I have a project that has “Buy America” provisions, so how can I get Cast Connex involved?
FAQs
Custom Castings
I have a project that has “Buy America” provisions, so how can I get Cast Connex involved?
Cast Connex can have the castings produced in a US-based steel foundry and hence meet Buy America / By American provisions.
Can cast steel products be galvanized?
Yes, though galvanizing shouldn’t be considered as a high-quality AESS coating, as it has a somewhat motley appearance. Also note that the resulting colour of the galvanized steel will differ between the cast steel and the rolled steel products due to minor differences in chemistry.
Can cast steel products be galvanized?
I have heard that castings have a poorer surface finish than rolled steel products. Is this true?
The surface finish of castings depends upon the casting specifications. Every casting process produces a casting having a unique surface texture / uniformity, but any casting surface can be upgraded to be just as uniform than rolled steel products. Whether or not upgrading is actually necessary, though, is dependent upon on a number of factors, including: the casting process, the viewing distances involved in the finished structure, and the coatings that are to be applied to the structural steel. Ribs, reveals, or recesses located on the casting, proximally to welded joints between the rolled and cast steel components, can also be used to accommodate a difference in surface texture between the cast and rolled steels.
I have heard that castings have a poorer surface finish than rolled steel products. Is this true?
What the process in getting Cast Connex involved in a project?
As castings must often be carefully integrated into the structural and architectural plan of a building, it is recommended to engage Cast Connex prior to the completion of the Construction Documentation stage of a project. Usually we will perform some preliminary design and provide ROM pricing to the design team as part of our sales process. Cast Connex can assist in the development of a Performance Specification for custom castings, which can then be used to tender the castings with the rest of the structural package. In this case we provide proposals to the bidding steel contractors.
What the process in getting Cast Connex involved in a project?
Are steel castings weldable?
Many cast steel grades are weldable, and many of those grades are suitable for structural use; however, not all cast steel alloys are weldable (high alloy grades can be difficult to weld, for example). Cast Connex selects the appropriate alloys based on the application.
Are steel castings weldable?
Aren’t steel castings brittle?
No. Cast iron is brittle, cast steel is ductile.
Aren’t steel castings brittle?
If Cast Connex isn’t a foundry, why do we need to involve you? Are you just brokers when it comes to custom castings?
Cast Connex provides a range of services when it comes to custom castings:
If Cast Connex isn’t a foundry, why do we need to involve you? Are you just brokers when it comes to custom castings?
Cast Connex provides a range of services when it comes to custom castings:
- Design, Engineering, and Detailing: Castings must be designed simultaneously for their end use (architectural and structural considerations) as well as for the casting manufacturing process. Castings must be shaped so that they can be successfully molded and such that they solidify soundly in a mold. Establishing non-destructive examination requirements based on the level of stress in the various regions of the casting is also critical – being overly conservative can be extremely costly while under- specifying NDE can result in a casting which is not capable of carrying the applied loading. Additionally, detailing of castings – the production of casting and machining shop drawings – is something that typical steel detailers are not capable of carrying out, and steel foundries will not typically engage in design or detailing of any kind. Preparation of specifications covering all aspects of casting production as well as outlining how the castings are to be integrated into the structural steel framing is also necessary. Cast Connex provides all of these services.
- Casting production oversight: Most North American steel foundries infrequently produce (or have never produced) castings for building and bridge structures, and so they typically do not have an understanding of the requirements of our industry. As such, if left to their own devices, many foundries will make inappropriate assumptions when it comes to the many production variables associated with casting production. Cast Connex oversees production of castings to ensure they are produced according to specification and using the appropriate foundry processes to result in castings which are suited for architectural and structural applications. Further, the review of various technical submittals from the foundry requires specialized understanding and experience.
- Procurement: Every foundry is suited for manufacturing specific types of castings – castings of a specific range in size, weight, alloy, configuration, etc. We pair the right foundries with the right parts, ensuring the optimal balance of cost effectiveness and quality. Further, Cast Connex has worked with many steel foundries and purchases millions of dollars’ worth of castings every year. Leveraging our network gets you higher quality, lower cost castings.
What are the typical lead times?
One must account for the cost of casting design and detailing, plus the time necessary to produce tooling (6 – 8 weeks), to qualify a first casting produced (10 – 12 weeks), and then production time for subsequent castings (timeframe is dependent upon quantity of part necessary)
What are the typical lead times?
How much do castings cost?
The costs of castings is comprised of those costs associated with:
How much do castings cost?
The costs of castings is comprised of those costs associated with:
- Specialized engineering, design, and detailing of the steel castings
- Tooling (“patterns” for use in the production of molds)
- And the castings themselves, the cost of which is a function of the size and weight of the part, the non-destructive examination requirements, machining requirements, and surface finish requirements
When should I (as an engineer/architect) consider specifying steel castings?
We often suggest that castings may be appropriate in any of the following circumstances, with the suitability of castings increased where more than one of these conditions applies:
When should I (as an engineer/architect) consider specifying steel castings?
We often suggest that castings may be appropriate in any of the following circumstances, with the suitability of castings increased where more than one of these conditions applies:
- Complex connections (i.e., with incoming members at different angles, or at sharp angles where weld access is a problem)
- Connections subjected to very high loading, where large welds are required but would be difficult to apply and inspect, or where connections require significant stiffening
- Architecturally exposed joints, particularly for HSS connections
- Fatigue-critical connections
- Repetitive details
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Want to leverage steel castings in your work?
Whether your interest in cast steel components is general or project-specific, we look forward to speaking with you.