Sand Casting

Bronze and aluminum are cast in oil-based sand in the Product Realization Lab. Students in ME203: Manufacturing and Design take part in a structured lab that introduces the sand casting process.

A mold of sand is formed around a pattern to define the desired geometry. After the mold is formed and prepared, a crucible of molten metal is lifted out of the furnace and the metal is poured into the mold. Post-machining and finishing bring the raw casting to a more useful and attractive form.

Patterns are typically made from wood or modulan using various tools in the Woodworking lab, as well through 3D printing. Students in ME318: Computer-aided Product Creation can mill complex pattern geometry in modulan on the CNC mills in the Machining Lab.

Casting the Stanford Plaque Video

Julian Malinsky demonstrates the sand-casting techniques used in creating the Stanford Plaque.

Core-making Video

Julian Malinski demonstrates how to make a hollow-core sand casting.