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INTRODUCTION TO CASTING
In the casting processes material is first melted, heated to proper temperature and treated to modify its chemical combination. The molten material is then pour into a cavity or mold that holds it in the desired shape during solidification. Cast parts range in size from a fraction of a centimeter to over 10 meters and many tons, example huge propellers. Complex shapes or parts having hollow sections or internal cavities, irregular curved surfaces can be produced by using casting processes.
1. A container must be produced with a mold cavity having the desire shape and size with due allowance for shrinkage of the solidifying material. Any geometrical feature desired in the finish casting must be present in the cavity.
2. A melting process must be capable of providing molten material at the proper temperature in the desired quantity with acceptable quality and at a reasonable cost.
CASTING TERMINOLOGIES
CASTING TERMINOLOGIES
1. Pattern: An approximate duplicate of final casting. 2. Flask: The rigid metal or a wood frame that holds the molding material. 3. Cope: The top half of the mold. 4. Drag: The bottom half of the mold. 5. Core: A sand (or metal) shape that is inserted into a mold to produce internal features of a casting such as holes or passages for water cooling. 6. Core print: A feature that is added to a pattern, core or mold and is used to locate and support a core within the mold.
CASTING TERMINOLOGIES
7. Riser: An additional void in the mold that also fills with molten metal. Its purpose is to provide a reservoir of additional liquid that can flow into the mold cavity to compensate for any shrinkage that occurs during solidification. 8. Gating system: The network of connected channels used to deliver the molten metal to the mold cavity is known as the gating system. 9. Pouring cup: The pouring cup is the portion of gating system and receives the molten metal from the poring vessel and controls its delivery to the rest of the mold. 10. Sprue: The vertical portion of the gating system. 11. Runner: The horizontal channels of the gating system.
CASTING TERMINOLOGIES
12. Mold: A hollow form of a component or frame which is used to give a particular shape to something in molten state. 13. Parting line: The interface that separates the cope and drag halves of mold or flask. 14. Draft: The taper on a pattern or casting that permits it to be withdrawn from the mold. 15. Casting: The process and the product when molten metal is poured and solidified in a mold.
CASTING TERMINOLOGIES
TYPES OF PATTERNS
Many types of patterns are used in the foundry industry with selection being based on the number of duplicate castings required and the complexity of the part. One piece or solid patterns: They are simplest and least expensive as shown in Figure 2. They are generally used when the shape is relatively simple and the number of duplicate castings is small.
Split patterns: They are used when moderate quantities of castings are desired. The pattern is divided into two segments. The top and bottom segments of the pattern are positioned in the cope and drag portions of the flask. Figure 3 shows a split pattern.
TYPES OF PATTERNS
Figure 3: Split pattern showing the two sections together and separated
TYPES OF PATTERNS
Match plate patterns: In the moulding of small castings where large number of parts are required, it is customary to mount several patterns on a plate called a match plate. This plate is of metal and approximately 3/8 inch thick.
SAND CASTING
Sand casting: Sand casting process consists of the following steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Placing a pattern having the shape of the desired casting Incorporating a gating system Filing the molten cavity with molten material Allowing the melt to cool until it solidifies Breaking away the sand mold Removing the casting and finishing (also watch the video clip)
Sands: Product of the disintegration of rocks over a extremely long period of time. It is inexpensive and suitable mold material because of its resistance to high temperature. Two types of sands are used generally: 1. Naturally bonded (bank sand) 2. Synthetic (lake sand) - its composition can be controlled more accurately
SAND CASTING
Types of sand molds: There are three basic types of sand molds: 1. Green mold sand: The sand in this mold is moist or damp while the molten metal is being poured into. It is a mixture of clay, sand and water and is the least expensive method of making molds. Skin-dried molds: In this method of making molds, the mold surfaces are dried using torches or is baked. They are stronger than green sand molds and impart better dimensional accuracy and surface finish. No-bake molds: A synthetic liquid resin is mixed with the sand and the mixture hardens at room temperature. Because bonding of the mold takes place without heat no-bake mold processes are also known as cold setting processes. These molds are dimensionally more accurate than green sand molds but are expensive to produce.
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SAND CASTING
Advantages: Can produce large parts, Can form complex shapes Many material options, Low tooling and equipment cost, Scrap can be recycled, Short lead time possible Disadvantages: Poor material strength, High porosity possible, Poor surface finish and tolerance, Secondary machining often required Low production rate, High labor cost Applications: Engine blocks and manifolds, machine bases, gears, pulleys
SHELL-MOLD CASTING
- metal, 2-piece pattern, 175C-370C - coated with a lubricant (silicone) - mixture of sand, thermoset resin/epoxy - cure (baking) - remove patterns, join half-shells mold - pour metal - solidify (cooling) - break shell part
SHELL-MOLD CASTING
Advantages: Can form complex shapes and fine details, Very good surface finish, High production rate, Low labor cost, Low tooling cost, Little scrap generated Disadvantages: High equipment cost Applications: Cylinder heads, connecting rods etc
SLIP CASTING
Plaster-mold slurry: plaster of paris (CaSO4), talc, silica flour
In slip casting, a suspension of clay in water with sodium silicate or sodium polyphosphate (clay slip) is poured into a plaster mold and allowed to sit. Water is absorbed into the mold and clay is deposited on the interior surface of the mold. When the mold is emptied and opened a slip cast pot is removed. Slip casting is a technique for making multiple, essentially identical, pots inexpensively. Slip casting are the ways most commercial dinnerware is made today.
(d) dry ceramic melt out the wax fire ceramic (burn wax)
(c) Shell built immerse into ceramic slurry immerse into fine sand (few layers)
(e) Pour molten metal (gravity) cool, solidify [Hollow casting: pouring excess metal before solidification
SLUSH CASTING
The molten metal is poured into the mold and begins to solidify at the cavity surface. When the amount of solidified material is equal to the desired wall thickness, the remaining slush (material that has yet to completely solidify) is poured out i.e the mold is inverted and the remaining liquid metal is poured out. The mould halves are removed and the casting is removed. It is generally used for making ornamental and decorative objects and toys.
PRESSURE CASTING
In pressure casting process, instead of being poured, the molten metal is forced into the mold by gas pressure. The molten metal is forced upward into the graphite or metal mold by gas pressure which is maintained until the metal has completely solidified in the mold. It is also known as pressure pouring or low pressure casting.
The pressure casting process utilizing graphite molds for the production of steel railroad wheels.
VACUUM CASTING
It is similar to low pressure casting, but vacuum pressure is used to fill the mold. This process is used when air entrapment is a problem. Finer details and thin walls can be molded and the mechanical properties of the castings are improved. The main disadvantage to this process is the high price for the equipment.
DIE CASTING
Common uses: components for rice cookers, stoves, fans, drying machines, fridges, motors, toys, hand-tools, car wheels etc Hot Chamber: (low mp e.g. Zn, Pb; non-alloying) (i) die is closed, gooseneck cylinder is filled with molten metal (ii) plunger pushes molten metal through gooseneck into cavity (iii) metal is held under pressure until it solidifies (iv) die opens, cores retracted; plunger returns (v) ejector pins push casting out of ejector die
DIE CASTING
Cold Chamber: (high mp e.g. Cu, Al) (i) die closed, molten metal is ladled into cylinder (ii) plunger pushes molten metal into die cavity (iii) metal is held under high pressure until it solidifies (iv) die opens, cores retracted (v) ejector pins push casting out of ejector die
APPLICATIONS
Engine components, pump components, appliance housing etc
CENTRIFUGAL CASTING
Molten is rotated about cylindrical mold at 300 ~ 3000 rpm Inner surface of the casting remains cylindrical because molten metal is uniformly distributed by centrifugal forces. Cylindrical parts ranging from 13mm to 3m in diameter and 16 m long can be centrifugally cast.
CENTRIFUGAL CASTING
Advantages: Can form very large parts, Good mechanical properties, Good surface finish and accuracy, Low equipment cost, Low labor cost, Little scrap generated Disadvantages: Limited to cylindrical parts, Secondary machining is often required for inner diameter, Long lead time possible Applications: Pipes, wheels, pulleys, nozzles, gun barrels, lampposts etc
SQUEEZE CASTING
It involves solidification of molten metal under high pressure. The pressure applied by the die / punch keeps the entrapped gases in solution. The high pressure contact at the die-metal interface promotes heat transfer. The higher cooling rate results in fine microstructure with good mechanical properties.