Experience of Mr. A. P.

Dongrey Shared for the benefit of Foundrymen

Mr. Arun P. Dongrey

Dongrey & Associates
Ahmednagar Ph.No. 0241-2421242 ap_dongrey@sancharnet.in

Adaptor Plate

How Improved Gating Helped Solve Punching-difficulty

Introduction
Adaptor Plate: Problem
After complete assembly, the machine is punched for identification. Punching is done on the adaptor plate at a particular spot. Many times, punching was found very difficult, as hardness at the location was found excessive. This resulted in un-clear marking and also Necessitating more than one hammer-blow to the casting. Slippage while punching has also been a cause of injury to the operator.

Punching Location
Punching location is depicted by the arrow in the photo and the front view of the casting.

Description & Salient Details

The castings are poured in cast iron FG 220. The sketch of the gating shown depicts inside castings of inserts. As a general practice in some cast iron castings, empty space on a match plate is utilized by fixing some other patterns. The patterns shown inside the adaptor plate pattern has no other significance than additional production with the same efforts of the molders.

Limitations In problem-solving
For reducing hardness of the casting, chemistry could not be changed, as metal grade-specifications were fixed. Pouring-temperature could not be increased, as this would increase shrinkage-tendencies in the casting.

Study of the Gating System

Metal used to be introduced into the mould-cavity from the gating system as shown. Thus, when metal reached the said location (shown by arrow), it would cool at a fast rate, resulting in combined Structure (cementite) and this would make the punching difficult.

Reason of Earlier Faulty Gating As the casting is almost symmetrical, gating had been provided without considering the fact that punching is required at a particular spot and that the wrong gating could result in punching-difficulty.

Solution
Metal was introduced in to the mould cavity from a relatively nearby location. This would result in slower cooling of the particular spot of punching'. For pouring difficulty, location of the gating system on the match-plate was kept the same and the pattern was revolved on the plate, so as to suit the new metal- entry in to the mould-cavity

Metallurgical Principles Used Iso-thermal Cooling Curves

Principles Used
Continuous Cooling Diagram

Conclusion
All the castings poured after modification were acceptable. Thus, the theoretical application of basic metallurgical principles has helped solve the problem.