Lost foam casting is especially suitable for castings with multi-parts, multiple cores, complex geometric shapes and complex cavities that are difficult to complete by ordinary casting. Therefore, the cost comparison should have a high degree, and the cost of a simple iron casting using a cupola and a pile of clay sand cannot be compared with the lost foam casting. Cost analysis is very simple and can include two aspects, namely cost increase factors and cost reduction factors. The difference between these two factors is the amount of cost increase or decrease after the lost foam casting process is adopted. 

Original cost minus EPC cost reduction factor + EPC cost increase factor = EPC cost

1. The cost increase factors of lost foam casting

The cost increase of lost foam casting mainly comes from two aspects: foam model and paint consumption. Each ton of casting consumes 3000 grams of foam type (including the pouring riser). If you produce the foam model yourself, the cost per gram is 0.02RMB. That is, the foam type consumes 60RMB per ton; if the foam model is purchased, it is also 0.03~0.05RMB per gram. That is, it consumes 90-150RMB per ton of castings. The paints are all self-made, the aggregate price is between 500-1000RMB, and the amount of other ingredients is less, calculated at 1000RMB per ton of dry powder paint, even for thin-walled parts, it can only consume 50-60 kg per ton, that is, no more than 100RMB. Therefore, the cost of lost foam casting increases, which can be defined as:

• ①Homemade foam model: about 160RMB; (changes with the market)
• ②Buy foam model: about 200～250RMB (changes with the market)

2. Factors to reduce the cost of lost foam casting

• (1) Dry sand is reused, no core is required, and the consumption is very small, so calculations can be omitted. Compared with cast steel, it can save more than 1.2 tons of molding sand per ton of castings. Compared with cast iron, it can save additional material cost, mold shell firing cost, core making cost, and core iron cost.
• (2) The styling efficiency is obviously improved, no styling workers are needed, and the labor can be saved by more than 40%-60%.
• (3) The cleaning man-hour can be saved by 90%, and the steel casting can save the gas consumption of cutting burrs.
• (4) The yield of molten iron is increased by 10-30%, especially for ductile iron parts, which can be poured without riser.
• (5) Stainless steel, high manganese steel and ductile iron can be solid-solution treated with waste heat, which greatly saves energy consumption.
• (6) Wooden molds are not required for a single product.
• (7) The improvement of casting precision can realize no-processing or micro-processing, which not only reduces the weight of the casting, but also saves the cost of mechanical processing man-hours.

In short, the cost of lost foam is significantly lower than that of traditional processes, which is beyond doubt.

• (1) The degree of mechanization is not high
• (2) The casting environment is poor and the goal of green casting has not been reached.
• (3) Non-ferrous metal castings and small and medium-sized castings have yet to be developed.

Link to this article：The Reference For Lost Foam Castings Cost Accounting

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