ME 202: Manufacturing

Technologies
Casting II:
Multiple-Use-Mold Casting
Prepared by
Prof. Dr. S. Engin KILI
Given by
Dr. Volkan Esat
Middle East Technical University

Outline
Introduction
Permanent Mold Casting (Multiple-UseMold Casting)
Nonferrous Permanent Mold Casting
Die Casting
Pressure Pouring
Centrifugal Casting
Squeeze Casting
Continuous Casting
Post-Casting Operations
Cleaning and Finishing
Heat treating
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Permanent Mold Casting

Sand casting has two disadvantages:
A new mold is necessary for each casting.
Dimensional variations from one casting to another.

In permanent mold casting, reusable molds are

made from metal or graphite.
Method is limited mostly to lower melting-point
metals and alloys:
Aluminum
Magnesium
Copper-based alloys
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Nonferrous Permanent Mold

Casting
Gravity is used to introduce the metal.
Molds are made from steel or cast iron:
non-Fe metals and alloys are cast.

For casting steel or cast iron, graphite molds

are used.
Molds are hinged:
Opened and closed accurately and rapidly.

Sand cores or retractable metal cores can be

used to increase the complexity of the casting.
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Nonferrous Permanent Mold

Casting (Contd)
A rigid mold offers great resistance to shrinkage of the
casting:
Only relatively simple shapes can be cast.

For venting,
Slight cracks are left between the mold halves OR
Small vent holes allowing the flow of trapped air are made.

Mold halves are heated at the beginning of a run and

cavity is coated with a thin refractory wash:
To prevent casting from sticking to the mold,
To prolong the molds life.

For cast iron, an additional coating of carbon black is

needed.
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Pressure Pouring

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Vacuum Casting

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Die Casting
Molten metal is forced into the die by
pressure and held under pressure during
solidification.
Very excellent details and fine sections can
be obtained while extending die-life.
Mostly non-ferrous metals and alloys are
cast.
However, it is possible to cast ferrous
metals.
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Die Casting (Contd)

Die casting is not suitable for small
quantities of production.
Steps of the process:
Closing and locking dies
Forcing metal into the die
Maintaining pressure while metal is solidifying
Opening the die and ejecting the casting.

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Die Casting (Contd)

Some advantages of die casting are
Excellent accuracy
Smooth surface finish
Low labor cost
High production rate.

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Properties of Dies
Dies with at least two pieces are made from alloy steel.
Die sections include cooling water passages and
knock-out pins.
When necessary, metal cores are used in the dies.
Mechanisms are utilized to retract them before opening the die
for removal of the casting.

Small vents or overflows may be used to discharge

trapped air from the cavity.
Die costs is in excess of 3000 USD, often times 10,000
USD.

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Die Casting - Sample

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Machines for Die Casting

Two types of machines are commonly
used in die casting:
Hot Chamber Machines
Cold Chamber Machines

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Hot Chamber Machine

Referred to as Gooseneck type machines.

Metal is melted within the machine.
Fast operation.
Cannot be used for higher melting-point
metals (e.g. brass and bronze).
Mainly used for zinc and tin base alloys.
When used with aluminum, there is a
tendency to pick up some iron from the
equipment.
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Hot Chamber Machine (Contd)

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Operating Sequence

1. The die is closed and the piston rises, opening the port
and allowing molten metal to fill the cylinder.
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Operating Sequence

2. The plunger moves down and seals the port pushing the
molten metal through the gooseneck and nozzle into the die
cavity, where it is held under pressure until it solidifies.
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Operating Sequence

3. The die opens and the cores, if any, retract. The casting remains in
only one die, the ejector side. The plunger returns, allowing residual
molten metal to flow back through the nozzle and gooseneck.
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Operating Sequence

4. Ejector pins push the casting out of the ejector die. As

the plunger uncovers the filling hole, molten metal flows
through the inlet to refill the gooseneck, as in step (1).
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Advantages of Hot-Chamber
Over Cold-Chamber
Rapid cycling, starting from less than 1 second for miniature zinc
components.
Precise control of metal temperature, improving fluidity, and allowing
injection pressures to be lower, which places less strain on
equipment. Better fluidity promotes good filling of the cavity, sounder
castings and permits thinner walls.
The submerged shot cylinder (gooseneck), which fills automatically,
eliminates a variable, reduces the cycle time, and makes it easier to
control metal temperature.
There is no cooling of the charge (measured shot), as there may be
when molten metal is transferred to the shot cylinder of the coldchamber machine.
The molten metal is less subject to oxidation and contaminants from
atmospheric exposure.

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Disadvantages of Hot-Chamber
Process
Alloy limitations, as aluminium or zincaluminium alloys and certain magnesium
alloys can only be cold-chamber
processed (to avoid attack of material to
die steel)
Lower injection pressures and speed can
be achieved, so castings may be less
dense.
Higher maintenance costs.
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Cold Chamber Machine

Metal is melted outside the machine and is fed into the
cold chamber.
Metal is forced into the die by a plunger. Injection
pressures over 70,000 kPa can be obtained from this
type of machine.
There is little tendency for iron pick-up.

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Operating Sequence

1. The die is closed and the molten metal is ladled into the
cold-chamber shot sleeve.
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Operating Sequence

2. The plunger pushes the molten metal into the die cavity
where it is held under pressure until solidification.
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Operating Sequence

3. The die opens and the plunger advances, to ensure that

the casting remains in the ejector die. Cores, if any, retract.
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Operating Sequence

4. Ejector pins push the casting out of the ejector die and
the plunger returns to its original position.
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Advantages of Cold-Chamber
Over Hot-Chamber
Alloys such as aluminum or zincaluminum alloys and certain magnesium
alloys can only be cold-chamber
processed.
Higher injection pressures and speed
can be achieved, producing denser
castings.
Lower maintenance costs.
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Disadvantages of Cold-Chamber
Process
Slower cycling.
Less control of metal temperature,
reduced fluidity and thin wall capability.
The charge (measured shot) cools prior
to injection.
The molten metal is subject to oxidation
and contaminants from atmospheric
exposure.
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Die Casting Machine - Example

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Centrifugal Casting - Vertical

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Centrifugal Casting - Horizontal

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Centrifugal Casting Machine

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Squeeze Casting

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Continuous Casting

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Continuous Casting - Sample

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Cleaning and Finishing

Removal of cores:
Shaking or disolving the core binder

Removal of gates and risers:

For small castings, they are knocked off.
For larger ones, they are cut off by
Cut-off wheel
Power hacksaw / bandsaw
Oxy-acetylene torch
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Cleaning and Finishing (Contd)

Removal of fins and rough spots from the
surface:
Tumbling machine (for medium castings)
Cleaning chamber (for larger castings)
Manually (for extra large castings)

Cleaning the surface,

Repearing any defects,
Arc-welding
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Heat Treatment
Steel castings almost always given a full
anneal.
Nonferrous castings of some types are
heat-treated to put them in a normalized
(stress) condition.

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Removal of Risers

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Cleaning

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