Polymer Castings take on metals

Epoxy/quartz composites can be precisely cast to size without secondary machining. A steel mold for casting digital scanner bases incorporates 160 vinyl tubing vacuum lines. The lines attach to the sides of the steel mold and stay with the casting when it is demolded. The 18-in.-diameter semicircular drum has an as-cast accuracy of 0.001-in. TIR. Polymer/ aggregate makes up all structural components of this milling machine except for the table. This grinder-base mold uses off-the-shelf 2-in.-diameter PVC tubing for drain lines, which are cast in place. Flat scanner cast to 0.001-in. flatness over 40 in. A 270° cylindrical scanner with 16 vacuum grooves cast to 0.001-in. TIR. Wood mold for a 15-ton polymer miller base. The structures of equipment such as lathes, milling machines, coordinate-measuring machines, and pump bases are typically cast-iron or steel weldments. The iron-casting process produces a rough casting, which is then stress relieved, precision machined, stress relieved again, and finally painted, a process that may take four months or more. But polymer-composite (PC) castings are cast to tolerance, demolded, and ready to use,