Shapes other than solid round bar and tube hollows are routinely cast by either method. Rectangular, hexagonal, square, gears with teeth, and a multitude of other shapes lend themselves to the continuous cast method. This method is excellent for producing small inside diameters.

Continuous cast products can offer cost advantages over other types of casting if the optimum quantity, shaping, and sizes are chosen.

Advantages Of Continuous Casting

• Ability to cast regular shapes and certain irregular configurations in long tubular form, which is difficult for other casting methods.
• Continuous cast bars require appreciably less machining stock.
• Continuous cast material is consistently dense and homogeneous in structure, and therefore well-suited for pressure applications.
• Straight, true, and concentric product for high speed bar machines.
• Many suppliers maintain stock sizes for ready availability to distributors and others requiring full lengths.
• If the shape is optimized, the clean-up stock required on continuous cast material is often less than that needed for parts produced with other casting processes. Stock of 1/32 to 3/32 inches per side depending on the casting size is normally adequate.
• Continuous castings have an inherent advantage in mechanical properties over other methods because of the chilling and the excellent feeding of molten metal during solidification.
• Continuous castings perform well under pressure.

Limitations Or Things To Consider

• Due to the considerable mold cost and casting machine set-up, it is uneconomical to consider the continuous cast method for special shapes or special alloys in small quantities. A customer may need to order over 2,000 pounds of a special size or special alloy in order to obtain a reasonable cost.