General Foundry is a long-time Fusion partner: Keith Krook, John Ritelli and their team team have worked with us on several projects and executed them well. We highly recommend them for complex castings from multiple processes.
The General Foundry team starts with an in-depth understanding of the client’s business and product objectives.
How many do you need?
Do you only need one, or five, or ten, or do you need a hundred, a thousand, five thousand?
What's the material?
What's your timing?
They have developed a useful matrix that provides a good guide to help decide which process would be the best for your needs. It is a good overview to see what options are viable. The comparison matrix allows for the evaluation of trade-offs between different options.
Fusion and General Foundry can guide and evaluate suitability for different applications. The selection of the most appropriate manufacturing process depends on factors such as quantity, size, complexity, desired properties, and cost considerations. The matrix is a good summary of the following processes:
3D Printed Parts:
Ideal for prototypes or small quantities
Size limitations of around a ten-inch cube
Cost-effective for designs that may undergo multiple iterations
3D Printed Sand Molds:
Utilizes 3D printing to create sand molds for casting
Suitable for producing one-off parts without traditional tooling
Saves time and money when design changes are expected during iterations
Green Sand Casting:
Traditional casting method used for parts ranging from ounces to 40 or 50 pounds
No-Bake (Air-Set) Sand Molds
No-bake or Air-Set sand process may be used for larger or heavier parts up to 400 pounds
Process choice depends on quantity, weight, and surface area considerations
Permanent Mold Casting:
Suited for high-volume production or when specific material properties are required
Offers better dimensional accuracy and surface finish compared to other processes
Rubber Plaster Molding:
Produces thin-walled parts with smooth surfaces and complex geometries
Offers higher quality but comes at a higher cost compared to other processes
Solid Mold Investment Casting:
Premium process with higher costs but fewer design limitations
Ideal for achieving intricate shapes, fine details, and superior surface finishes
Size limitations apply
Die Casting:
Suitable for high-volume production (10,000 to 100,000 pieces annually)
Offers efficiency, precision, and tight tolerances
Graphite Permanent Mold:
Bridges the gap between prototyping and full-volume production
Produces parts resembling die castings
V Process (Vacuum Process):
Utilizes vacuum technology to create sand molds for casting
Limited to specific companies on the eastern seaboard
Can be compared and contrasted with green sand casting
More About General Foundry
Located in San Leandro, California, General Foundry is a privately held corporation with a long-standing history in many casting processes, dating back to 1946. The company has established itself as a reputable provider of high-quality complex aluminum parts and assemblies. With approximately 85 employees and over 65,000 square feet of floor space, manufacturing capabilities consist of multiple alloy choices, casting processes, and in-house pattern making, machining, inspection and assembly. This allows them to cater to the specific requirements of their clients and offer customized solutions. They provide best-in-class turnkey solutions, from prototyping to low and mid-production volumes.
General Foundry serves diverse industries, including medical devices, telecommunications, robotics, homeland security, defense industries and Class “A” medical device castings. They have extensive experience in producing thin-wall complex OEM aluminum and zinc cast components, employing time-compression methods to deliver efficient results. Additionally, the company emphasizes design for manufacturing (DFM) principles, ensuring that their clients' designs are optimized for manufacturing, enhancing efficiency and quality.
