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ZEN YOUNG’s investment casting foundry covers an area of approximately 30,000 square meters and has 110 employees. We offer full-service tooling casting processes, including stainless steel casting. We provide custom stainless steel castings and components for industries and applications such as automotive, food and dairy, machinery, medical, plumbing, water supply, mining, petrochemical, power, energy, aerospace, submarines, etc. We follow ISO 9001:2015 standardized production and can handle more than 200 alloys, ranging from 1 pound to more than 6,000 pounds. Typical tolerances are ± .005” per inch.
Casting Stainless Steel
Zen Young develops and produces high-quality investment castings that can be cast in virtually any steel alloy. Steel is an alloy composed of iron (Fe) and carbon (C), where the term “steel” refers to iron alloys with limited carbon content (below 1.9%). When iron's carbon content exceeds 2%, we refer to it as “cast iron” rather than “steel.”
Stainless steel, also known as INOX, is a type of steel renowned for its resistance to corrosion when exposed to water. Beyond the fundamental elements iron (Fe) and carbon (C), stainless steel contains chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni). To be classified as stainless steel, the alloy must contain at least 12% chromium. Beyond these core elements, many stainless steel grades incorporate additional elements like molybdenum, nitrogen, manganese, or silicon.
But what exactly do chromium and nickel contribute to stainless steel? Chromium reacts chemically with oxygen to form an invisible oxide layer of chromium trioxide (Cr₂O₃). This is also known as “oxide skin”. It protects the underlying metal from rusting (oxidation). When the oxide film is damaged, a new layer must regenerate. In such cases, the damaged film may rust upon contact with water. This rust cannot be removed permanently because the new oxide film will reform.
Stainless steel with nickel content between 6% and 26% belongs to the austenitic category and is non-magnetic. The nickel in stainless steel indirectly neutralizes the magnetic properties of chromium. When chromium content is relatively high and nickel content is limited, stainless steel becomes magnetic. Therefore, stainless steel is not inherently non-magnetic by default. Some stainless steels possess a ferritic structure containing only chromium and no nickel. This is why they are non-magnetic.
There are several techniques used for stainless steel casting, such as stainless steel investment casting, shell mold casting, sand casting, ceramic mold casting. Among these, stainless steel investment casting provides the greatest benefits, particularly for producing complex shapes that demand high-quality surfaces, precise tolerances, and minimal machining or finishing after casting. This method is especially effective in lowering production costs by reducing the need for extensive post-casting processes.
We will choose different casting methods for processing according to the product shape, material and your working conditions. Many years of processing experience can guarantee the quality of the casting parts.
- Precision machining with high accuracy
- Zinc plating, nickel plating, electroplating, and chrome plating finishes
- Anodizing, phosphating, acid treatment, and polishing services
- Broaching, milling, drilling, and tapping processes
- Surface grinding, sandblasting, and powder coating applications
- Heat treatment
Stainless steel castings are renowned for their exceptional corrosion resistance and durability. Common applications for stainless steel centrifuges include:
Food processing equipment: Separators, centrifuges, mixing and heating systems, and filtration components are manufactured from 304 and 316 stainless steel, as well as high-strength alloys like 17-4PH and duplex alloys. Centrifugal food industry components also include cooling jackets and water jackets.
Power generation components: Seal rings and blade support rings are typically made from stainless steel 17-4PH, 347, or 321.
Hydropower facility components: Stainless steel and bronze are used where high wear resistance and abrasion resistance are required. Alloys such as 316 and Nitronic® are commonly selected.
Valve components: Butterfly valve housings and discs, ball valve balls, and seal rings and seat rings are typically made from standard 304 or 316 alloys. In highly abrasive applications, alloys such as 410 or CD4MCu may be selected.
Medical imaging components: Components for cardiac and body imaging systems such as CT, PET, and MRI.
Petrochemical and Heat Treatment Components: Reducing cones, sleeves, and trunnion cones are cast from heat-resistant alloys such as HH, HK 40, HP, and other alloys within the ASTM A297 series.
Custom Blended Stainless Steels: 20-32Nb, HP, and any required custom blended stainless steels.
Strict control of chemical composition, casting processes, and machining ensures your requirements are met or exceeded.
It is essential to learn and understand stainless steel grades to help you choose the most suitable option for your stainless steel casting needs. At ZEN YOUNG Foundry, we offer more than 30 different grades of cast stainless steel alloys, available in various shapes and sizes to meet your specific requirements. These alloys include the following:
1.1 Austenitic Stainless Steel This type of casting is the most commonly used material, accounting for more than 70% of production. Grade 304 is the most commonly specified casting grade, with other popular austenitic grades including 316 and 317. We provide various austenitic stainless steel alloys, including CF8 (304) and CF8M (316), which are suitable for use across a broad range of temperatures and resistant to many corrosive chemicals. However, these grades cannot be hardened by heat treatment and may be susceptible to stress corrosion cracking.
1.2 Ferritic Stainless Steel This type of casting involves a chromium stainless steel process, with the chromium content varying between 10.5 and 18% along with low carbon content. One of the ferritic steels we handle is CB-30. Unlike austenitic steels, this steel is suitable for resistance to stress corrosion cracking, usually caused by chlorides. However, these ferritic steels are weldable or machinable, and their performance decreases at lower temperatures.
1.3 Martensitic Stainless Steel: Our range of martensitic stainless steel alloys includes ASTM A743 CA6NM ASTM A276 SS420.
ASTM A743 CA6NM with high toughness and moderate corrosion resistance. It's often used in pump and valve components due to its excellent mechanical properties and resistance to cavitation erosion. ASTM A276 SS420 is a specification for martensitic stainless steel, specifically Grade 420, which is known for its high hardness and moderate corrosion resistance. It is commonly used in applications like cutlery, surgical instruments, and parts that require a combination of strength and wear resistance.
1.4 Duplex Stainless Steel: At ZEN YOUNG Foundry, we handle duplex stainless steel, such as CD4MCu, which is stronger and more resistant to corrosion and erosion than other grades. Its lower alloy contents, molybdenum, and nickel, decrease the metal cost of these alloys. However, it is limited to lower impact toughness when subjected to low temperatures and reduced performance at high temperatures.
For many years, Zen Young has been providing customized metal casting services for various industries and project types.
Mining & Engineering Machinery Casting Parts
If you are looking for a solution that fits your custom metal Sand casting project, Zen Young can help you produce perfect metal parts through a reliable casting process. We always welcome special material and difficult parts and would like to help our comstomers utmost.
