How Centrifugal Casting Works

Centrifugal casting is one of the oldest and most underrated manufacturing methods in industrial metalworking. For rotationally symmetric components — bushings, bearing rings, cylinder liners, pipe sleeves, wheels and large rings — few methods match centrifugal casting in terms of material quality, cost-effectiveness and the ability to produce large thick-walled components without core moulds.

Despite this, knowledge of the method remains surprisingly limited among many design engineers and buyers, who instead default to die casting, sand casting or solid bar machining.

Centrifugal casting involves pouring molten metal into a rotating mould. The centrifugal force pushes the metal outward against the mould wall, where it solidifies with a dense, uniform grain structure. Impurities and gas inclusions migrate toward the inner bore, where they can be removed through subsequent machining.

Horizontal centrifugal casting

Used for long cylindrical components such as pipes, tubes and cylinder liners. The mould rotates around a horizontal axis while metal is poured from one end.

Vertical centrifugal casting

Used for shorter, ring-shaped components such as flanges, bushings and bearing races. The mould rotates around a vertical axis.

Advantages

Very dense material — virtually porosity-free
Excellent mechanical properties (often superior to sand castings)
No cores needed for hollow shapes
High material yield
Cost-effective for medium volumes
Bimetallic components possible (e.g. steel outer / bronze inner)

When to choose centrifugal casting

Centrifugal casting excels when:

The component is rotationally symmetric (cylindrical or ring-shaped)
Material density and mechanical properties are critical
Wall thickness exceeds 10–15 mm
Volumes are too low for die casting tooling
Bimetallic construction is required

Materials

Grey iron (EN-GJL-200 to EN-GJL-350)
Ductile iron (EN-GJS-400 to EN-GJS-700)
Carbon and alloy steel
Stainless steel (austenitic, duplex)
Bronze and brass alloys
Nickel-based alloys

Traficator’s capabilities

Traficator sources centrifugal castings from qualified foundries in Sweden and internationally. We manage the entire process from specification review to delivery and quality assurance.

Read more about our services: metal casting, die casting, sand casting and CNC machining.

Centrifugal casting is particularly advantageous when high density and minimal porosity in castings are required. By utilising the centrifugal force, the metal obtains a uniform boundary against the mould wall, which gives a fine grain structure and improved strength. This makes the process ideal for heavy components in the automotive industry, such as cylinder liners and wheels, where both strength and dimensional stability are critical. In addition, the method enables the production of large thick-walled parts without the need for cores, which often reduces both material waste and manufacturing cost compared to traditional sand casting.

For companies seeking a reliable Swedish foundry supplier, it is important to choose a partner that offers both cast metal products and subsequent CNC machining of castings. A complete supplier can ensure that the finished components meet strict quality controls, including surface treatment and tolerance control, which is particularly important for applications with high requirements on surface quality and precision dimensions. By combining centrifugal casting with modern CNC machining, one can quickly go from raw castings to finished product with minimal lead times.

Finally, it is worth noting that the price of aluminium casting has become more competitive in recent years, particularly when using centrifugal casting for large volumes. This makes the method attractive for both prototype production and series production, where cost-effectiveness and high quality go hand in hand. Contact our foundry for a free consultation and receive a tailored solution for your next project.

What is centrifugal die casting and how does it differ from standard centrifugal casting?

Centrifugal die casting is not a distinct process; the term usually describes centrifugal casting that uses a permanent die instead of a sand mould. True centrifugal casting rotates the mould while pouring metal, whereas die casting injects metal under high pressure into a stationary die. Combining both is rare and limited to special bimetallic tubes.

Centrifugal Casting — When It Pays Off and How the Process Works