Stainless Steel Casting of Top Cap for Bimini Top

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The top cap is the marine boat fitting designed for sailboat and powerboat bimini tops. Together with top slide or deck hinge, it can accept tubes in different diameters. Like all the cast marine boat fittings, the top cap is also made in 316 cast stainless steel.

Stainless Steel Investment Casting Process

When it comes to making complex marine boat fittings with fine details, manufacturers often go for stainless steel casting for several good reasons. Compared to machining or other manufacturing processes, stainless steel investment casting may be more expensive and have a longer production cycle, but its tighter tolerances, smooth as-cast finish and freedom of design also give it an edge over other casting processes. This process is often used to make high strength marine boat parts that require immaculate quality and precision.

Stainless steel investment casting is a labour and skill intensive process that involves many delicate steps (wax mold making, shell making, pouring, cooling etc.). The casting capabilities of different foundries may vary drastically, so it is always recommended to have professional casting engineers to review and QC check the production process.

Mirror Polished Finish

Same as other stainless steel marine boat fittings, the surface finish of top cap is mirror polished after investment casting. Mirror polishing is a surface finish that is smooth enough to provide a reflective surface. Normally, the complete mirror polishing involves at least three polishing processes. To serve our customers better, we have an separate mirror polishing workshop in our foundry with skilled polishing workers.

TCC Casting offers stainless steel investment casting and mirror polishing for all your stainless steel marine needs. Our cast stainless stainless marine boat parts are corrosion resistant and rust proof. Besides top caps, we can also provide stainless steel investment castings for other boat hardwares including cleats, chocks, steering products, rod holders, hatches, deck pipes, etc. Any inquiry on stainless steel casting of marine boat top caps or other products, pls feel free to contact us!

Notes:

  1. If you have limited budget, it is ideal to buy top caps from China foundries, like TCC Casting.
  2. Make sure the supplier can supply polished tops caps, not only castings.
  3. Ask for a sample at least before mass production to check the surface quality.
  4. For custom top caps, remember that the mould cost is charged only once, there is no need to pay again for future orders.
  5. Clearly state your package requirement to avoid any damage during transportation process.

Is Gravity Die Casting Cost-Effective?

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After understanding gravity die casting technique, maybe you will ask if it is cost effective to make parts by gravity die casting process? The answer is that gravity die casting is cost-effective for medium- and high-production runs of products. The cost per unit increases when a low volume of parts is required due to the high initial capital cost of the die itself.

A die is machined from solid steel and, due to the irregular and customized design of each one, it can be quite expensive. The tolerances of the die are typically quite stringent. Furthermore, there is the cost of the alloys, the machine shop setup, lubricant and production time. With high-volume production output, these costs are spread over many units and become increasingly lower. The shape retention and quick heat dissipation of the die make it dependable for repeated use.

For manufacturers requiring a high volume of parts, gravity die casting is one of the best options available. It allows for reliable, repeatable parts that provide consistent quality as well as a broad selection of different metal alloys to choose from. Aluminum gravity die casting is one of the most popular and versatile choices for manufacturers needing strength, conductivity, thin walls, low weight, corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties. It is also a relatively affordable alloy to choose.

Most products made with gravity die casting are aluminum castings and can weigh anywhere from around 1 lb. to well over 100 lbs. Applications of gravity die casting are numerous:

  • Automotive parts: Engine components, gearbox cases, componentry for cylinders, electronic equipment and structural equipment
  • Lighting: Electronic components for lighting, control panels, fixtures, housing and components
  • Defense: Military sectors are in need of reproducible parts for weaponry, surveillance and more
  • Medical: Surgical equipment, gearboxes and hospital equipment
  • Electronics: Hi-fi equipment, consumer electronics, housing, tools and more

Any inquiry on gravity die casting, pls feel free to send us your drawings!

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