A ship’s hawse pipe is the pipe passing through the bow section of a ship that the anchor rode (chain, line, or both) passes through. The main function of the hawse pipe is to guide the chain from deck level to outside the shell plating. The hawse pipe should be constructed to a size large enough to accommodate the smooth running of the chain and to provide secure stowage of the anchor, permitting it to drop freely when released without jamming or risking damage to the hull structure.
It is made from investment casting process in 316 stainless steel for maximum corrosion resistance and durability. The square hawse pipe can be flush mounted or recessed, and is easily installed using fasteners.
Material: 316 Stainless Steel
Due to its strength, durability, and longevity, stainless steel is one of the most common investment casting materials for marine industry . The alloy of iron, chromium, and carbon has an improved corrosion resistance over regular steel, which, like most ferrous metals, rusts when exposed to water.
316 stainless steel is more commonly known as “marine grade stainless steel” as its enhanced corrosion-resistance properties make it ideal for use throughout the marine industry. The material you typically find being used in restaurants, commercial kitchens, etc. is 304 stainless steel, or “food grade” stainless steel.
Marine-grade stainless steel takes the inherent benefits of standard stainless steel and improves on them through increased levels of chromium and molybdenum. The addition of these elements provides a greater corrosion resistance than many of the other commercially available grades of stainless steel. This level of corrosion-resistance is absolutely essential for hawse pipe in ship. 316 stainless steel also provides incredibly high yield and tensile strength when compared to its weight, making it a truly ideal material for hawse pipe. In summerize, the benefits of 316 marine grade stainless steel are:
- Enhanced corrosion resistance to withstand saltwater
- Chemical-resistant
- Incredible insulating properties
- Durable and hardwearing, yet lightweight
- Non-magnetic
- High stress-to-rupture strength
- Heat-resistant
Why Investment Casting for Stainless Steel Hawse Pipe?
Due to the nature of the process, investment castings can be held to much tighter tolerances than sand castings or forgings. This can be important and can avoid machining or other finishing operations. Investment casting offers near net-shape, thus reducing costly machining time. Investment casting is also capable of more reliable castings with much thinner walls than sand castings. Due to the thinner wall capability, investment castings produce substantially less scrap rates and lighter weight castings. Investment castings, in general, provide a much higher percentage of defect free-castings.
The investment casting or precision casting process is an excellent option for producing dimensionally accurate parts that require superior corrosion resistance for 316 stainless steel hawse pipe. The near net shape that is achieved with the hawse pipe outweigh the costs incurred through the less precise and less efficient process of sand cast. Since many highly corrosion resistant materials are cast on a regular basis, employing investment casting process makes good economic sense.
At TCC Casting, we manufacture thousands of stainless steel investment casting parts each year and have an outstanding track record of doing so in the industries fastest lead times at competitive prices. We also have the ability to provide parts with additional surface treatments such as mirror polishing to enhance corrosion resistance even more and provide parts with superior surface finishes. Our advantages also lie in:
- Low cost, precision, long life tooling
- Ability to cast intricate features with excellent corrosion resistance
- Uniquely-designed quality control system
- Affordable pricing
- Friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt customer service
- Quick and on time delivery
If you have any inquiry on custom hawse pipe or other marine hardwares, pls contact us freely!
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