LABORATORY

MANUAL

CASTING SHOP
(BTMP-101-18)
[Link]. 1st Year- 1st/2nd Semester
Branch: CSE/IT/ECE/ME

Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran

(Mohali)
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

CASTING SHOP

In foundry shop, the finished products are casted from a semi finished raw material with help of
a manufacturing process called as casting process.

THEORY OF CASTING

PATTERN
A pattern is a model or the replica of the object (to be casted). It is embedded in molding sand
and suitable ramming of molding sand around the pattern is made. The pattern is then withdrawn
for generating cavity (known as mold) in molding sand.

COMMON PATTERN MATERIALS

The common materials used for making patterns are wood, metal, plastic, plaster, wax or
Mercury.

TYPES OF PATTERN

The types of the pattern and the description of each are given as under.

1. One piece or solid pattern

2. Two piece or split pattern
3. Cope and drag pattern
4. Three-piece or multi- piece pattern
5. Loose piece pattern
6. Match plate pattern
7. Follow board pattern
8. Gated pattern
9. Sweep pattern
10. Skeleton pattern
11. Segmental or part pattern

1. SINGLE-PIECE OR SOLID PATTERN: Solid pattern is made of single piece without

joints, partings lines or loose pieces. It is the simplest form of the pattern. Typical single piece
pattern
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

2. TWO-PIECE OR SPLIT PATTERN: When solid pattern is difficult for withdrawal from the
mold cavity, then solid pattern is split in two parts. Split pattern is made in two pieces which are
joined at the parting line by means of dowel pins. The splitting at the parting line is done to
facilitate the withdrawal of the pattern.

MOLDING SAND

The general sources of receiving molding sands are the beds of sea, rivers, lakes, granular
elements of rocks, and [Link] sands may be of two types namely natural or synthetic.
Natural molding sands contain sufficient binder. Whereas synthetic molding sands are prepared
artificially using basic sand molding constituents (silica sand in 88-92%, binder 6-12%, water or
moisture content 3-6%) and other additives in proper proportion by weight with perfect mixing
and mulling in suitable equipments.

BINDER

In general, the binders can be either inorganic or organic substance. The inorganic group includes
clay sodium silicate and port land cement etc. In foundry shop, the clay acts as binder which may
be Kaolonite, Ball Clay, Fire Clay, Limonite, Fuller’s earth and Bentonite. Binders included in
the organic group are dextrin, molasses, cereal binders, linseed oil and resins like phenol
formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde etc. Organic binders are mostly used for core [Link]
all the above binders, the bentonite variety of clay is the most common. However, this clay alone
cannot develop bonds among sand grins without the presence of moisture in molding sand and
core sand.
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

ADDITIVES

Additives are the materials generally added to the molding and core sand mixture to develop
some special property in the sand. Some common used additives for enhancing the properties of
molding and core sands are discussed as under.

1. COAL DUST: Coal dust is added mainly for producing a reducing atmosphere during
casting.
2. CORN FLOUR: It belongs to the starch family of carbohydrates and is used to increase the
collapsibility of the molding and core sand
3. DEXTRIN: Dextrin belongs to starch family of carbohydrates that behaves also in a manner
similar to that of the corn flour. It increases dry strength of the molds.
4. SEA COAL: Sea coal is the fine powdered bituminous coal which positions its place among
the pores of the silica sand grains in molding sand and core sand
5. WOOD FLOUR: This is a fibrous material mixed with a granular material like sand; its
relatively long thin fibers prevent the sand grains from making contact with one another.
6. SILICA FLOUR: It is called as pulverized silica and it can be easily added up to 3% which
increases the hot strength and finish on the surfaces of the molds and cores

KINDS OF MOULDING SAND

Molding sands can also be classified according to their use into number of varieties which are
described below.

1. GREEN SAND: Green sand is also known as tempered or natural sand which is a just
prepared mixture of silica sand with 18 to 30 percent clay, having moisture content from 6 to
8%. The clay and water furnish the bond for green sand. It is fine, soft, light, and porous.

2. DRY SAND: Green sand that has been dried or baked in suitable oven after the making mold
and cores, is called dry sand. It possesses more strength, rigidity and thermal stability.

3. LOAM SAND: Loam is mixture of sand and clay with water to a thin plastic paste. Loam
sand possesses high clay as much as 30-50% and 18% water.

4. FACING SAND: Facing sand is just prepared and forms the face of the mould. It is directly
next to the surface of the pattern and it comes into contact molten metal when the mould is
poured. Initial coating around the pattern and hence for mold surface is given by this sand.
This sand is subjected severest conditions and must possess, therefore, high strength
refractoriness.
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LANDRAN, MOHALI

5. BACKING SAND: Backing sand or floor sand is used to back up the facing sand and is used
to fill the whole volume of the molding flask.

6. PARTING SAND: Parting sand without binder and moisture is used to keep the green sand
not to stick to the pattern and also to allow the sand on the parting surface the cope and drag
to separate without clinging

7. CORE SAND: Core sand is used for making cores and it is sometimes also known as oil
sand. This is highly rich silica sand mixed with oil binders such as core oil which composed
of linseed oil, resin, light mineral oil and other bind materials.

PROPERTIES OF SAND

1. REFRACTORINESS can only be increased to a limited extent

2. PERMEABILITY: It is also termed as porosity of the molding sand in order to allow the
escape of any air, gases or moisture present or generated in the mould when the molten metal is
poured into it. All these gaseous generated during pouring and solidification process must escape
otherwise the casting becomes defective

3. COHESIVENESS: It is property of molding sand by virtue which the sand grain particles
interact and attract each other within the molding sand

4. GREEN STRENGTH: The green sand after water has been mixed into it, must have
sufficient strength and toughness to permit the making and handling of the mould. For this,
the sand grains must be adhesive, i.e. thev must be capable of attaching themselves to another
body

5. DRY STRENGTH: As soon as the molten metal is poured into the mould, the moisture in
the sand layer adjacent to the hot metal gets evaporated and this dry sand layer must have
sufficient strength to its shape in order to avoid erosion of mould wall during the flow of
molten metal

6. FLOWABILITY OR PLASTICITY: It is the ability of the sand to get compacted and

behave like a fluid. It will flow uniformly to all portions of pattern when rammed and
distribute the ramming pressure evenly all around in all directions

7. ADHESIVENESS: It is property of molding sand to get stick or adhere with foreign material
such sticking of molding sand with inner wall of molding box.
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

8. COLLAPSIBILITY: After the molten metal in the mould gets solidified, the sand mould
must be collapsible so that free contraction of the metal occurs and this would naturally avoid
the tearing or cracking of the contracting metal

HAND TOOLS USED IN FOUNDRY SHOP

HAND RIDDLE: It consists of a screen of standard circular wire mesh equipped with
circular wooden frame. It is generally used for cleaning the sand for removing foreign material
such as nails, shot metal, splinters of wood etc. from it. Even power operated riddles are
available for riddling large volume of sand.

SHOVEL: It consists of a steel pan fitted with a long wooden handle. It is used in mixing,
tempering and conditioning the foundry sand by hand. It is also used for moving and
transforming the molding sand to the container and molding box or flask.

RAMMERS: Rammers are shown in Fig. These are required for striking the molding sand mass
in the molding box to pack or compact it uniformly all around the pattern.

SPRUE PIN: It is a tapered rod of wood or iron which is placed or pushed in cope to join mold
cavity while the molding sand in the cope is being rammed.
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

TROWELS: These are used for finishing flat surfaces and comers inside a mould. Common
shapes of trowels are shown as under. They are made of iron with a wooden handle.

LIFTER : A lifter is a finishing tool used for repairing the mould and finishing the mould sand.
Lifter is also used for removing loose sand mould.

STRIKE OFF BAR: It is a flat bar, made of wood or iron to strike off the excess sand from the
top of a box after ramming. It’s one edge made beveled and surface perfectly smooth and plane.

VENT WIRE: It is a thin steel rod or wire carrying a pointed edgeat one end and a wooden
handle or a bent loop at the other. After ramming and striking off the excess sand it is used to
make small holes, called vents, in sand mould to allow exit of gases and steam during casting.

SLICKS: They are also recognized as small double ended mold finishing tool which are
generally used for repairing and finishing the mold surfaces

SWAB: Swab It is a small hemp fiber brush used for moistening the edges of sand mould, which
are in contact with the pattern surface before withdrawing the pattern. It is used for sweeping
away the molding sand from the mold surface and pattern.

GATE CUTTER: Gate cutter is a small shaped piece of sheet metal commonly used to cut
runners and feeding gates for connecting sprue hole with the mold cavity.

BELLOWS: Bellows gun It is hand operated leather made device equipped with compressed air
jet to blow or pump air when operated. It is used to blow away the loose or unwanted sand from
the surfaces of mold cavities.
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

DRAW SPIKE: Draw spike is a tapered steel rod having a loop or ring at its one end and a sharp
point at the other. It may have screw threads on the end to engage metal pattern for it withdrawal
from the mold.

SPRUE PIN: It is a tapered wooden pin, used to make a hole in the cope through which the
molten metal is poured into the mould.

MOULDING BOX: Moulding box is also called moulding flask. It is frame or box of wood or
metal. It is made of two parts cope and drag as shown in figure.
 CHANDIGARH ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

LANDRAN, MOHALI

JOB

OBJECTIVE: : To prepare a v-block mould by floor moldings process and sand mould casting.

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP/EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS/TOOLS:

Pattern, Moulding boxes, Rammer, Well prepared Moulding sand (green sand), Trowel, Wood
smother, Strike off bar, Sprue cutter, Draw spike, Lifter, Slicks, Bellow, Small brush, Mallet,
Vent wire, Furnace, Chisel, Hummer, Wire brush, Hacksaw, grinder, and file.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: Lead (Melting Temperature = 3500C)

PROCEDURE:

1. Select a mounding box suitable for then pattern provided. It should be large enough to allow
some space around the pattern for ramming of sand.
2. Place the drag part of the moulding box upside down on the floor and place the lower part of
the pattern in the center of the drag. The drag is then filled and rammed properly with well –
prepared green sand. The excess sand is then cut off to bring it in level with the edges of the
drug with the help of a strike of bar. Then drag is turned downside up along with lower half
pattern in it and sprinkle small amount of parting sand over the top surface to avoid sticking.
Now turn the drag up side down with lower half of the pattern in it.
3. Place the cope over the drag in its proper position in alignment with locking pins. Then
assemble top part of the pattern in it.
4. Sprinkle parting sand over the surface of the drag and the pattern.
5. Place the runner and riser in position and fill the cope with green sand and ram it properly.
Cut off excess sand to bring it in level with the edges of the cope.
6. Remove the runner and riser to from the pour basin.
7. Using a venting wire perform the venting operation. It is done to allow exit of gases and
steam generated during pouring.
8. Remove the cope from the drag, and three after remove the pattern from cope and drag.
9. Repair the mould cavity for any small damage caused while removing the pattern; cavity
should be free from any undesirable sand particles.
10. The cope and drag are then locked with locking pins. The mould is thus ready for pouring.
11. Melt the metal, and then pour the molten metal through pouring basin continuously till the
riser is filled and allow it to solidify.
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LANDRAN, MOHALI

12. The solidified casting is then removed by breaking the mould and cleaned by removing
adhering sand. The sand is recycled and reused.

PRECAUTIONS
1. Ramming of filled sand should be proper and uniform throughout surface of drug and cope.
2. Place the pattern in the drag properly.
3. Make the gate properly with broadening at the gate point.
4. The cope and drag should fit properly.
5. Take out the pattern carefully causing minimum damage.
6. Molten metal should be poured in to the mould cavity carefully, to avoid any accident.
7. The riser should be filled completely.
8. Do not touch casting immediately after from the sand mould.

MOULDING JOB:

RELATED SHORT QUESTION FOR CASTING SHOP

1. What is the moulding sand.
2. Write down how many hand tools for making mould.
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LANDRAN, MOHALI

3. What do you mean by mould.

4. What are the function of a pattern.?
5. Why wood is common pattern material?
6. What do you mean metal casting?
7. As per industry point of view application of casting.
8. Requirements of a good pattern.
9. How many types of pattern material used in casting industry.
10. List of types of pattern used in casting

APPROVED BY: - PREPARED BY:-

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT LAB INCHARGE