Pattern making is an essential part of the cast iron process. Not only is it the first stage of many, a good pattern is something that will be re-used again and again – maybe even thousands of times – in the ongoing production of a cast iron component.
At Kilner & Hutchinson, we are more than happy to work with patterns provided to us by customers – but if you don’t have the pattern you need, perhaps because you’re sourcing a new component for the first time we also offer a full pattern making service.
The first step in cast iron production
The pattern is what is used to create a mould for casting in a foundry. It’s almost – but not quite – a replica of the finished product. Patterns can be made from many different materials, but predominately wood, resin, or metal patterns are used to make the cavity in which the casting is formed.
The pattern is what is responsible for the intricate details of a casting, and pattern making needs to be very precise to compensate for distortion during the casting, contracting as the metal cools, and the requirements of machining the component. A well-made pattern can be re-used thousands of times, ensuring consistency across every component made.
Bespoke metal casting pattern making
If you already have a pattern made elsewhere, we will be more than happy to re-use it for castings at our Yorkshire-based foundry, provided it meets our quality standards.
We can also work with you to recreate old patterns or develop new ones as required – in the past we have recreated some highly bespoke patterns for architectural restoration, allowing us to create exact replicas of existing components.
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