Slip Casting
Bench Plaster Mould Casting
Bench plaster mould casting is still used for a number of reasons. Bench casting is simply the way casting has always been done. Plaster is inexpensive, and the mould making technology is easily understandable. Modifications to moulds can be made with relative ease, a small numbers of pieces can be cast efficiently and the slip making technology is well established.
Drawbacks of this method are that the process is labour intensive, the wage rate for a skilled caster is fairly high, and a long training period is required before a caster becomes fully qualified. Additionally significant space is required to produce the ware, making the process capital-intensive. Other restrictions include a short mould life and a limitation on the number of pieces cast per day. Companies that use bench plaster mould casting have two main requirements as regards the slurries: cost control and consistency (of particle size, surface area, casting rate, viscosity and gel structure formation). Slurry producers have tried to address these needs in several ways. Improved statistical methods of analysis have been designed to respond to consistency concerns and increased-solid slurries have been developed to address both consistency and total cost requirements.
To be contd….
