3M™ Fused Silica Castables

Trusted in Aerospace and Defense
3M™ Fused Silica Castables (PDF, 90.54 Kb) are used throughout the aerospace and defense industries to fabricate a variety of tooling used in the creep and "super plastic" forming of titanium and aluminum sheet alloys. Minimal castable shrinkage creates a mold that is truer to shape, which helps produce a more accurate part. Typical components fabricated on this tooling include alloy tooling, aircraft panels, turbine blades, engine shrouds and ducts.

A Pure Product
Our revolutionary furnace design helps prevent the raw silica sand from becoming contaminated during processing — resulting in a finished product that is 99.7% pure, while increasing productivity tenfold over conventional furnaces.

The Differences Among Fused Silica Castables
Our fused silica castables come in six varieties to fit your specific needs. Their differences are described below:

3M™ Fused Silica Castable 120
A low-cost material designed for use as a durable insulating material in induction heating units. This product is a thermal shock-resistant nonreceptor that directs all the energy to the product being heated. Fused silica castable 120 exhibits very low shrinkage, and can serve as a high-temperature tooling material.

3M™ Fused Silica Castable ICL
A modified version of fused silica castable 120 containing a small amount of abrasion resistant ceramic. Fused silica castable ICL is used in areas where abrasion in an induction heating system may be the primary mode of failure.

3M™ Fused Silica Castable 220
Primarily employed as a precision high-temperature tooling material. Specific applications include the high-temperature forming of glass and titanium products. This product is comprised of precisely sized, high-purity fused silica, silicon carbide and a calcium aluminate binder. Fused silica castable 220 is designed to produce highly accurate tools ranging in size from less than 0.014 m3 to more than 2.0 m3.

3M™ Fused Silica Castable AR, AR Fine, and AR Fine No Lithium
A high-purity fused silica castable formulated for use in applications involving direct contact with molten aluminum. There are three grades: Castable AR for general castings and larger shapes; Castable AR Fine for casting smaller or more intricate shapes; and Castable AR Fine No Lithium, also for casting smaller or more intricate shapes but with increased working time

About 3M Advanced Ceramics
These advanced ceramic products are manufactured at ISO 9001:2008 certified facilities. Our manufacturing processes are optimized for quality, efficiency and consistency — helping ensure reliable and repeatable product performance. We have more than 85 years of experience in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge ceramic solutions, and continually work to develop new applications for ceramic materials in cooperation with our customers and with research institutions.

Learn about 3M™ Fused Silica Castables Casting and Curing Guidelines (PDF, 136.7 Kb)