Stainless Steel Casting of Valve Body

The valve body, also known as the housing, is the main component of the valve. It is the main element of the valve assembly because it is the frame that holds everything together.

Most valve bodies are cast in stainless steel. Valve bodies made of stainless steel are particularly tough and corrosion resistant, making them ideal for high pressure and high temperature applications.

The 316 stainless steel casting of the valve body is more resistant to corrosion because it contains more nickel and also contains molybdenum. This combination of iron, nickel and molybdenum makes the valve particularly resistant to chlorides and is very useful in marine environments.

Investment casting process

YOGEM's valve bodies are produced using a stainless steel investment casting process. Compared to sand casting, investment casting of stainless steel valve bodies ensures higher dimensional accuracy, smoother surface finish and fewer casting defects. The following are the main steps of investment casting stainless steel valve bodies.

Make the mold: After the design is determined, the mold is designed and manufactured according to the drawing specifications. Please note that sometimes it is not possible to modify the mold, so it is important to confirm the design of the valve body before fabrication.

Make a wax mold: Melted wax is injected into the mold to form a wax mold, which is the same shape as the desired valve body. This can be repeated to replicate the original design.

Assembling the wax mold: The sprue is added to the wax replicas and they are joined to form a tree structure, which provides a path for the molten wax to flow out and the molten metal to fill the cavity later.

Application of embedding material: The wax tree is immersed in a silica slurry or placed in a flask and surrounded by liquid embedding plaster.

Burning: After the embedding material has dried, the flask is inverted and placed in the kiln to melt the wax, leaving the negative cavity in the shape of the original model.

Pouring: The molten model is further heated in the kiln to reduce the temperature difference with the molten metal. The metal is melted and then poured, using gravity or vacuum pressure to pull the metal into the cavity.

Demolding: Once the molten metal has cooled slightly, the molten mold is quenched in water to dissolve the refractory gypsum and release the rough casting. The gate is cut and recovered while the cast stainless steel body is cleaned to remove any signs of the casting process.

Finishing: The cast valve body is machined or sandblasted to achieve the final geometry and surface finish. Where necessary, the cast valve body is also heat treated to improve mechanical properties.

Advantages of stainless steel casting for valve bodies

Durability

Stainless steel castings produce reliable and durable valve bodies. Stainless steel 316 valve bodies can be used at any temperature and will not cause any quality problems whether operating at high or low temperatures. If a company is purchasing a high-quality valve body, cast stainless steel can guarantee good quality over time.

High pressure resistance

When you need a valve body that operates under high strain, cast stainless steel is the best choice. Because cast stainless steel is strong and durable, valve bodies made of this material can withstand pressures that would crack or break a valve body made of other materials. For very high pressures, a cast stainless steel valve body may be the only component that can withstand the pressure without damage.

No corrosion

Valve bodies made by the investment casting process for stainless steel are less likely to rust or corrode. This makes stainless steel valve bodies a better choice for industrial applications that can cause rapid rust or corrosion of the metal. While plastic valve bodies are also less prone to rust or corrosion, they do not have the strength, reliability or high pressure resistance of cast stainless steel.

No Leakage

Cast stainless steel valves, even under high pressure or extreme temperature conditions, will not leak. Leak-free stainless steel valve bodies can be customized to any specification you desire. It is extremely important to choose a stainless steel foundry that has good casting experience.