Raw materials—usually metals—are often cast into ingots in order that they will be processed further. Ingots also facilitate easier storage or transportation of raw materials. Steel, silver, and gold are all commonly cast into ingots for transport or manufacturing.
To create ingots, a staple of high purity is melted into a liquid state, then poured into a mold and chilled to into a hardened, useful form. Ingots may vary widely in size, weighing anywhere from several pounds up to many tons or more counting on the fabric and intended purpose. Common forms for ingots include sheets, bars, and plates.
Before they will be used for manufacturing, ingots often require a secondary shaping process. they’ll be cut, milled, or undergo hot/cold working processes in preparation to be used in machining or other fabrication processes.
The gold bars used as currency are perhaps one among the foremost commonly known sorts of ingots. The applications for ingots are endless, but common examples include:
- Raw material for creating alloys
- Creating cast, grain-free turbine blades
- Minting coins
- Preparing
- Fabricating large steel structural components, like I-beams
- Rails for railroads
Smaller ingots are often stacked and stored on pallets that weigh hundreds or thousands of pounds, counting on the fabric. Larger ingots, like those utilized in producing construction components, can weigh many tons on their own. Moving these things can present unique lifting challenges.
Liftlink Technologies can custom design and manufacture lifting solutions of any size and shape to lift ingots of all sizes and configurations. Our custom-built equipment can withstand the harshest industrial environments, starting from forges to factories. Our equipment is made with quality, reliability, and operator safety in mind.
