Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NIT Raipur

Manual for Foundry Technology Laboratory

Year 2017-18
An Introduction to foundry technology laboratory, safety and personal protective equipment (PPE)

Foundry Technology Laboratory Manual

Course Educational Objectives:

To make the student to
Understand the basic concepts of design and manufacture of simple patterns.
Understand solidification processes and casting techniques
Know the various casting defects and detection methods

Course Outcomes:
The student will be able to
Design and manufacture simple patterns
Acquire the ability to work in industrial workplaces or in self-employment in the field of
foundry technology.
Conduct research in the area of foundry operations

General Instructions and Safety Rules

1. Students should wear the uniform and closed foot wear. Students inappropriately dressed for
lab, at the instructors discretion, be denied access).
2. When you handle chemicals wear eye protection (chemical splash goggles or full face shield
3. When you work with furnaces for heat treatment procedures or other thermally activated
equipment you should use special gloves to protect your hands.
4. To protect clothing from chemical damage or other dirt, wear a lab apron or lab coat. Long
hair should be tied back to keep it from coming into contact with lab chemicals or flames.
5. In case of injury (cut, burn, fire etc.) notify the instructor immediately.
6. In case of a fire or imminently dangerous situation, notify everyone who may be affected
immediately; be sure the lab instructor is also notified.
7. If chemicals splash into someone's eyes act quickly and get them into the eye wash station,
do not wait for the instructor.
8. In case of a serious cut, stop blood flow using direct pressure using a clean towel, notify the
lab instructor immediately.
9. Eating, drinking and smoking are prohibited in the laboratory at all times.
10. Never work in the laboratory without proper supervision by an instructor.
11. Never carry out unauthorized experiments. Come to the laboratory prepared. If you are
unsure about what to do, please ask the instructor.
12. Except the scientific calculator, any other electronic devices are not permitted to use inside
the Laboratory.
13. Any damage to any of the equipment/instrument/machine caused due to carelessness, the
cost will be fully recovered from the individual (or) group of students.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) in the foundry
Personal protective equipment is not a substitute for good administrative and practical
engineering controls. However, if control methods are not possible, then personal protective
equipment is needed wherever harmful substances can be contacted, absorbed, or inhaled.
Special protective equipment is also needed against the hazards of molten metal, heat, or sparks
in pouring or welding. Personal protective equipment includes respiratory and hearing protective
devices, protective clothing and protection for the eyes, face, head and feet. All personal
protective clothing equipment must be safety designed and must be carefully maintained. There
are a range of joint Australian/New Zealand Standards on personal protective equipment. In
general terms all equipment should comply with these standards however it is acceptable to have
equipment comply with standards produced in the major European or American markets.

1. Eye and face protection: Goggles, safety glasses or face-shields to suit the
appropriate heat range should be worn if there is a chance of eye injury from flying
particles, chips and sparks during grinding, cutting, welding and pouring. Proper eye
protection filters are needed for the intense light given off during such operations as
welding, cutting or the treatment of molten iron with magnesium. Some mould-release
agents are highly corrosive and eye or face protection must be worn while using these
and other corrosives.
2. Gloves: Properly selected safety gloves specific for the process should be used. Good
hand protection in the metal casting process is vital to protect against burns, cuts and
abrasions and chemicals. A thorough risk assessment of the requirements must be done
for each task. Selection will be based on such factors as comfort, sensitivity, and
impermeability.
3. Aprons, coveralls and leggings: Welders and metal pourers need adequate protection
for the legs and bodies from flames, sparks and metal splashes. The selection of
appropriate clothing to protect against molten metal is not straightforward. Different
materials react differently when in contact with different molten metals and slag. It is
essential that a full risk assessment be carried out before making a decision. The design,
style and fit of a garment is one aspect to consider and needs to take into account ease of
removal, lack of pockets, and flammability. The type of material will vary according to
each particular circumstance but the usual choice of material will be leather, wool, or
treated cotton. The type of fasteners will also need to be considered. Metal zips and
domes get very hot in some applications while plastic ones will distort with heat.

4. Foot protection: Foot protection with steel toecaps and other special features should be
worn when manually handling heavy parts or where there is danger from falling objects
or spilt metal. Leather has been found to be the best material for footwear in many
occupations. Sole material should be appropriate for foundry workers. In the foundry
workers handling molten metal must ensure that trousers or leggings are worn outside
the boot to prevent molten metal entering the top of the boot.
5. Hearing protection: Noise levels exceeding 85 dBA require the wearing of the
appropriate hearing protection. Other factors may influence the type of hearing
protection which can be used such as the need to wear other protective gear.
6. Head protection: Hard hats must be worn where there may be danger from falling or
flying objects. In the metal casting industry PVC helmets may not be suitable due to
distortion through heat. Fibreglass helmets will not distort so easily.
7. Aluminised reflective clothing: Reflective clothing should be worn if there is a danger
from radiant heat, such as around furnaces or during pouring.
 LIST OF EXPERIMENTS

S.NO. Name of The Experiment

To design and make a 3D pattern of the alphabets (given below) by any

suitable pattern material. The alphabets should be 9(length) x 6(breadth) x
1.
1(thick) inches.
M E T A L U R G I C N E

2. To prepare a sand mould from the pattern made above by suitable binder.

3. To make the mould cavity dry, smooth and moisture free for casting.

4. To compare the cooling and heating curve of a metal/alloy.

To melt a low temperature alloy in an electric furnace and cast in the mould
5.
cavity.

To examine the casting defects and find out the reasons responsible for the
6.
defects.

To grind, polish and paint the cast material surface for improving the surface
7.
finish.

To re-melt/recycle the scrap generated during the casting process into a

8.
reusable ingot.
 Experiment No. 1
Objective: To design and make a 3D pattern of the alphabets (given below) by any suitable
pattern material. The alphabets should be 9(length) x 6(breadth) x 1(thick) inches.

M E T A L U R G I C N E
Material: Wood

Equipment:
Steel rule
Marking gauge
Rip saw
Tenon saw
Mortise chisel
Mallet
Jack plane
Wood rasp file

Procedure:
1. Pattern Design
(Shrinkage and Machining allowances are taken into consideration)
1. Calculate the amount of shrinkage allowance for each dimension of given casting drawing
based on the cast material.
2. Calculate the amount of shrinkage allowance for given casting material.
3. Calculate the total amount of allowance provided on the pattern.
4. Sum the allowance and actual dimension.
5. Redraw the casting drawing with the dimensions including allowances.

2. Pattern Making
1. Check the dimensions of wooden piece using for pattern making and mark it according to
the dimensions.
2. Sides of pieces are planned with jack plane for straightness.
3. Wooden piece is cut by using sawing tools according to the dimensions given in redrawn
casting drawing.
4. Finish the same using wood rasp file.
5. Fix the wooden piece in the drilling machine rigidly and Perform drilling operation
according to the given dimensions as per the objective of the experiment.

Observations:
Dimension Actual Machining Total Shrinkage Total
No. Dimension Allowance Dimension Allowance Dimension
(M.A.) with M.A. with S.A.
Calculations:

Final labelled sketch:

Precautions:

1. Material should be free from moisture

2. Marking is done without parallax error
3. Care should be taken while cutting and drilling.

Result: (Paste the clicked photographs of pattern)

 Experiment No. 2
Objective: To prepare a sand mould from the pattern made above by suitable binder.
Materials: Silica Sand/Green Sand & Binder (Molasses, Pitch, Clay, Cement etc.)

Tools & Equipments:

Showel
Trowel
Rammers
Sprue Pins
Draw Spike
Strike off bar
Slick, Lift
Vent wire
Hand bellow
Sprit Level
Moulding Box
Given pattern.

Procedure:

1. First of all prepare the sand with appropriate amount of selected binder; properly before start
working.
2. Select cope and drag part of proper fitting.
3. Place the drag part on moulding board.
4. After filling the drag part with sand start ramming.
5. Now place the pattern in the sand so that the parting line remains on the upper plane of the
drag.
6. Ram the sand properly from all sides around the pattern.
7. Then by ramming and putting sand make surface plane around the pattern with the help of
strike off bar and rammer.
8. Sprinkle a fine layer of parting sand over the drag surface.
9. Place the cope part of the moulding box over the drag portion.
10. Place two sprue pins in the vertical positions.
11. Fill the moulding box with sand.
12. Ramming is done to compact the sand.
13. After ramming excessive sand is removed with the help of strike off bar.
14. Take out the sprue pins.
15. Check the level with the help of sprit level.
16. Small holes are pierced into the level surface of the cope with vent wire.
17. Then cope part is lifted up very carefully.
18. Then pattern is taken out with the help of draw spike.
19. Pouring basin, gates and runners are made.
20. Loose sand is taken out with lifter and hand bellow, and then cope is place over the drag
portion.
Diagram:

Discussions:

Precautions:

1. Prepare sand properly.

2. Ramming should be done properly
3. Pattern should be drawn carefully from the mould.
4. Repair of moulding cavity should be done carefully.
 Experiment No. 3
Objective: To make the mould cavity dry, smooth and moisture free for casting.

Tools & Equipments:

Oven
Torch or Heating lamp
Finishing trowel
Swab
Slick
Lifter/cleaner
Bellows

Theory:

The mold cavity of a casting does not reflect the exact dimensions of the finished part due to a
number of reasons. These modifications to the mold cavity are known as allowances and account
for patternmaker's shrinkage, draft, machining, and distortion. In non-expendable processes, these
allowances are imparted directly into the permanent mold, but in expendable mold processes they
are imparted into the patterns, which later form the mold cavity. Note that for non-expendable
moulds an allowance is required for the dimensional change of the mold due to heating to operating
temperatures.
For surfaces of the casting that are perpendicular to the parting line of the mold a draft must be
included. This is so that the casting can be released in non-expendable processes or the pattern can
be released from the mold without destroying the mold in expendable processes. The required draft
angle depends on the size and shape of the feature, the depth of the mold cavity, how the part or
pattern is being removed from the mold, the pattern or part material, the mold material, and the
process type. Usually the draft is not less than 1%.
The machining allowance varies drastically from one process to another. Sand castings generally
have a rough surface finish; therefore need a greater machining allowance, whereas die casting has
a very fine surface finish, which may not need any machining tolerance. Also, the draft may provide
enough of a machining allowance to begin with.
The distortion allowance is only necessary for certain geometries. For instance, U-shaped castings
will tend to distort with the legs splaying outward, because the base of the shape can contract while
the legs are constrained by the mold. This can be overcome by designing the mold cavity to slope
the leg inward to begin with. Also, long horizontal sections tend to sag in the middle if ribs are not
incorporated, so a distortion allowance may be required.

Procedure:

(Drying)

1. For drying put the mould inside a oven to a optimum temperature and leave it for a while to
release the moisture.
2. Alternatively drying of the mould cavity can be done by using torch/heating lamp or by
keeping the mould in sun light for some time.
(Smoothening)

1. Use the lifter/cleaner to remove excess sand of left-over sand from the cavity
2. Then flat the surface inside the cavity by finishing trowel
3. Clean or brush the cavity using swab use bellows to remove dirt/loose sand.
4. Construct/shape the corners and paths using slick, to control the turbulence and flowability
of the molten metal.

Diagram:

Discussions:

Precautions:

Overheating/over-drying can cause cracks.

Dont apply pressure/force to the surface while smoothening or finishing.
Use proper shaped/sized tool for specific purpose.
 Experiment No. 4
Objective: To compare the cooling and heating curve of a metal/alloy.

Material: Metal/alloy

Tools & Equipments:

Thermocouple
Sensor

Theory:

The melting temperature of any pure material (a one-component system) at constant pressure is a
single unique temperature. The liquid and solid phases exist together in equilibrium only at this
temperature. When cooled, the temperature of the molten material will steadily decrease until the
melting point is reached.

At this point the material will start to crystallise, leading to the evolution of latent heat at the solid
liquid interface, maintaining a constant temperature across the material. Once solidification is
complete, steady cooling resumes. The arrest in cooling during solidification allows the melting
point of the material to be identified on a time-temperature curve.

Most systems consisting of two or more components exhibit a temperature range over which the
solid and liquid phases are in equilibrium. Instead of a single melting temperature, the system now
has two different temperatures, the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature which are
needed to describe the change from liquid to solid.

The liquidus temperature is the temperature above which the system is entirely liquid, and the
solidus is the temperature below which the system is completely solid. Between these two points the
liquid and solid phases are in equilibrium. When the liquidus temperature is reached, solidification
begins and there is a reduction in cooling rate caused by latent heat evolution and a consequent
reduction in the gradient of the cooling curve.

Upon the completion of solidification the cooling rate alters again allowing the temperature of the
solidus to be determined. As can be seen on the diagram below, these changes in gradient allow the
liquidus temperature TL, and the solidus temperature TS to be identified.
When cooling a material of eutectic composition, solidification of the whole sample takes place at a
single temperature. This results in a cooling curve similar in shape to that of a single-component
system with the system solidifying at its eutectic temperature.

When solidifying hypoeutectic or hypereutectic alloys, the first solid to form is a single phase which
has a composition different to that of the liquid. This causes the liquid composition to approach that
of the eutectic as cooling occurs. Once the liquid reaches the eutectic temperature it will have the
eutectic composition and will freeze at that temperature to form a solid eutectic mixture of two
phases.

Formation of the eutectic causes the system to cease cooling until solidification is complete. The
resulting cooling curve shows the two stages of solidification with a section of reduced gradient
where a single phase is solidifying and a plateau where eutectic is solidifying.

By taking a series of cooling curves for the same system over a range of compositions the liquidus
and solidus temperatures for each composition can be determined allowing the solidus and liquidus
to be mapped to determine the phase diagram.
Below are cooling curves for the same system recorded for different compositions and then
displaced along the time axis. The red regions indicate where the material is liquid, the blue regions
indicate where the material is solid and the green regions indicate where the solid and liquid phases
are in equilibrium.

By removing the time axis from the curves and replacing it with composition, the cooling curves
indicate the temperatures of the solidus and liquidus for a given composition.

This allows the solidus and liquidus to be plotted to produce the phase diagram:
Procedure:
1) Select and choose the metal/alloy to be compared
2) Melt the alloy in suitable furnace and record the temperature of heating time to time with
help of thermocouple or pyrometer.
3) Note down the temperature of melting and plot a graph between time and temperature taking
the two axis of the graph.
4) As melting finishes pour the metal into the mould and again measure the temperature of the
melt, this time cooling temperature is measured, this can be done cooling inside as well as
outside the furnace.
5) Draw and compare both the curves according to the above given theory.

Diagram:

Discussions:
Observation & Calculations:

SL NO. Metal/Alloy Time(Sec) Temperature(C)

Precautions:

1) Use clean uncontaminated crucibles.

2) Use clean uncontaminated melting stock.
3) Use the thermocouple sensor gently to obtain fine readings.

Result (Graphs)
 Experiment No.5
Objective: To melt a low temperature alloy in an electric furnace and cast in the mould cavity.

Material: Metal/alloy scrap or ingot

Tool & Equipments:

Electric Furnace (Induction) Low frequency
Crucible
Tong
Pyrometer

Theory:

Melting

The melting procedure is essentially a crucible process. The heat is generated entirely in the charge
itself, melting is rapid, and there is only a slight loss of the oxidizable elements. Furthermore, on
account of the rapidity of operation, preliminary bath analyses are not usually made. The charge is
preferably made up of carefully selected scrap and alloys of an average composition to produce as
nearly as possible the composition desired in the finished metal. Final additions are made to
deoxidize the metal or to adjust composition, as for the other melting methods just described.

To be able to obtain a sound casting, molten metal of the right composition and temperature must be
produced. The furnaces must prevent contamination of the metal and allow corrections of the
composition to be made.

Low frequency electrical induction furnaces are suitable for melting low temperature metal/alloys
such as aluminium, copper, magnesium etc.

Pouring

Pouring is a critical operation in the production of a casting and one which should be carefully
conducted. The ladle equipment should be designed for high structural strength and, in the case of
geared ladles, for foolproof mechanical operation. Because of the high temperatures involved, a
reasonable factor of safety should be used when lining a ladle or when deciding whether an old
lining is fit for use.

The production of a casting without defects depends on many factors. One of the important factors
is the way in which the metal is poured into the mould cavity. This pouring process can be
characterized by the filling or pouring pressure and the gating system (channels for delivering the
metal). As mentioned previously, the pouring pressure can be classified as high (2-15 Mpa), low (0.
12-0.30 MPa) or gravity. The higher pressures permit the casting of thinner sections, higher quality,
and so on, but at the same time, there is a requirement for higher-strength mould material. High or
low pouring pressures normally require permanent metal moulds, but other materials, such as
graphite, can be used for the lower pressures.
Procedure:

1) The current is turned on and, the furnace is kept for pre-heating and attaining the
desired temperature range.
2) The heavy scrap is charged first and as much of the charge as possible is packed into
furnace crucible/ladle, but should not be filled to more than 3/4 of the crucible
capacity.
3) Use appropriate fluxes at proper stages and measure metal temperature from
time to time.
4) As soon as the charge is completely melted and refining or superheating operations
finished, further necessary additions of alloys or deoxidizers are made.
5) Tap the liquid metal at a higher temperature (say 100o C higher) than the pouring
temperature in a pouring ladle/crucible, by tilting the furnace or any other suitable
method. Holding the pouring ladle/crucible with the help of a tong.
6) As soon as the desired pouring temperature is reached, pour the liquid metal into the
mold in a steady stream with ladle close to the pouring basin of the mold. Do not
allow any dross or slag to go in.
7) Provide a riser (feeder) which is a reservoir to feed molten metal to the casting as it
solidifies to prevent internal and external shrinkage in the casting. The riser may
have to provide up to 5-7% by volume for the casting as it solidifies. The risers
should be designed keeping the following in mind (1- the metal in the riser should
solidify in the end of the process. 2- the riser volume should be sufficient for
compensating the shrinkage in the casting).
8) Control heat flow , in order to make the last liquid to solidify is in the riser
9) Control the rate of heat flow so as to control the nature of the solidified product
(microstructure, mechanical properties).

Diagrams:
Observations & Discussions:

Precautions:

4) Use clean uncontaminated crucibles.

5) Use clean uncontaminated melting stock.
6) Use a properly maintained and calibrated pyrometer.
7) Pour the casting as soon as possible after the metal is melted.
8) Skim carefully and avoid agitation.
9) Use deoxidizers only in recommended amounts.
 Experiment No.6
Objective: To examine the casting defects and find out the reasons responsible for the defects.

Materials: Casting of metal/alloy

Theory:

A properly designed casting, a properly prepared mould and correctly malted metal should result in
a defect free casting. However, if proper control is not exercised in the foundry-sometimes it is too
expensive - a variety of defects may result in a casting.

These defects may be the result of:

a) improper pattern design,

b) improper mould and core construction,
c) improper melting practice,
d) improper pouring practice and
e) Because of moulding and core making materials.
f) Improper gating system
g) Improper metal composition
h) Inadequate melting temp and rate of pouring

It creates a deficiency or imperfection.

Exceeding quality limits imposed by design and service casting defects are mainly 3 categories.

These are:

a) Major or most severe defects

b) Intermediate defects
c) Minor defects

Surface defects:

Due to design and quality of sand molds and general cause is poor ramming.

Blow:

Blow is relatively large cavity produced by gases which displace molten metal form.
Scar:

Due to improper permeability or venting.A scare is a shallow blow. It generally occurs on flat surf;
whereas a blow occurs on a convex casting surface. A blister is a shallow blow like a scar with thin
layer of metal covering it,

Scab:

This defect occurs when a portion of the face of a mould lifts or breaks down and the recess thus
made is filled by metal. When the metal is poured into the cavity, gas may be disengaged with such
violence as to break up the sand which is then washed away and the resulting cavity filled with
metal. The reasons can be: - to fine sand, low permeability of sand, high moisture content of sand
and uneven moulds ramming.

Drop:

Drop or crush in a mould is an irregularly shaped projection on the cope surface of a casting. This
defect is caused by the break-away of a part of mould sand as a result of weak packing of the
mould, low strength of the molding sand, malfunctioning of molding equipment, strong jolts and
strikes at the flask when assembling the mould.
The loose sand that falls into the cavity will also cause a dirty casting surface, either on the top or
bottom surface of the casting, depending upon the relative densities of the sand and the liquid.

Penetration:

It is a strong crust of fused sand on the surface of a casting which results from insufficient
refractoriness of molding materials, a large content of impurities, inadequate mould packing and
poor quality of mould washes.
When the molten metal is poured into the mould cavity, at those places when the sand packing is
inadequate, some metal will flow between the sand particles for a distance into the mould wall and
get solidified. When the casting is removed, this lump of metal remains attached to the casting. Of
course, it can be removed afterwards by chipping or grinding.

Buckle:

A buckle is a long, fairly shallow, broad, vee depression that occurs in the surface of flat castings. It
extends in a fairly straight line across the entire flat surface.
It results due to the sand expansion caused by the heat of the metal, when the sand has insufficient
hot deformation. It also results from poor casting design providing too large a flat surface in the
mold cavity.
Buckling is prevented by mixing cereal or wood flour to sand.

Internal defects:

Blow holes:

Blow holes, gas holes or gas cavities are well rounded cavities having a clean and smooth surface.
They appear either on the casting surface or in the body of a casting.
These defects occur when an excessive evolved gas is not able to flow through the mould. So,
it collects into a bubble at the high points of a mould cavity ad prevents the liquid metal from filling
that space.

This will result in open blows. Closed, cavities or gas holes are formed when the evolved gases or
the dissolved gases in the molten metal are not able to leave the m ass of the molten metal as it
solidifies and get trapped within the casting.

These defects are caused by :

a) excessive moisture content (in the case of green sand moulds) or organic content of the sand,
moisture on chills, chaplets or metal inserts,
b) inadequate gas permeability of the molding sand (due to fine grain size of sand, high clay
content, hard ramming),
c) poor venting of mould, insufficient drying of mould and cores, cores not properly vented,
high gas content of the molten metal,
d) low pouring temperature and incorrect feeding of the casting etc.

Pin holes:

Pin holes are small gas holes either at the surface or just below the surface. When these are present,
they occur in large numbers and are fairly uniformly dispersed over the surface.
This defect occurs due to gas dissolved in the alloy and the alloy not properly degassed.

Visible defects:

Wash:

A cut or wash is a low; projection on the drag face of a casting that extends along the surface,
decreasing in height as it extends from one side of the casting to the other end.
It usually occurs with bottom gating castings in which the molding sand has insufficient hot
strength, and when too much metal is made to flow through one gate into the mold cavity,

Rat tail:

A rat tail is a long, shallow, angular depression in the surface of a flat rating and resembles
a buckle, except that, it is not shaped like a broad vee.

The reasons for this defect are the same for buckle.

Hot tear:

Hot tears are hot cracks which appear in the form of irregular crevices with a dark oxidized fracture
surface. They arise when the solidifying met does not have sufficient strength to resist tensile forces
produced during solidification.

They are chiefly from an excessively high temperature of casting metal, increased
metal contraction incorrect design of the gating system and casting on the whole (causing portions
of the casting to be restrained from shrinking freely during cooling which in turn causes excessive
high intern resistance stresses), poor deformability of the cores, and non-uniform cooling which
gives rise t internal stresses. This defect can be avoided by improving the design of the casting and
by having a mould of low hot strength and large hot deformation.

Shrinkage:

A shrinkage cavity is a depression or an internal void in a casting that results from the
volume contraction that occurs during solidification.

Swell:

A swell is a slight, smooth bulge usually found on vertical faces of castings, resulting from liquid
metal pressure. It may be due to low strength of mould because of too high a water content or when
the mould is not rammed sufficiently.
Shift:

Mold shift refers to a defect caused by a sidewise displacement of the mold cope relative to the
drag, the result of which is a step in the cast product at the parting line.

Core shift is similar to mold shift, but it is the core that is displaced, and (he dis-placement is
usually vertical. Core shift and mold shift are caused by buoyancy of the molten metal

Misrun or cold sheet or short run:

This defect is incomplete cavity filling. The reasons can be: - inadequate metal supply, too- low
mould or melt temperature, improperly designed gates, .or length to thickness ratio of the casting is
too large. When molten metal is flowing from one side in a thin section, it may loose sufficient heat
resulting in loss of its fluidity, such that the leading edge of the stream may freeze before it reaches
the end of the cavity.

Procedure:

1. Cleaning of Castings
Gently clean and dry the metal casting cooled to room temperature as per the following
steps:
a) Removal of gates, in-gates, riser, feeder etc.
b) Surface cleaning
c) Trimming
d) Finishing
 2. Inspection of Castings
Inspection of castings is done to ascertain various characteristics. Generally the inspection
of castings is carried out to ascertain the required surface finish, dimensional accuracy,
various mechanical and metallurgical properties and soundness. various tests used for
inspection of castings are:
a) Measurement of the final dimensions
b) Measurement of Surface finish
c) Destructive testing
d) Non-destructive testing
3. Compare the observed type of defect from the list of defects given in the theory section.

Observations & Discussions:

Precautions:

1) Handle with care various machining tools for cleaning purpose.

2) Instruments/Equipments used for inspection are sophisticated and calibrated as well should
be operated wisely with proper instructions and guidance.
3) Use suitable PPE at workshop
 Experiment No.7
Objective: To grind, polish and paint the cast material surface for improving the surface finish.

Material: Cast Material

Tools & Equipments:

Metal Cutter
Grinder
Wire Brush
Tumbler &
Sand Blaster etc.
Paint (adhesive, primer, rubber coating etc.)

Theory:

Cleaning of the casting (Fettling)

When the casting has solidified, it is removed from the sand of the moulding box. This is called
shake out. Sometimes moulds are broken to obtain the casting. This is done manually or
mechanically. Casting when taken out of the mould, are not in the same condition in which they are
desired since they have sprue, gates, riser etc. attached to them. Besides this, sand is also there on
the surface of the casting. The operation of cutting off the unwanted parts, cleaning and finishing of
the casting is known as fettling. This includes
a) Removal of gates and risers.
b) Removal of unwanted metal projections, fins, nails etc.
c) Removal of adhering sand and oxide scale from the surface of the casting.
d) Repair of casting, wherever possible or required.
e) Heat treatment of casting.

Procedure:

1. Gently cut the undesired portions from the casting as mentioned above.
2. The next step is Rough Cleaning/Surface cleaning is done by:
a) Wire Brushing: Wire brush is used to clean the surface of the casting.
b) Tumbling: In this method the casting to be cleaned is placed inside large steel
barrels, with a number small cast iron pieces called stars. Both ends of the barrel
are closed and rotated. It is very efficient method of cleaning.
c) Sand Blasting: In this method, a stream of high velocity air, carrying large size
sand particles, is thrown on to the surface of casting.
d) Shot Blasting: It is similar to sand blasting but here metallic abrasives are fed
instead of Sand particles.
e) Hydro-Blasting: High velocity stream consisting of water and sand is thrown on
to the casting surface.
f) Mechanical Impact Cleaning: In this the metallic abrasives are fed against the
casting surface by means of centrifugal force.
g) Pickling: In this process an acid is used for cleaning the sand from casting
surface.
3. Finally Surface finishing is done by:
a) Machining, chemical treatment, polishing, buffing and painting to put them into a
suitable appearance.
4. Paint the finished product for protecting it from corrosion and other environmental
reactions.
Discussions:

Precautions:
Use PPE for safety while cleaning of the casting.
Handle cutting tools wisely with proper guidance.
 Experiment No.8
Objective: To re-melt/recycle the scrap generated during the casting process into a reusable
ingot.

Material: Scrap metal/alloy

Tools & Equipments:

Furnace (electric/open hearth)

Crucible
Tong
Sand mould

Theory

Metal Recycling

Metals are valuable materials that can be recycled again and again without degrading their
properties. Scrap metal has value, which motivates people to collect it for sale to recycling
operations. In addition to a financial incentive, there is also an environmental imperative. The
recycling of metals enables us to preserve natural resources while requiring less energy to process
than the manufacture of new products using virgin raw materials. Recycling emits less carbon
dioxide and other harmful gasses. More importantly, it saves money and allows manufacturing
businesses to reduce their production cost. Recycling also creates jobs.

Procedure:

1. Collect all the scrap and the debris from the various machining shops and carry them in a
container box.
2. Process the scrap by sorting and sizing the metal/alloy particles for the beneficiation of re-
melting.
3. Turn on the current or fire the furnace and pre-heat, after attaining the required temperature
put the material to be re-melted inside the furnace.
4. As soon as the charge is completely melted, chemistry adjustment and refining can be done.
5. Repeat the step no. 5-9 as in Experiment No.5.

Discussions:

Precautions:

1) Use clean uncontaminated crucibles.

2) Use clean uncontaminated melting stock.
3) Pour the casting as soon as possible after the metal is melted.