Thermal Shock Resistance
Fused Silica – The Ceramic for the New Millennium
After extensive R & D, ICP is proud to introduce a line of fused silica products. Utilizing the unique properties of fused silica, ICP has developed a hybrid material, which can be used to manufacture refractory shapes using traditional forming processes.
This proprietary material can be compression molded or extruded to facilitate high production rates and reduce delivery cycle times. Shapes manufactured from Fused Silica have Zero Thermal Expansion! The excellent thermal shock characteristics of this material make it an excellent choice for areas where refractory failure may be due to repeated thermal cycling or exposure to rapid temperature changes.
Performance Based Fused Silica Ceramics
FUSIL T (high density, brown color) used for tubes, tundishes, troughs etc. Lowest Cost. No preheating necessary in nonferrous applications.
FUSIL XL (lower density, white color) used for funnels, pouring cups, risers, pouring tubes etc. No preheating necessary in nonferrous applications.
FUSIL PLUS (high density, brown color) used for crucibles, transfer ladles etc. Can be used in steel applications without preheating.
Typical Applications
- Nozzles
- Funnels
- Troughs
- Tubes
- Snouts
- Pour Cups
- Cover Plates
- Rods
- Rings
- Tundishes
- Transfer Ladles
- Mold Supports
- Risers
- Custom Shapes
* Samples of many items are available by request.
Ceramic Nozzles
ICP Fused Silica Nozzles are manufactured using proprietary processes. Nozzles are specifically designed and suited for bottom pour ladles as well as automatic pouring furnaces. These nozzles demonstrate thermal shock resistance, excellent mechanical strength, and a very high density.
Ceramic Pouring Cups
ICP Ceramic pour cups are an essential component used in the manufacture of quality investment castings. The pour cup is usually mounted to the wax downsprue and becomes part of the ceramic shell offering the advantages of mold stability, strong target area for metal impact and less potential for inclusions due to shell breakage. The cups are made from proprietary mullite or fused silica composition designed to be compatible with investment mold materials.
Ceramic Double Cups
ICP ceramic double cups are a beneficial component used in the manufacture of quality investment castings. The double cup design helps reduce re-oxidation inclusions by allowing air to escape through an up sprue during casting. These cups are made from proprietary mullite or fused silica compositions compatible with investment mold materials.
Zero Vortex (OV) Pour Cups
One of the concerns for quality minded metal casters is re-oxidation inclusions caused by the entrapment of air during the casting process. A concentric pouring basin can cause a vortex effect which will suck excess air into the mold during the pour. The resulting defects may need to be welded or repaired before the casting becomes acceptable to the customer.
ICP has developed the OV pour cup for these applications. By incorporating a flat sided inlet design, the OV pour cup minimizes the vortex effect. All ICP F-Style pour cups can be made with this flat sided design while maintaining a round outlet designed to mate with ICP tubes.
An additional advantage of the ICP OV pour cups is that the anti-swirl effect causes a faster feed rate. The quicker feed rate allows the use of a smaller size pour cup since excess fill height is not needed to maintain adequate feed rate.
Duck Feet
ICP Duck Feet are used as casting ingates. These are designed to reduce erosion on the surfaces of cores and molds by allowing the metal to calmly feed into the mold, thereby reducing turbulence. Another benefit is evident when these ingates are removed (knock off). The casting finish is better at the ingates due to the sharp clean edges of the ICP Duck Feet. Some benefits of the ICP Duck Feet include:
- Erosion reduction
- Better casting finish
- Fewer Inclusions
- Less gate grinding
Ceramic Mold Support Rods
ICP manufactures custom ceramic rods from proprietary compositions for investment casters who prefer to insure the structural integrity of the investment shell. These rods are designed to add strength to areas of the shell where additional support is necessary, and are manufactured in many different geometric cross sections and lengths. Depending on the application, rods can be round, half round, square, rectangular or serrated in design.
Breaker Cores
ICP breaker cores are designed to be a cost effective alternative to sand cores while providing some additional benefits. Ceramic breaker cores are sintered mullite and contain no volatile combustibles. The thermal conductivity properties of the ceramic prevent heat loss which can cause premature cooling of the metal at the juncture. High mechanical strength and smooth, hard surfaces facilitate separation of the riser from the casting. Labor savings are realized due to easy riser removal.
Crucible Liners
Using proprietary manufacturing processes, ICP has developed crucible liners that are both unique and cost effective. ICP Fusil XL crucible liners have the advantage of minimizing re-oxidation inclusions caused by expansion of oxygen during rapid temperature increases while maintaining excellent thermal shock resistance. The excellent thermal shock characteristics of this material make it an excellent choice for areas where refractory failure may be due to repeated thermal cycling or exposure to rapid temperature changes.
