Flat Bushes and Round Bushes ( Moulding Box Accessories )

"Flat Bushes For Moulding Boxes" refers to flat, cylindrical components used in foundry moulding boxes (flask assemblies) to guide alignment pins or provide a seating surface. In the foundry sector, flat bushes and round bushes are critical components used mainly in moulding machines, pattern equipment, and core making processes. Their primary purpose is to reduce friction, guide moving parts, and maintain alignment under high-temperature and high-stress conditions.

What Are Flat Bushes?

• Flat bushes are typically metal sleeves or inserts with a flat surface, often without a flange.
• They are used to guide, support, or locate pins or rods.
• In foundries, they ensure accurate alignment between the cope (top) and drag (bottom) parts of a moulding box.

Flat bushes (also called flat bushings) play an important role in moulding boxes used in foundry operations. Their primary role is to ensure alignment, stability, and durability in the moulding process.

• Alignment of Cope and Drag: Moulding boxes consist of two parts: the cope (top half) and the drag (bottom half). Flat bushes help align the guide pins or dowels between the cope and drag accurately, ensuring the mould halves fit perfectly together. This prevents mismatch defects in the final casting.
• Wear Resistance: Repeated opening and closing of moulding boxes causes wear on alignment holes. Flat bushes (usually made from hardened steel or brass) protect these holes by taking the wear themselves, thereby increasing the lifespan of the moulding box.
• Ease of Maintenance: Instead of replacing the entire mould box when wear occurs, only the flat bushes need replacement. This reduces maintenance cost and downtime.
• Precision in Casting: By maintaining alignment, flat bushes help in producing accurate castings with proper dimensional tolerances.

• Made of hardened steel or cast iron
• Flat (no flange), though some may be slightly beveled for easy insertion
• Inner diameter (ID) matches locating pin size
• Outer diameter (OD) press-fits or is welded into the flask

In foundry work, Round Bushes used in a moulding box (also known as a flask) serve a critical alignment function.

Round bushes are cylindrical metal inserts or sleeves that are typically installed in the cope (top half) or drag (bottom half) of a moulding box. They often work in conjunction with guide pins or dowel pins.

• Accurate Alignment of Cope and Drag: They ensure that the cope and drag align perfectly during the moulding and casting process, preventing mismatch of the mould cavity. The cope (top half) and drag (bottom half) of a moulding box must align precisely for the mould cavity to form correctly. Round bushes work with dowel pins or guide pins to ensure accurate and repeatable alignment every time the mould is closed.
• Preventing Misalignment: Even minor misalignment can lead to casting defects like mismatched halves, flash, or weakened sections. Bushes maintain the positional accuracy between the cope and drag to prevent such issues.
• Wear Resistance: They are typically made of hardened metal and act as wear-resistant sleeves for the guide pins. This prolongs the life of the moulding box by preventing enlargement or deformation of the alignment holes due to repeated use.
• Stability: Improve the dimensional accuracy of the final cast product by maintaining consistent mould halves contact. They provide a smooth, low-friction path for the pins, making it easier to assemble and disassemble the moulding box.

• Round Bushes are usually made of steel or bronze.
• Inner diameter matches the guide pin.
• Press-fitted or bolted into position.

Flat and round bushes are primarily used in the foundry industry for applications in moulding boxes and match plates. They help support and guide components during the casting process, ensuring accurate and consistent results. Beyond foundries, these bushes also find applications in other sectors like automotive, aerospace, and defense industries, where they are used in various mechanical systems.

• Foundry: Specifically for moulding boxes and match plates to ensure accurate and consistent casting.
• Automotive: Used in suspensions, connecting moving arms and pivot points.
• Aerospace: Used in landing gear, control systems, and other mechanical components.
• Defense: Used in aircraft, missiles, and other military equipment.
• Agricultural machinery: Used in various components of agricultural machinery.

• Mechanical equipment: Used in machines to support and guide shafts, reducing friction and wear.
• Plastic injection molding: Used as guide bushes.
• Mining: Applications in mining machinery.
• Marine industry: Applications in marine vessels and equipment.
• Robotics: Applications in various robotic mechanisms.