What's The Difference between Mineral Casting And Cement Concrete?

When many people think of mineral castings, the first thing that comes to mind is cement. This understanding is not surprising, because in the early days of the development of mineral castings, cement concrete was indeed used instead of cast iron to build machine frames and bases, but it only assumed the support function and had no significant impact on the accuracy of the machinery.

In 1970, the Swiss Studer Company and related research institutions in Germany proved through basic scientific research that polymer concrete (mineral casting) was suitable for mechanical structural parts, and epoxy resin eventually took over. Therefore, real mineral castings adopt the formula of high-strength epoxy resin system, which is particularly suitable for the production of precision mechanical structural parts. This has been widely recognized in the international machinery industry.

In contrast, cement is an inorganic cementitious material that is typically mixed with aggregate to form self-compacting or self-leveling concrete. Self-compacting concrete has high fluidity and does not require external vibration when pouring. It can naturally flow and compact under its own weight. However, it can only assume a supporting function in mechanical applications, and because cement is hygroscopic, it will become brittle after long-term use and lacks good internal dimensional stability, so it is not suitable for high-speed and high-precision mechanical structural parts. .

Regarding the specific applications of mineral castings, we will introduce them in detail in the next issue.