Casting, Molding & Machining
'Casting' is the manufacturing process where a liquid material is poured into a mold and it is allowed to cool in order to convert it into a solid form. The history of casting is almost six thousand years old. Some of the materials that are applied in this process are: epoxy, concrete, plaster and clay.
Casting and molding are interlinked with each other. Molding refers to the process that is used to give a flexible shape to any raw material. Molding enhances the look and design of a product. Materials like plastics, glasses and metals are liquidized and poured into a mold to give them a particular shape. A person who is responsible for making molds is called a mold maker. Some forms of molding may be named as Sand-casting, Shell molding and Continuous casting and Die-casting. Apart from these, laminating, matched mold, blow molding and foam molding are some common types of molding.
Talking about machining, it is a process that deals with the removal of materials. This method uses power-driven machines tools such as lathes, milling and drill machines to cut the materials to get the desired shape. A person who specializes in operating machines is called a machinist. There are various types of machining operations such as turning, drilling and milling. Other operations of machines include shaping, boring, broaching and swing. With the emergence of the Internet, one can easily buy the latest tools and machines (for casting, molding and machining) online.
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