When many people think of industrial castings, what comes to mind is large machinery components and huge iron parts. However, we also use the sand casting process for many smaller, more common types of products. Capable of producing everything from run-of-the-mill pipes and fittings, valves and pump parts, to some of the most commonly used hand tools, sand casting is an extremely versatile manufacturing process.
That’s why sand casting also finds its way into everyday life far beyond the commercial and industrial workplace. Consumer hand tools and cast cookware are probably the most familiar household products. Just like in the industrial space, though, you might be surprised at some of the other everyday products that are cast by the same foundry processes.
Of course, many of the below products are cast iron or steel – which requires a slightly different process than the aluminum sand casting services we specialize in at Tazewell. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to take a look at all the unique everyday uses the casting process finds in modern life.
Common Everyday Products Manufactured Through Sand Casting:
Cast Cookware
Sand casting is the chosen method for manufacturing a large variety of household cookware items. From pots, pans, skillets, and stove grates to larger kitchen devices like Dutch ovens, sand casting has been integral to our food preparation methods for centuries.
Home Plumbing Fixtures
Many home plumbing fixtures like sink faucets and showerheads, as well as your common pipe fittings and valves are regularly produced using sand casting. That’s because it’s a cost-effective manufacturing method which is exceptional at producing complex hollow shapes and cavities – typical of piping and valve systems.
Consumer Hand Tools
Many of your common hand tools around the home are cast, including hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, and pliers. The garden is another typical place to find cast hand tools, with many consumer gardening implements utilizing sand casting due to its economical pricing and reliable results.
Garage Accessories
In addition to hand tools, you’ll commonly find cast products throughout most well-equipped home garages. All sorts of everyday hinges, brackets, and fasteners are found in tool boxes, hangers, garage door systems, etc. In fact, many of these complex product assemblies require a combination of the most common manufacturing processes: casting, metal stamping, cutting and machining, as well as metal bending and other metalworking methods.
Car Parts and Cast Automotive Components
Everyday parts like wheel hubs, brackets, pulleys, and engine mounts are often produced through sand casting due to its cost-effectiveness and versatility. Aluminum cast components are especially common in today’s automotive manufacturing space due to its lightweight properties and corrosion resistance.
Indoor and Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
Many home lighting fixtures including lamp bases and outdoor lights are made through sand casting. Capable of economically producing complex shapes, sand casting is ideal for achieving aesthetic appeal for consumer lighting products while maintaining functional requirements.
Architectural and Decorative Items
Various interior and exterior home decorative items are cast, such as statues, sculptures, garden ornaments, and fireplace grates. Sand cast aluminum parts are especially well-suited for outdoor decorative use due to the high level of corrosion resistance.
Sporting Goods and Recreational Equipment
The home gym and yard are other places you’re likely to find cast metal products. Everyday sporting goods like dumbbells, barbell weights, bicycle components, and parts for recreational equipment such as fishing reels and camping gear are often manufactured using sand casting methods.
Quality American Sand Casting Solutions Since 1945
No matter your industry or product application, Tazewell Machine Works provides superior American manufacturing quality for rough or machined castings. Our custom casting services are backed by a robust ISO 9001:2015 certified quality control system and over 75 years of excellence delivered from our foundry right here in Pekin, Illinois.
