Permanent-mold Casting: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
CastingFamily
+/-0.4mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
28Parts in finder
Permanent (gravity) mould casting pours metal into a reusable metal mould under gravity. The metal mould chills faster than sand, giving a denser, stronger casting.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Medium-volume aluminium parts needing better properties and finish than sand casting, like wheels and manifolds.
Watch for
Higher tooling cost than sand, and the rigid mould limits how complex the shape can be.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Mold prep
Pre-heat and coat the reusable metal mold.
Tooling Metal mold Tolerance - Lead -
Gravity pour
Pour the alloy into the mold under gravity/low pressure.
Tooling Furnace Tolerance - Lead -
Eject & trim
Open the mold, eject, trim gates.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Machine
Machine sealing/fit faces.
Tooling CNC Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Dimensional + NDT if required.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
Aluminium A356/A319
Good castability + strength
Brass/bronze
Bearing, corrosion
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Permanent-mold Casting. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Sharp internal corners.Radius them.
Trapped cores.Design for mold opening.
Cost
What it costs
Better finish/properties than sand, cheaper tooling than die; the mid-volume sweet spot for alu.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$225 to 625per 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 this process 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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Permanent (gravity) mould casting pours metal into a reusable metal mould under gravity. The metal mould chills faster than sand, giving a denser, stronger casting. The typical route is: Mold prep; Gravity pour; Eject & trim; Machine; Inspect. Medium-volume aluminium parts needing better properties and finish than sand casting, like wheels and manifolds.
What does Permanent-mold Casting cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $225 to 625 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Permanent-mold Casting hold?
Typically about +/-0.4 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Permanent-mold Casting?
Common choices are Aluminium A356/A319 (Good castability + strength); Brass/bronze (Bearing, corrosion).
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.
