Ceramic Cores

Ceramic cores are sacrificial ceramic structures primarily used for forming cavities that are too small or complex to be machined within investing casting procedures. These cores are predominantly found in Aerospace and Industrial Markets but there is a growing demand in the Healthcare, Sports and Automotive Markets.

Ceramic cores are manufactured using a porous ceramic material consisting of various compositions of silica, alumina and zircon. The composition of our blends can be tailored to the customer's individual requirements.

Our compositions allow for there to be minimal interaction between the core and the metal that will be used in the casting process. The low coefficient of thermal expansion makes sure the core stays dimensionally stable when the molten metal engulfs it during the casting process. The stability of the compositions at high temperatures is very important as they allow for MACOR to manufacture our ceramic cores to the tolerances that are required by the customer. This makes our products more precise than rival casting methods such as sand casting. The materials used to make our cores are also slightly porous making it easier for them to be leeched out by chemicals, leaving behind the desired cavity.

The type of alloy being cast is also crucial - ceramic cores can be used with a wide range of alloys, including nickel and cobalt based alloys, steels, aluminium and titanium, but the match between alloy and ceramic must be appropriate. The size and complexity of the item being cast will also influence the ceramic core selection.

Our ceramic cores exhibit the following key features and benefits:

Features

  • Our cores are made from materials that have very low coefficients of thermal expansion, an extremely desirable property for investment casting
  • Our products are also easy to leech out through chemical reactions
  • We specialise in water removable ceramics which do not require chemical leeching but can be removed through pressurised water

Benefits

  • We can manufacture cores in different strengths depending on the customer’s needs. We can manufacture strong and very weak structures, thus providing the customer with no limitations on their design
  • We can process parts with tolerances down to 0.05mm and thicknesses less than 0.3mm
  • We have X-ray capability if needed to confirm sure they are perfect internally and externally
  • The material/core is rigorously tested and each core goes through internal and external trials
  • Our advanced materials exhibit high temperature stability in thick sections which hold up to the latest superalloy used in today’s most advanced gas turbine jet engines

Our commitment to high quality standards along with our well renowned research and development into ceramic materials ensures that our cores are the right choice for many markets including Aerospace, Industrial, Automotive, Healthcare and Sports.

MACOR® Machining China Certech(R) has 45 years’ experience in the design and production of complex ceramic cores and wax patterns for challenging industrial casting applications all over the world.

Our cores are a critical component in the manufacture of complex castings for aircraft engine turbine blades, vanes and associated cast components. They can also be used to produce a wide range of products from valve components to industrial turbine blades, to create cavities and features with precision, whilst reducing the costs of machining parts.

Our injection moulded ceramic cores can also be utilised within the automotive industry in order to replace sandcasting processes where required. Sandcasting methods are not as accurate, in terms of tolerances, as ceramic cores and do not provide a smooth finish on the final product. These two major problems can be eradicated easily with the use of ceramic cores.

There is also a rising demand for ceramic cores within the healthcare industry in order to cast orthopaedic instruments and dental equipment.

So, why should you use our Certech(R) range of cores for your next project?

We offer core preparation and coating techniques to further strengthen your core:

  • These include KR 1, a water based resin which strengthens the core for wax injection operations
  • Urea treatment which further strengthens cores for the casting process is available in theChina
  • Alumina coatings are also available in order to minimise the metal interaction between the core and the customer’s casting

To find out more about our ceramic cores for investment casting, contact us today.

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