<p>Shell moulding, called shell-mold casting, is a low cost, versatile, and environmentally friendly method for creating castings from plastic or other plastic materials. Compared to sand casting, which uses explosive material to build the cast, this method has a better dimensional accuracy, increased productivity rate, and significantly lower labour costs. The plastic material used to make shell moulds can be of any consistency, or colour - even glow in the dark plastic! So, <a href="https://elearnportal.science/wiki/User:HaydenCaballero">shell moulding</a> can be used for a variety of purposes and looks to suit almost any kind of artistic vision.</p><br> <br> <p>The first step to shell mould casting is pouring molten metal into a mould. This molten metal is referred to as 'cast metal' or simply 'molded metal'. The mold is typically a cast iron or steel body with an integral threaded steel rod and a number of holes positioned through the centre of the mold to accept a variety of different sized shells. Once the metal is poured into the mould, it is allowed to cool until it is pliable enough to go through the small number of small holes in the mould.</p><br> <br> <p>The next step of the casting process is known as percussion casting. This step involves pouring molten metal and sand into the mould at precisely calculated moments to induce massive pressures within the mass produced by the mould. This causes the metal to expand in a short period of time. The increased pressure and mass of the molten metal to allow it to create a highly resilient interior that will adhere to any surface it comes into contact with. This results in a cast that is highly mobile and able to be manipulated extensively during its lifetime. It can be moulded into virtually any shape imaginable, including hollow shapes and conical shapes, all with very high precision.</p><br> <br> <p>After the metal has cooled sufficiently, the next stage of the shell mould casting process consists of raising the mould. This is achieved using a crane system that is operated either manually, via remote control, or by a computerised machine. Once the mould is raised sufficiently from the base it can then be ejected from the machine and the finished product can then be shipped to any customer around the world. The following steps are designed to guide the operator through the entire operation.</p><br> <br> <p>All of the potential problems that could potentially occur in the process can be prevented if the operator follows the basic steps laid out by the casting industry organisation. There are a number of tests and requirements that must be met in order to meet the required high accuracy and tolerance levels. Some of these requirements include high precision and tolerance levels, low waste and high speed production. High speed production is important because the shell mould casting machine is not only designed for high volume operations but also because the individual shells need to be made quickly. Producing the shells in the required time frame is essential as it ensures a high success rate.</p><br> <br> <p>Tolerance levels are determined by the pressure of the sand that is injected into the mould as well as the speed at which the metal is spinning. Once the metal has completely cooled and set the mould is removed from the machine and the resin shell mould is ready for use. This process is completed in a matter of seconds. Shell mould casting is a versatile process that produces high quality resin shells that can be used to produce a wide range of products.</p>