CASTING

Pouring molten metal into a mold shaped

after the part to be produced (mold cavity),
allowing it to harden, and removing it from
the mold.

CASTING
Can be used to create complex internal
and external part geometries
Some casting processes can produce parts
to net shape (no further manufacturing
operations are required i.e precision
casting)
Can produce very large parts (cast parts
weighing over 100 tons have been made)
Can be used with any metal that can be
heated to its liquid phase

CASTING

CASTING
Requirements:
Mold cavity with desired shape and size
Melting process to provide molten metal
Pouring process to introduce the metal
into the mold
Solidification process controlled to
prevent defects
Ability to remove the casting from the
mold
Cleaning, finishing and inspection
operations

CASTING TERMINOLOGY
Flask
The box containing the mold
Cope
The top half of any part of a 2-part mold
Drag
The bottom half of any part of a 2-part
mold
Core
A shape inserted into the mold to form
internal cavities

CASTING
Casting process is also known as process of
uncertainty. Even in a completely controlled
process, defects in casting are found.
The cause of defects is often a combination of
several factors rather than a single one. When these
various factors are combined, the root cause of a
casting defect can actually become a mystery. It is
important to correctly identify the defect symptoms
prior to assigning the cause to the problem. False
remedies not only fail to solve the problem, they can
confuse the issues and make it more difficult to cure
the defect. The proper classification and
identification of a particular defect is the basic need
to correct and control the quality of casting.

LIST OF DEFECTS
01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Shrinkage
Cold Shut
Mismatch
Blow holes
Pin Holes
Fin
Drop
Swell
Metal Penetration
Hot Tears
Porosity
Scabs
Hard Spots
Buckles\Rat Tails
Misrun

SHRINKAGE CAVITY
Shrinkage cavity is a void on the surface of the
casting caused mainly by uncontrolled and
haphazard solidification of the metal.

SHRINKAGE CAVITY
Causes:
inadequate and improper gating
poor design of casting involving abrupt
changes in thickness
too high pouring temperature
Remedies:
Use the suitable mold design and gating
system
Carry out proper ramming and maintain
optimum pouring temperature and time.

COLD SHUT
When two streams of molten metal approach each
other in the mould cavity from opposite directions
but fail to fuse properly, with the result of
discontinuity between them, it is called a cold
shut.

COLD SHUT
Causes:

low temperature of molten metal

improper gating system
too thin casting sections
slow and intermitted pouring
improper alloy composition
use of damaged pattern

Remedies:

Smooth pouring with the help of monorail.

Properly transport mould during pouring.
Arrange proper clamping arrangement.
providing appropriate pouring temperature

MISMATCH
It is a shift /misalignment between two mating
surfaces or the top and bottom parts of the
casting at the mould joint.

MISMATCH
Causes:

worn dowel in patterns made in halves.

improper alignment of mould boxes due to
worn out/ill fitting mould boxes.

Remedies:

Properly arrange box warpage.

Properly move boxes with pins.
Properly clamp the boxes.

BLOW HOLES
Balloonshaped gas cavities caused by release
of mould gases during pouring are known as
blow holes.

BLOW HOLES
Causes:

ramming is too hard.

permeability is insufficient.
venting is insufficient.

Remedies:

moisture content of molding sand should be

controlled
sand of appropriate grain size should be used.
ramming should not be too hard.
moulds should be adequately vented.

PIN HOLES
Pin holes are tiny blow holes appearing just
below the casting surface.

PIN HOLES
Causes:

-sand with high moisture content.

-absorption of hydrogen/carbon monoxide gas in
the metal.
-alloy not being properly degassed.
-steel is poured from wet ladles.
-sand containing gas producing ingredients.

Remedies:

-reducing the moisture content of moulding sand.

-increasing its permeability.
-employing good melting and fluxing practices.
-improving a rapid rate of solidification.

FIN
Fins are excessive amounts of metal created by
solidification into the parting line of the
mold

FIN
Causes:

-inadequately weighted sand as well as

incorrectly assembled moulds and cores.
-over flexible bottom boards.
-loose plates and improper clamping of
flasks.

Remedies:

-correct assembly of the mould and cores

used for casting.

DROP
Drop is an irregularly-shaped projection on the
cope surface caused by dropping of sand.

DROP
Causes:

-low green strength of the moulding sand.

-low mould hardness.
-insufficient reinforcement of sand
projections in the cope.

Remedies:

-moulding sand should have sufficient green

strength.
-ramming should not be too soft.

SWELL
Swells are excessive amounts of metal in the
vicinity of gates or beneath the sprue

SWELL
Causes:

-insufficient or soft ramming.

-low mould strength.
-mould not being adequately supported.

Remedies:

-sand should be rammed evenly and properly.

METAL PENETRATION
Penetration occurs when the molten metal flows
between the sand particles in the mould. These
defects are due to inadequate strength of the
mold and high temperature of the molten metal
adds on it.

METAL PENETRATION
Causes:

-low strength of moulding sand.

-large size of moulding sand.
-high permeability of sand.
-soft ramming.

Remedies:

-use of fine grain with low permeability.

-appropriate ramming.

HOT TEARS
A hot tear is a fracture formed during
solidification because of hindered contraction.

HOT TEAR
Causes:

-faulty casting design leading to excessive stresses at

certain portions in the casting.
-very hard ramming.
-too much shrinkage of molten metal.
-incorrect pouring temperature.
-improper gates and risers.
-low flowability of molten metal.
-high sulphur content in molten metal.

Remedies:

-ramming should not be too hard.

-modification in pattern to take care of residual stresses.

POROSITY
Porosity is pockets of gas inside the metal
caused by micro-shrinkage during
solidification.

POROSITY
Causes:

-dissolved hydrogen and sulphur dioxide in molten

metal.
-excessive poring temperature.
-slow rate of solidification.
-high moisture content of the mould.

Remedies:

-maintenance of proper melting temperature.

-casting should be made to solidify quickly by using
proper gating and risering.
-permeability of the mould should be increased.
-moisture content of mould should be kept low.

SCABS
Scabs are surface slivers caused by splashing and
rapid solidification of the metal when it is first
poured and strikes the mold wall

SCABS
Causes:

-insufficient strength of mould and core.

-uneven mould ramming.
-lack of binding material in facing as well as core sand.
-Faulty gating.
-intense local heating due to slow running of molten
metal over sand surface.

Remedies:

-appropriate ramming.
-improved gating system.
-addition of sufficient binders in facing and core sands.

HARD SPOTS
These spots are formed due to the local chilling by
moulding sand which leads to the formation of
white cast iron at those places, rendering them
hard.

HARD SPOTS
Causes:

--faulty metal composition.

-faulty casting design resulting in relatively
more rapid cooling of certain spots.

Remedies:

-modification of casting design.

-modification of casting composition.

BUCKLES/RAT TAILS
Rat tail or a buckle is a long, shallow, angular
depression caused by expansion of the sand.

BUCKLES/RAT TAILS
Causes:

-excessive mould hardness.

-lack of combustible additives in the
moulding sand.
-continuous large surfaces on the casting.

Remedies:

-suitable addition of combustible additives to

moulding sand.
-reduction in mould hardness.
-modifications in casting design.

MISRUN
When the molten metal fails to fill the entire
mould cavity before the metal starts
solidifying , resulting in an incomplete casting,
the defect is known as misrun.

MISRUN
Causes:

-low temperature of molten metal

-improper gating system
-too thin casting sections
-slow and intermitted pouring
-improper alloy composition
-use of damaged pattern

Remedies:

_ Smooth pouring with the help of monorail.

_ Properly transport mould during pouring.
_ Arrange proper clamping arrangement.
-providing appropriate pouring temperature.