Most understand the inherent benefits of mineral castings such as reliability, vibration damping, corrosion resistance, design flexibility and precision tolerances. Many overlook the environmentally friendly benefits to this growing technology.
Bases and structures built from older conventional materials such as cast iron or steel require considerably more energy to manufacture and process. In fact, gray cast iron is considered a dirty process and requires up to 30% more energy to manufacture the same casting over its mineral cast counterpart. Environmental sustainability regulations have limited worldwide cast iron availability to certain regions in the world. This also impacts lead-time and having to transport the cast iron long distances.
Mineral castings are manufactured as part of a cold cast (room temperature) process requiring a minimal amount of energy consumption. This cold cast process offers a considerably lower carbon footprint by requiring substantially less heat/energy. It also is the only manufacturing process that allows you to combine plastics and metals into the same casting.
Since roughly 90% of the raw materials used are earth friendly natural quartz-based minerals, once cured the mineral casting material is considered non outgassing and can be recycled or disposed using traditional waste streams.
Contact BaseTek to learn more about how this environmentally sustainable process can help lower your carbon footprint while providing many additional benefits not found in conventional gray cast iron or steel.