of pumps, taps and valves...

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The reclaimable pattern process in precision foundry is a natural extension of the classical foundry. Instead of the use of bound sand pressed on a pattern of the item to reproduce, mounted on the moulding set, a mix of ceramics and mineral or hydraulic binders is cast on the model to make blocks. After setting of these blocks, they are removed from the pattern and fired to increase their strength and to ensure that they are chemically inert with the liquid metal. Then they are joined together with the cores required to pour the liquid metal into the interior cavity.

As for the pattern, it is recovered and cleaned to allow the casting of other blocks, hence the name "reclaimable pattern" process as opposed to the lost wax process. This reclaimable pattern lets normally give the same close tolerances and the same smooth surface as lost wax precision foundry. It needs very little in the way of investment and can be used by conventional sand foundries. It is the best process for small runs (1 to 100 items) of medium and large size castings.

Ceramics and plasters : The UCPI's processes Two processes are used : the ceramic blocks for steel and iron mainly and the plasters blocks for aluminium and zinc alloys.

ROMICAST ceramic process Patented by UCPI, ROMICAST is quite similar to the well-known "SHAW PROCESS". The block moulds and ceramic cores bound by an ethyl-silicate are heated just after setting of the blocks and fired at about 800/1000°C before being assembled to receive the casting of the metal. The main application are : Making mobile and fixed pieces of pumps, taps and valves compressors, bodies, impellers, and distributors. Making toolings for conventional foundry, for stamping and toolings, for glass moulding or for plastic injection. Products Ready to use ceramic mixes Mineral binders for moulds and cores Fireclays Binders for fireclays and moulds UCPI supplies all grades of ceramic mixes ready to use, based on fused mullite, fused alumina, sintered alumina, sintered mullite, fused silica, zircon silicate, grain size from 0 to 0.2 mm for the finest and 0 to 4 mm for the largest. Also, we produce a 25 % silica prehydrolised ethyl silicate binder, antifoam agent and catalyst.

HYDRACAST plaster process The manufacture of plaster blocks is achieved by casting on reclaimable patterns (silicone rubber mould for example), a mix of HYDRACAST refractory plaster and water. The main application are : Aluminium moulds for plastic materials forming (thermoforming) Moulds for rubber vulcanisation (tyres moulds) Moulds to inject shoes soles and heels Complex parts in aluminium : items for aircraft or mechanical applications and automobile turbo-charger wheels. Two types of products are used in this plaster technique, those producing light foam moulds giving a high metallurgical quality to the casting and the others producing unfoamed large, stronger moulds to make intricate castings. Products HYDRACAST investments (foamed and unfoamed) HYDRACAST P+, unfoamed, for the type moulds. HYDRACAST SC1 and SC80, unfoamed, for plastic injection. HYDRACAST FL204, foamed.