![]() Using silicone based moulds they specialise in the lost wax (investment) casting process. Kerry Hammond and her husband have been casting bronze in Edinburgh since 1989. You can find all of the Scottish foundries in our selection below listed on Make Works. Each foundry tends to use slightly different processes to make their moulds, but many of these are still traditional methods. ![]() In Falkirk, the sole supplier of the Royal Mail postbox (as well as set pieces for the Harry Potter films) is employee-owned by 35 skilled foundrymen whilst the tracks for National Rail are made in North Queensferry.įor those interested in fabricating creative work, foundries in Scotland are ideal for bespoke, complex metal pieces and small runs of production. They have an impressive array of applications, from highly specialist offshore engineering components, to public sculpture and even domestic garden gates. Today, though large-volume production has shifted overseas, there are many foundries still thriving in Scotland. Many foundries also worked on public construction and architecture frequently making things like elaborate bandstands, bus shelters, verandahs and seaside promenades. In Scotland, the iron and steel foundries were integral to much of our shipbuilding and heavy industry. Historically, it has been used for creating complex forms in sculpture and jewellery through to the development of tools and weapons. The process involves heating metal until it is in liquid form, before pouring it into a mould and waiting for the material to cool. Metal casting has been used by humankind for thousands of years. Molten hot metal, steel toe capped boots and the promise of industrial footage that will dance glowingly in front of our camera lens. Usually, moulds are made using silica sand, but they can be created using different materials depending on the type of metal being cast.It is nothing short of a thrill in the Make Works studio when a factory manager mentions that they will “make sure we’ve got a pour on” ahead of a site visit. Moulds are carefully shaped with a pattern, which is a wood or metal replica of the object to be cast so that the final shape corresponds fully with the mould used. There are several stages involved in the casting process which include making the pattern, melting the metal, pouring the molten liquid, the cooling process, removing the metal, cleaning the parts and the inspection process. The most common metals processed are iron, aluminium, steel and copper-based alloys but other metals such as bronze, brass, magnesium and zinc can also be used to produce castings so that parts of any desired shape and size can be formed. The shaped metal, or casting, can now be used to produce more difficult and uniquely shaped products or parts.Īll major metals can be cast. The metal is then allowed to cool and the liquid solidifies. Nowadays, around 90% of all manufactured consumer products use metal castings for their module parts – the automotive industry is probably one of the largest industries which depend on the foundry sector.Ī foundry or metal factory casts metals into shapes by melting them down and pouring the molten liquid into a sand, ceramic or metal mould to form geometrically complex parts. ![]() Foundry is more than just making metal parts for engine, rail and pipe components. The foundry process is centuries old, and nowadays over 110 tonnes of castings are produced every year. Steel Foundry Near Me Foundry & Casting Near Me ![]()
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