ME 333 Manufacturing Process I

Lecture 09

Casting Defects

Types of Defects
Inspection Methods
Moulding Related Defects
Filling Related Defects
Solidification Related Defects
Defects Analysis

2006 Prof. B. Ravi, Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

Types of Defects
Based on Location:
External
Internal
Based on Type:
Geometric
Integrity
Based on Size/Severity:
Small/Minor
Large/Major
Based on Process:
Moulding-related
Filling-related
Solidification-related.

Based on Cause:
Raw materials
Product design
Tooling design
Process parameters
Process control
Based on Stage:
Casting
Rough machining
Finish machining
Service
Based on Reparability:
Repairable
Irreparable

Inspection Methods
Destructive:
Sectioning, Machining
Mechanical testing
Chemical testing
Non-Destructive:
Visual: large external defects
Dimensional: size defects
Pressure testing: leakage
Radiography: internal holes
Ultrasound: internal discontinuities
Eddy current: hardness, structure
Magnetic Particle: sub-surface discontinuities
Dye Penetrant: defects with opening to surface.

Moulding-related Defects
Improper Closure
Across parting plane: flash
Along parting line: mismatch

FLASH

MISMATCH
[Atlas of Casting Defects, Institute of British Foundrymen]

Filling-related Defects

[Atlas of Casting Defects, Institute of British Foundrymen]

Incomplete Filling: cold shut, misrun.

Gaseous Entrapments: blow hole, gas porosity.
Solid Inclusions: sand inclusion, slag inclusion.

COLD SHUT

MISRUN

BLOW HOLE

GAS POROSITY

Solidification/Cooling-related Defects
Solidification Shrinkage: cavity, porosity, centerline, sink.
Hindered Cooling Contraction: hot tear, crack, distortion.

[Atlas of Casting Defects, Institute of British Foundrymen]

SHRINKAGE CAVITY

SINK

CORNER SHRINKAGE

POROSITY

CRACK

Defects Analysis
Individual Defect:
Defect identification
Cause identification
Remedy specification
Defects over a batch/period:
Quality control charts
Defect frequency (histogram)
Defect spectrum (pattern over time)
Expert Systems for Defects Analysis
Knowledge base (IF-THEN rules with confidence)
Inference Engine

Summary
Casting defects are significant: typically 1-10%
About 20 major types of casting defects:
Flash, mismatch, cold shut, misrun, blow hole, gas porosity,
shrinkage cavity, porosity, centerline, sink, hot tear, crack,
scab, swell, metal penetration, rough surface.
Other defects: improper composition and properties.

Implications:
Minor defects can be repaired, with cost increase.
Major defects lead to rejection, with loss of productivity.

Status and Progress:

Quality control and defects analysis: experts/systems.

Quality certification and assurance gaining importance.
Responsibility shifting to manufacturer; legal implications.
Toward zero defects: prevention is better than cure!

Home Exercise
Draw the cause-effect (Ishikawa) diagram for the following defects:
Shrinkage porosity, Blow hole, Mismatch.
Include causes related to moulding, filling and solidification.
For each of above group of causes, identify the sub-causes
(ex. improper filling), and sub-sub-causes (ex. ingate too small).
Write the IF-THEN rules for identifying and troubleshooting (cause)
the following defects: shrinkage porosity, gas porosity.