Calculate casting yield, weight of casting, or weight of metal poured from two known values with lbs, kg, or oz unit conversions.
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Casting Yield Formula
Casting yield is the percentage of poured metal that becomes the final usable casting. The calculator can solve for casting yield, weight of casting, or weight of metal poured when you enter the other two values.
- CY = casting yield, as a percentage
- WC = weight of casting
- WMP = weight of metal poured
The weight values must be in the same unit before the formula is applied. The calculator converts pounds, kilograms, and ounces to a common base unit, performs the calculation, then displays the missing weight value in the unit you selected.
- To calculate casting yield: enter the weight of casting and the weight of metal poured.
- To calculate weight of casting: enter the weight of metal poured and the casting yield percentage.
- To calculate weight of metal poured: enter the weight of casting and the casting yield percentage.
Common Casting Yield Ranges
Actual casting yield depends on the process, gating and riser design, casting geometry, alloy, and scrap losses. These ranges are general reference values.
| Casting situation | Typical yield range | What it usually indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Low-yield casting with large risers or gating | 30% to 50% | A large share of poured metal is not part of the final casting. |
| General sand casting | 50% to 70% | Common range for many foundry jobs. |
| Improved gating and riser design | 70% to 85% | Less metal is tied up in non-casting material. |
| Near-net-shape or highly optimized process | 85% or higher | Very efficient metal use, when quality requirements are still met. |
Weight Unit Conversions Used
| Unit | Equivalent in pounds | Equivalent from 1 pound |
|---|---|---|
| Pounds | 1 lb | 1 lb |
| Kilograms | 1 kg = 2.20462 lb | 1 lb = 0.453592 kg |
| Ounces | 1 oz = 0.0625 lb | 1 lb = 16 oz |
Example Calculations
Example 1: Calculate casting yield
You pour 120 lb of metal and the finished casting weighs 78 lb.
The casting yield is 65%.
Example 2: Calculate weight of metal poured
The finished casting weighs 40 kg and the expected casting yield is 80%.
You need to pour 50 kg of metal.
FAQs
What is a good casting yield?
A good casting yield depends on the casting process and part design. For many sand castings, a yield between 50% and 70% is common. Higher values usually mean less metal is lost to gates, risers, runners, and scrap, but the casting still has to meet quality requirements.
Can casting yield be over 100%?
No. Casting yield should not be over 100% because the finished casting cannot weigh more than the total metal poured. A result above 100% usually means one of the input weights is wrong, the units were mixed up, or the weight of casting includes material that should not be counted.
What is included in weight of metal poured?
Weight of metal poured is the total metal charged into the mold for that casting or mold setup. It includes the final casting plus metal in the gating system, runners, risers, sprues, overflow, and other metal that does not remain in the finished part.
