Gray iron casting supplier
Who this helps: Design Engineers / Buyers qualifying a gray/grey iron casting supplier for housings, machine bases, brake drums, pulleys and other non-pressure parts where NVH damping, machinability and on-time delivery matter.
What you’ll get: a practical supplier-vetting playbook—process capability checks, ISO 8062 CT alignment, pilot/PPAP evidence, export readiness (Incoterms, packaging, documents), a scorecard you can copy-paste, plus internal links (with slugs) and 1–2 authoritative standards links for editors.
Prepared by YB Metal Solution. Share your drawing via /rfq—YB Metal will return a short-list of suitable foundries, a pilot run plan and a supplier scorecard, tailored to your part.
Author: YB Metal Solution Engineering Team (hereafter YB Metal)
Table of contents
- What “good” looks like for a gray iron casting supplier
- Process capability: match part geometry to molding route
- Dimensional control: ISO 8062 CT grades, stock & GD&T
- Quality system & inspection: what to verify (fast)
- Pilot run → PPAP: evidence you should demand
- Export readiness: packaging, Incoterms, documents
- Supplier scorecard
- RFI/RFQ checklist
- What YB Metal delivers
- FAQs
What “good” looks like for a gray iron casting supplier
A reliable gray iron casting supplier/exporter should demonstrate:
- A fit-for-part molding route (green/resin/shell) with proven yields and no chronic hot-spot shrinkage.
- Dimensional control to your ISO 8062 CT target, and an agreed machining stock strategy.
- Stable sand system and core quality (so Ra/defects are repeatable).
- Inspection depth proportional to risk (material certs + CMM/FAI + visual criteria).
- Export readiness: packaging that controls rust & impact; Incoterms clarity; clean documents.
- KPIs they actually track (PPM, OTD, DPPM)—and will share.
If any of the above is “hand-wavy”, plan a pilot before committing tooling.
Process capability: match part geometry to molding route
Choose suppliers whose core process fits your geometry, mass and surface/CT needs:
- Green Sand Casting
Best economics for medium/large runs, robust ribs & junctions. - Resin Sand vs Green Sand (Accuracy & Surface)
Better dimensional hold/finish on large or complex parts. - Shell Molding for Thin-Wall
Thin walls (<5–6 mm / 0.20–0.24 in), crisp edges, lower Ra.
Red flags: foundry cannot show feeding/chill layouts for T/Y/X junctions; lacks history on parts with similar modulus/section mix. For root-cause literacy, see Fix Shrinkage Porosity
Dimensional control: ISO 8062 CT grades, stock & GD&T
- Align on CT grade by size band early; supplier confirms as-cast capability and proposes stock for finished datums.
Reference: ISO 8062 Casting Tolerances Explained - Convert critical interfaces into GD&T that respects casting variability.
Reference: Open GD&T Guide
ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems
IATF 16949 – Automotive Quality Management
ISO 8062-3:2023 – Casting tolerances (CT grades & machining allowances)
Quality system & inspection: what to verify (fast)
- QMS: supplier certified to ISO 9001; if you’re automotive, verify IATF 16949 exposure (core tools, customer-specifics).
- Material control: spectrometer logs tied to heats; tensile on separately cast bars for A48 classes; optional hardness snapshot for machining consistency.
- Dimensional: CMM/FAI against datum stack; stable fixtures for mass production.
- Surface: after-blast Ra 6–12 µm (240–475 µin) for paint/powder; process to remove burn-on/silica.
- Defect prevention: gating/riser plan for your part + evidence of prior sectioning/X-ray on similar hot-spots.
Useful KPI targets (anchor discussion): Foundry Quality KPIs
Pilot run → PPAP: evidence you should demand
- Packaging: rust control (VCI + oil as needed), edge guards, drop/stack test; moisture indicators for sea freight.
- Incoterms: align on FOB/CIF/DDP; who owns insurance & customs?
- Documents: commercial invoice, packing list, HS code, material certs, coating DFT report (if coated), CMM FAI, PPAP summary.
If corrosion is a risk in transit/service, pick a coating stack here:
Coatings vs Material Choices
Supplier scorecard
| Area | Questions to score (0–2–5) | Target / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Process fit | Proven parts with similar section mix & weight? Feeding/chill plan provided? | 5 = shows prior layouts + yields |
| Dimensional | Achieved ISO 8062 CT on similar size band? Stock plan? | 5 = data + FAI samples |
| Material control | Spectrometer logs tied to heats? A48 tensile bars? | 5 = routine + traceable |
| Surface | Post-blast Ra 6–12 µm repeatable? Burn-on/silica control? | 5 = measured & pictured |
| Inspection | CMM/FAI depth; gauges maintained; NCR/8D discipline | 5 = shared past FAIs |
| KPIs | PPM, OTD, DPPM tracked and shared? | 5 = last 12-mo trend |
| Export readiness | VCI/pack plan; Incoterms clarity; document accuracy | 5 = templates ready |
| Communication | English drawings; change control; weekly update cadence | 5 = examples shown |
| Cost/lead | Realistic tooling & lead-time; capacity buffer | 5 = calendar + capacity |
(Total /50; short-list ≥35, pilot ≥40.)
RFI/RFQ checklist
Subject: RFI/RFQ – Gray Iron Casting Supplier for [Part Name/No.]
Please provide:
1) Process route recommendation (green/resin/shell) and expected ISO 8062 CT grade.
2) Two references of similar parts (weight/section mix) with yields and CT achieved.
3) Material controls for ASTM A48 Class [30/35/40]; tensile bar type; optional HBW range.
4) CMM/FAI capability; sample report from a similar part.
5) Surface plan: shot-blast media, target Ra, coating stack (if needed) with DFT & adhesion method.
6) Pilot plan: lot size, inspection, traceability, PPAP level and lead-times.
7) Export: packaging spec (VCI/oil), Incoterms, document set (invoice/packing list/HS code/certs).
8) KPIs: last 12 months PPM, OTD, top 3 defect modes and fixes.
Attach: PDF STEP drawing; tolerance scheme; annual volume; required Incoterms.
What YB Metal delivers
YB Metal Solution quotes with a supplier selection pack:
- Short-list of foundries that match your geometry, CT and volume.
- Risk-based pilot/PPAP plan, including FAI checklist and evidence requirements.
- Packaging & Incoterms recommendation for your route (sea/rail/air).
- Pilot evidence pack: tensile logs, hardness snapshot (if used), CMM FAI on datum stack, coating DFT/adhesion (if coated).
Need a part-specific plan? Upload your drawing at /rfq—we’ll return recommendations and a quote.
FAQs
CTA — specify with proof, not guesses
Cut cycle time without burning inserts. Upload your drawing to /rfq—YB Metal will send cutting data, tool list, and a coolant/filtration plan tailored to your part.