CASTING PROCESSES I Lecture Notes by Zulkepli Muhamad

Solidification Processes
Starting work material is either a liquid or is in a highly plastic condition, and a part is created through solidification of the material Solidification processes can be classified according to engineering material processed: Metals Ceramics, specifically glasses Polymers and polymer matrix composites (PMCs)

Classification of solidification processes

Classification of casting processes

Metal casting processes

Foundries

Expandable mold

Permanent mold

Single-crystal growing

Sand Shell Expandable pattern Plaster Ceramic investment

Composite mold

Slush Pressure Die Centrifugal Squeeze semisolid

Single-crystal for microelectronics Single-crystal turbine blade Directional solidification

Casting Processes
1.

2.

Expendable mold processes uses an expendable mold which must be destroyed to remove casting Mold materials: sand, plaster, and similar materials, plus binders Permanent mold processes uses a permanent mold which can be used many times to produce many castings Made of metal (or, less commonly, a ceramic refractory material

Overview of Casting Technology

Casting is usually performed in a foundry Foundry = factory equipped for making molds, melting and handling molten metal, performing the casting process, and cleaning the finished casting Workers who perform casting are called foundrymen

Casting
Process in which molten metal flows by gravity or other force into a mold where it solidifies in the shape of the mold cavity The term casting also applies to the part made in the process Steps in casting seem simple:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Prepare mould/die Melt the metal Pouring melt into a mould/die Let it solidify Finishing processes

Metal casting components

Metal casting components

Metal casting components

Production steps
Molding
Pattern making Core Making Gating system

Sand Melting
Furnaces

Mold Pouring
Solidification

Casting
Shakeout Removal of risers and gates

Heat treatment

Finishing
Cleaning & Inspection -additioanl heat treatment -defects -dimensions

Why Castings ?

Capabilities and Advantages of Casting

Can create complex part geometries Can create both external and internal shapes Some casting processes are net shape; others are near net shape Can produce very large parts Some casting methods are suited to mass production

Parts Made by Casting

Big parts: engine blocks and heads for automotive vehicles, wood burning stoves, machine frames, railway wheels, pipes, church bells, big statues, and pump housings Small parts: dental crowns, jewelry, small statues, and frying pans All varieties of metals can be cast, ferrous and nonferrous

Sand Casting process

680 Kg Compressor Frame

Sand mould

Sand mould

Sand Moulding Processes

Sand Moulding Processes (cont.)

Sand Moulding Processes (cont.)

Two forms of mold: (a) open mold, simply a container in the shape of the desired part; and (b) closed mold, in which the mold geometry is more complex and requires a gating system (passageway) leading into the cavity

The Pattern
A full-sized model of the part, slightly enlarged to account for shrinkage and machining allowances in the casting Pattern materials:
Wood - common material because it is easy to work, but it warps Metal - more expensive to make, but lasts much longer Plastic - compromise between wood and metal

Types of patterns used in sand casting: (a) solid pattern (b) split pattern (c) match-plate pattern (d) cope and drag pattern

The Core
Full-scale model of interior surfaces of part It is inserted into the mold cavity prior to pouring The molten metal flows and solidifies between the mold cavity and the core to form the casting's external and internal surfaces May require supports to hold it in position in the mold cavity during pouring, called chaplets

Core held in place in the mold cavity by chaplets (b) possible chaplet design (c) casting with internal cavity

Sand Casting - Process variations

Green sand casting: the most common and the cheapest. Associated problems are that the mould has low strength and high moisture content. Dry sand: core boxes are used instead of patterns. Expensive and time consuming. Skin-dried sand: the mould is dried to a certain depth. Used in the casting of steels.

Sand Casting - Economic considerations

Production rates of 1-60 pieces/hour, but dependent on size. Lead time ranges from days to several weeks depending on complexity and size of casting. Material utilization is low to moderate - 20-50% of material lost in runners and risers. Both mould material and runners and risers may he recycled. Patterns are easy to make and set, and are reusable.

Sand Casting-Economic considerations

Pattern material dependent on the number of castings required. Easy to change design during production. Economical for low production runs. Can be used for one-offs. Tooling costs are low. Equipment costs are low. Direct labour costs are moderate to high. Can be labour intensive. Finishing costs can be high. Cleaning and fettling are important before secondary processing.

Process Parameters

Pouring

Desirable Mold Properties and Characteristics

Strength - to maintain shape and resist erosion Permeability - to allow hot air and gases to pass through voids in sand Thermal stability - to resist cracking on contact with molten metal Collapsibility - ability to give way and allow casting to shrink without cracking the casting Reusability - can sand from broken mold be reused to make other molds?

Sands
The sands used may be one of the following categories; naturally bonded (bank) - less expensive synthetic (lake) - this sand can have a variety of controlled compositions. Types of sand include, Zircon (ZrSiO4) - low thermal expansion Olivine (Mg2SiO4) - low thermal expansion Iron Silicate (Fe2SiO4) - low thermal expansion Chromite (FeCr2O4) - high heat transfer

Foundry Sands Silica (SiO2) or silica mixed with other minerals Good refractory properties - capacity to endure high temperatures Small grain size yields better surface finish on the cast part Large grain size is more permeable, to allow escape of gases during pouring Irregular grain shapes tend to strengthen molds due to interlocking, compared to round grains
Disadvantage: interlocking tends to reduce permeability

Types of Sand Mold

Green-sand molds - mixture of sand, clay, and water;
Green" means mold contains moisture at time of pouring

Dry-sand mold - organic binders rather than clay and mold is baked to improve strength Skin-dried mold - drying mold cavity surface of a green-sand mold to a depth of 10 to 25 mm, using torches or heating lamps

Other Expendable Mold Casting Processes

Shell Molding Vacuum Molding Expanded Polystyrene Process Investment Casting Plaster Mold and Ceramic Mold Casting