Primary process: Centrifugal Casting. The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for a sleeve, with an indicative cost.
Centrifugal CastingPrimary process
CastingFamily
8Route steps
+/-0.3mmTypical tol.
A sleeve is primarily made by Centrifugal Casting. Centrifugal casting spins a mould while metal is poured, so centrifugal force throws the metal against the wall. It yields dense, sound cylindrical parts. Below is the full route to make a sleeve, the materials it suits, the tolerances to expect and the main design points. The route is free, from the finder.
Step by step
How a sleeve is made
The usual route, raw material to finished part. The amber step is where the sleeve gets its basic shape.
Alloy and tooling
Choose the casting alloy for the sleeve and make the pattern or metal die that forms the cavity.
Centrifugal Casting
Melt the metal and pour it into the mould, then let the sleeve solidify and cool.
Tooling Medium Tolerance ±0.25 to 1mm Lead 2 to 6 weeks
Fettling and cleaning
Cut off the gates and risers, grind away the flash, and clean the raw casting.
Machining
Machine the mating faces, bores and datum surfaces to final tolerance: the as-cast surface is too rough for close fits.
Tooling None Tolerance ±0.125mm, to ±0.025mm Lead 1 to 10 days
Hole making
Drill, ream and tap the fixing and functional holes.
Tooling None Tolerance ±0.05 to 0.2mm Lead hours to days
Heat treatment
Stress-relieve or harden the sleeve to reach the strength and hardness the design needs.
Tooling n/a Tolerance can distort Lead days
Surface finish
Plate, anodise or powder coat for corrosion resistance and appearance.
Tooling Low Tolerance adds 0.05 to 0.2mm Lead days
Inspection
Check critical dimensions and, for any part that holds pressure, leak-test before it ships.
Need the real cost for a sleeve? The free route above is yours. Unlock the full dossier to quote and source it.
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials for a sleeve
Grade
Why it suits this
Bronze/brass
Bearing surfaces
Cast iron
Cheap, damping
Stainless/duplex
Corrosion
Design
Design tips
General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for a sleeve is in the dossier.
Thin wall for the diameter.Respect min wall/OD ratio.
Specifying ID as-cast.Add machining stock.
Cost
What a sleeve should cost
Dense, sound round parts (rings, bushings, pipe); ID is machined since the inner surface is rough.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for a sleeve at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$265 to 750per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on a sleeve and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
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A sleeve is primarily made by centrifugal casting. The route is: Alloy and tooling; Centrifugal Casting; Fettling and cleaning; Machining; Hole making; Heat treatment; Surface finish; Inspection.
What does a sleeve cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $265 to 750 per part at 1 off and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. A model estimate, not a quote.
What material is a sleeve made from?
Common choices are Bronze/brass; Cast iron; Stainless/duplex.
What is the main process for a sleeve?
Centrifugal Casting. Pipes, rings, bushings and sleeves where a dense, defect-free wall matters.
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
