[ Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes ]

Seab Piseth | [email protected] |

Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Institute of Technology of Cambodia

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Metal Casting Processes

1. Sand Casting
2. Other Expendable Mold Casting Processes
3. Permanent Mold Casting Processes
4. Foundry Practice
5. Casting Quality
6. Metals for Casting
7. Product Design Considerations

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Two Categories of Casting Processes

1. Expendable mold processes - mold is sacrificed

to remove part
• Advantage: more complex shapes possible
• Disadvantage: production rates often limited by time
to make mold rather than casting itself
2. Permanent mold processes - mold is made of
metal and can be used to make many castings
• Advantage: higher production rates
• Disadvantage: geometries limited by need to open
mold

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Overview of Sand Casting

•Most widely used casting process, accounting for a

significant majority of total tonnage cast
•Nearly all alloys can be sand casted, including
metals with high melting temperatures, such as
steel, nickel, and titanium
•Castings range in size from small to very large
•Production quantities from one to millions

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Overview of Sand Casting

Figure 11.1 A large sand casting weighing over 680 kg (1500 lb) for an
air compressor frame (photo courtesy of Elkhart Foundry).

Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes

 Steps in Sand Casting

1. Pour the molten metal into sand mold

2. Allow time for metal to solidify
3. Break up the mold to remove casting
4. Clean and inspect casting
• Separate gating and riser system
5. Heat treatment of casting is sometimes required
to improve metallurgical properties

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Making the Sand Mold

•The cavity in the sand mold is formed by packing

sand around a pattern, then separating the mold into
two halves and removing the pattern
•The mold must also contain gating and riser system
•If casting is to have internal surfaces, a core must
be included in mold
•A new sand mold must be made for each part
produced

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Sand Casting Production Sequence

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Types of 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

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 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
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_mCwRNDYQw
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZqMzBq1ZWc
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2crG9LgAumA

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Desirable Mold Properties
• 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?

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 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, allowing gases to
escape during pouring
• Irregular grain shapes strengthen molds due to
interlocking, compared to round grains
• Disadvantage: interlocking tends to reduce permeability

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Binders Used with Foundry Sands

•Sand is held together by a mixture of water and

bonding clay
• Typical mix: 90% sand, 3% water, and 7% clay
•Other bonding agents also used in sand molds:
• Organic resins (e g , phenolic resins)
• Inorganic binders (e g , sodium silicate and phosphate)
•Additives are sometimes combined with the
mixture to increase strength and/or permeability

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 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

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Buoyancy in Sand Casting Operation
•During pouring, buoyancy of the molten metal
tends to displace the core, which can cause casting
to be defective
•Force tending to lift core = weight of displaced
liquid less the weight of core itself
Fb = Wm - Wc
where Fb = buoyancy force; Wm = weight of molten
metal displaced; and Wc = weight of core

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Other Expendable Mold Processes

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

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Shell Molding
Casting process in which the mold is a thin shell of sand held together by
thermosetting resin binder

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m/watch?v=x7mNoLA2
e18

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Disadvantages

•Advantages of shell molding:

• Smoother cavity surface permits easier flow of molten
metal and better surface finish
• Good dimensional accuracy - machining often not
required
• Mold collapsibility minimizes cracks in casting
• Can be mechanized for mass production
•Disadvantages:
• More expensive metal pattern
• Difficult to justify for small quantities

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Vacuum Molding

Uses sand mold held together by vacuum pressure

rather than by a chemical binder
•The term "vacuum" refers to mold making rather
than casting operation itself
•Developed in Japan around 1970

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Vacuum Molding

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om/watch?v=bSTvt8F
Hh2M

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Disadvantages
•Advantages of vacuum molding:
• Easy recovery of the sand, since no binders
• Sand does not require mechanical reconditioning done
when binders are used
• Since no water is mixed with sand, moisture-related
defects are absent
•Disadvantages:
• Slow process
• Not readily adaptable to mechanization

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Expanded Polystyrene Process

Uses a mold of sand packed around a polystyrene foam

pattern which vaporizes when molten metal is poured into
mold
• Other names: lost-foam process, lost pattern process,
evaporative-foam process, and full-mold process
• Polystyrene foam pattern includes sprue, risers, gating
system, and internal cores (if needed)
• Mold does not have to be opened into cope and drag
sections

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Expanded Polystyrene Process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bYVQ8ypHss
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Disadvantages

•Advantages of expanded polystyrene process:

• Pattern need not be removed from the mold
• Simplifies and speeds mold-making, because two mold
halves are not required as in a conventional green-sand
mold
•Disadvantages:
• A new pattern is needed for every casting
• Economic justification of the process is highly
dependent on cost of producing patterns

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Expanded Polystyrene Process
• Applications:
• Mass production of castings for automobile engines
• Automated and integrated manufacturing systems are
used to
1.Mold the polystyrene foam patterns and
then
2.Feed them to the downstream casting
operation

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Investment Casting (Lost Wax Process)

A pattern made of wax is coated with a refractory

material to make mold, after which wax is melted
away prior to pouring molten metal
•"Investment" comes from a less familiar definition
of "invest" - "to cover completely," which refers to
coating of refractory material around wax pattern
•It is a precision casting process - capable of
producing castings of high accuracy and intricate
detail

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Investment Casting

Steps in investment casting: (1) wax patterns are produced; (2) several patterns are attached to
a sprue to form a pattern tree; (3) the pattern tree is coated with a thin layer of refractory
material; (4) the full mold is formed by covering the coated tree with sufficient refractory
material to make it rigid

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Investment Casting

Steps in investment casting: (5) the mold is held in an inverted position and heated to melt the
wax and permit it to drip out of the cavity; (6) the mold is preheated to a high temperature,
which ensures that all contaminants are eliminated from the mold; it also permits the liquid
metal to flow more easily into the detailed cavity; the molten metal is poured; it solidifies; and
(7) the mold is broken away from the finished casting. Parts are separated from the sprue.
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Investment Casting

Figure 11 9 A one-piece compressor stator with 108 separate airfoils made by

investment casting (photo courtesy of Howmet Corp.).
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages of investment casting:

• Parts of great complexity and intricacy can be cast
• Close dimensional control and good surface finish
• Wax can usually be recovered for reuse
• Additional machining is not normally required - this is a net
shape process
• Disadvantages
• Many processing steps are required
• Relatively expensive process

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Plaster Mold Casting

Similar to sand casting except mold is made of plaster of

Paris (gypsum - CaSO4-2H2O)
• In mold-making, plaster and water mixture is poured over
plastic or metal pattern and allowed to set
• Wood patterns not generally used due to extended contact with
water
• Plaster mixture readily flows around pattern, capturing its
fine details and good surface finish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQAOLeOwg-k

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Disadvantages

•Advantages of plaster mold casting:

• Good accuracy and surface finish
• Capability to make thin cross-sections
•Disadvantages:
• Mold must be baked to remove moisture, which can
cause problems in casting
• Mold strength is lost if over-baked
• Plaster molds cannot stand high temperatures, so limited
to lower melting point alloys

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Ceramic Mold Casting

Similar to plaster mold casting except that mold is made of

refractory ceramic material that can withstand higher
temperatures than plaster
• Can be used to cast steels, cast irons, and other
high-temperature alloys
• Applications similar to those of plaster mold casting except
for the metals cast
• Advantages (good accuracy and finish) also similar

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Permanent Mold Casting Processes

• Economic disadvantage of expendable mold casting: a

new mold is required for every casting
• In permanent mold casting, the mold is reused many times
• The processes include:
• Basic permanent mold casting
• Die casting
• Centrifugal casting

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 The Basic Permanent Mold Process

Uses a metal mold constructed of two sections designed for

easy, precise opening and closing
• Molds used for casting lower melting point alloys are
commonly made of steel or cast iron
• Molds used for casting steel must be made of refractory
material, due to the very high pouring temperatures

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Permanent Mold Casting

Steps in permanent-mold casting: (1) mold is preheated and coated; (2) cores (if used) are
inserted, and mold is closed

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Permanent Mold Casting

Steps in permanent-mold casting: (3) molten metal is poured into the mold; and (4) mold is
opened. Finished part is shown in (5).

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Limitations

• Advantages of permanent mold casting:

• Good dimensional control and surface finish
• More rapid solidification caused by the cold metal mold results
in a finer grain structure, so castings are stronger
• Limitations:
• Generally limited to metals of lower melting point
• Simpler part geometries compared to sand casting because of
need to open the mold
• High cost of mold

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Applications of Permanent Mold Casting

• Due to high mold cost, process is best suited to high

volume production and can be automated accordingly
• Typical parts: automotive pistons, pump bodies, and
certain castings for aircraft and missiles
• Metals commonly cast: aluminum, magnesium,
copper-base alloys, and cast iron

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Die Casting

A permanent mold casting process in which molten metal is

injected into mold cavity under high pressure
• Pressure is maintained during solidification, then mold is
opened and part is removed
• Molds in this casting operation are called dies; hence the
name die casting
• Use of high pressure to force metal into die cavity is what
distinguishes this from other permanent mold processes

Die Casting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj_mjjUQad8

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Die Casting Machines

• Designed to hold and accurately close two mold

halves and keep them closed while liquid metal
is forced into cavity
• Two main types:
1. Hot-chamber machine
2. Cold-chamber machine

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Hot-Chamber Die Casting

Metal is melted in a container, and a piston injects liquid

metal under high pressure into the die
• High production rates - 500 parts per hour not uncommon
• Applications limited to low melting-point metals that do
not chemically attack plunger and other mechanical
components
• Casting metals: zinc, tin, lead, and magnesium

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Hot-Chamber Die Casting

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Cold-Chamber Die Casting Machine

Molten metal is poured into unheated chamber from

external melting container, and a piston injects metal
under high pressure into die cavity
• High production but not usually as fast as hot-chamber
machines because of pouring step
• Casting metals: aluminum, brass, and magnesium alloys
• Advantages of hot-chamber process favor its use on low
melting-point alloys (zinc, tin, lead)

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Cold-Chamber Die Casting Machine

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Molds for Die Casting

• Usually made of tool steel, mold steel, or maraging steel

• Tungsten and molybdenum (good refractory qualities)
used to die cast steel and cast iron
• Ejector pins required to remove part from die when it
opens
• Lubricants must be sprayed into cavities to prevent
sticking

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Advantages and Limitations

• Advantages of die casting:

• Economical for large production quantities
• Good accuracy and surface finish
• Thin sections are possible
• Rapid cooling provides small grain size and good strength to
casting
• Disadvantages:
• Generally limited to metals with low metal points
• Part geometry must allow removal from die

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Centrifugal Casting

A family of casting processes in which the mold is rotated at

high speed so centrifugal force distributes molten metal to
outer regions of die cavity
• The group includes:
• True centrifugal casting
• Semicentrifugal casting
• Centrifuge casting

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 True Centrifugal Casting

Molten metal is poured into rotating mold to produce a

tubular part
• In some operations, mold rotation commences after
pouring rather than before
• Parts: pipes, tubes, bushings, and rings
• Outside shape of casting can be round, octagonal,
hexagonal, etc , but inside shape is (theoretically)
perfectly round, due to radially symmetric forces

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 True Centrifugal Casting

Setup for true centrifugal casting.

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 True Centrifugal Casting

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 True Centrifugal Casting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-HEJe_OrZg
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Semicentrifugal Casting
Centrifugal force is used to produce solid castings rather than tubular parts
• Molds are designed with risers at center to supply feed metal
• Density of metal in final casting is greater in outer sections than at center of
rotation
• Often used on parts in which center of casting is machined away, thus
eliminating the portion where quality is lowest
• Examples: wheels and pulleys

Semicentrifugal Casting

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Centrifuge Casting
Mold is designed with part cavities located away from axis of rotation,
so that molten metal poured into mold is distributed to these cavities
by centrifugal force
• Used for smaller parts
• Radial symmetry of part is not required as in other centrifugal casting
methods

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Furnaces for Casting Processes

• The types of furnaces most commonly used in foundries

are:
• Cupolas
• Direct fuel-fired furnaces
• Crucible furnaces
• Electric-arc furnaces
• Induction furnaces

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Cupolas

Vertical cylindrical furnace equipped with tapping spout

near base
• Used only for cast irons
• Although other furnaces are also used, the largest tonnage of
cast iron is melted in cupolas
• The "charge," consisting of iron, coke, flux, and possible
alloying elements, is loaded through a charging door
located less than halfway up height of cupola

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Cupolas

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Direct Fuel-Fired Furnaces

Small open-hearth in which charge is heated by natural gas

fuel burners located on side of furnace
• Furnace roof assists heating action by reflecting flame
down against charge
• At bottom of hearth is a tap hole to release molten metal
• Generally used for nonferrous metals such as copper-base
alloys and aluminum

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Crucible Furnaces

Metal is melted without direct contact with burning fuel

mixture
• Sometimes called indirect fuel-fired furnaces
• Container (crucible) is made of refractory material or
high-temperature steel alloy
• Used for nonferrous metals such as bronze, brass, and
alloys of zinc and aluminum
• Three types used in foundries: (a) lift-out type, (b)
stationary, (c) tilting

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Crucible Furnaces

Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes

 Electric-Arc Furnaces
Charge is melted by heat generated from an electric arc
• High power consumption, but electric-arc furnaces can be
designed for high melting capacity
• Used primarily for melting steel

Figure 6.9 Electric arc furnace for steelmaking

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Induction Furnaces
Uses alternating current passing through a coil to develop
magnetic field in metal
• Induced current causes rapid heating and melting
• Electromagnetic force field also causes mixing action in
liquid metal
• Since metal does not contact heating elements,
environment can be closely controlled to produce molten
metals of high quality and purity
• Melting steel, cast iron, and aluminum alloys are common
applications in foundry work

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Induction Furnaces

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Pouring, Cleaning, and Heat Treatment

Ladles
• Moving molten metal from melting furnace to mold is
sometimes done using crucibles
• More often, transfer is accomplished by ladles

Two common types of ladles: (a) crane ladle and (b) two-man ladle.
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Additional Steps After Solidification

•Trimming
•Removing the core
•Surface cleaning
•Inspection
•Repair, if required
•Heat treatment

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Trimming

Removal of sprues, runners, risers, parting-line flash, fins,

chaplets, and any other excess metal from the cast part
• For brittle casting alloys and when cross sections are
relatively small, appendages can be broken off
• Otherwise, hammering, shearing, hack-sawing,
band-sawing, abrasive wheel cutting, or various torch
cutting methods are used

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Removing the Core

If cores have been used, they must be removed

• Most cores are bonded, and they often fall out of casting
as the binder deteriorates
• In some cases, they are removed by shaking casting,
either manually or mechanically
• In rare cases, cores are removed by chemically
dissolving bonding agent
• Solid cores must be hammered or pressed out

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Surface Cleaning

Removal of sand from casting surface and otherwise

enhancing appearance of surface
• Cleaning methods: tumbling, air-blasting with coarse
sand grit or metal shot, wire brushing, buffing, and
chemical pickling
• Surface cleaning is most important for sand casting
• In many permanent mold processes, this step can be avoided
• Defects are possible in casting, and inspection is needed
to detect their presence

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Heat Treatment

•Castings are often heat treated to enhance

properties
•Reasons for heat treating a casting:
• For subsequent processing operations such as
machining
• To bring out the desired properties for the application of
the part in service

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Casting Quality

• There are numerous opportunities for things to go wrong

in a casting operation, resulting in quality defects in the
product
• The defects can be classified as follows:
• General defects common to all casting processes
• Defects related to sand casting process

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Casting Defects

Some common defects in castings

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Casting Defects
(d) Shrinkage cavity is a depression in the surface or an internal void in the casting,
caused by solidification shrinkage that restricts the amount of molten metal available
in the last region to freeze.
(e) Microporosity consists of a network of small voids distributed throughout the casting
caused by localized solidification shrinkage of the final molten metal in the dendritic structure.
The defect is usually associated with alloys, because of the protracted manner in which freezing
occurs in these metals.
(f) Hot tearing, also called hot cracking, occurs when the casting is restrained from
contraction by an unyielding mold during the final stages of solidification or early stages of
cooling after solidification. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGNDMLyx_uE&t=214s

Some common defects in castings

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Casting Defects
(a) Sand blow is a defect consisting of a balloon-shaped gas cavity caused by release of mold
gases during pouring. It occurs at or below the casting surface near the top of
the casting. Low permeability, poor venting, and high moisture content of the sand mold are the
usual causes.
(b) Pinholes, also caused by release of gases during pouring, consist of many small gas cavities
formed at or slightly below the surface of the casting.
(c) Sand wash, which is an irregularity in the surface of the casting that results from
erosion of the sand mold during pouring, and the contour of the erosion is formed in
the surface of the final cast part.
(d) Scabs are rough areas on the surface of the casting due to encrustations of sand and​metal. It
is caused by portions of the mold surface flaking off during solidification and becoming
imbedded in the casting surface.

Common defects in sand castings: (a) sand blow, (b) pin holes, (c) sand wash, (d) scabs
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Casting Defects
(e) Penetration refers to a surface defect that occurs when the fluidity of the liquid metals
high, and it penetrates into the sand mold or sand core. Upon freezing, the casting​surface
consists of a mixture of sand grains and metal. Harder packing of the sand​mold helps to
alleviate this condition.
(f) Mold shift refers to a defect caused by a sidewise displacement of the mold cope
relative to the drag, the result of which is a step in the cast product at the parting line.
(g) Core shift is similar to mold shift, but it is the core that is displaced, and the
displacement is usually vertical. Core shift and mold shift are caused by buoyancy of
the molten metal.
(h) Mold crack occurs when mold strength is insufficient, and a crack develops, into
which liquid metal can seep to form a ‘‘fin’’ on the final casting.

(e) penetration, (f) mold​shift, (g) core shift, and​(h) mold crack.
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Inspection Methods
Foundry inspection procedures include:
• (1) visual inspection to detect obvious defects such as misruns, cold
shuts, and severe surface flaws;
• (2) dimensional measurements to ensure that tolerances have been
met; and
• (3) metallurgical, chemical, physical, and other tests concerned with
the inherent quality of the cast metal.
Tests in category (3) include:
• (a) pressure testing—to locate leaks in the casting;
• (b) radiographic methods, magnetic particle tests, the use of
fluorescent penetrants, and supersonic testing—to detect either
surface or internal defects in the casting; and
• (c) mechanical testing to determine properties such as tensile strength
and hardness.
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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Metals for Casting

•Most commercial castings are made of alloys

rather than pure metals
• Alloys are generally easier to cast, and properties of
product are better
•Casting alloys can be classified as:
• Ferrous
• Nonferrous

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Ferrous Casting Alloys: Cast Iron

• Most important of all casting alloys

• Tonnage of cast iron castings is several times that of all
other metals combined
• Several types: (1) gray cast iron, (2) nodular iron, (3)
white cast iron, (4) malleable iron, and (5) alloy cast
irons
• Typical pouring temperatures  1400C (2500F),
depending on composition

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Ferrous Casting Alloys: Steel

• The mechanical properties of steel make it an attractive

engineering material
• The capability to create complex geometries makes casting
an attractive shaping process
• Difficulties when casting steel:
• Pouring temperature of steel is higher than for most other casting
metals  1650C (3000F)
• At such temperatures, steel readily oxidizes, so molten metal
must be isolated from air
• Molten steel has relatively poor fluidity

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Nonferrous Casting Alloys: Aluminum

• Generally considered to be very castable

• Pouring temperatures low due to low melting temperature
of aluminum
• Tm = 660C (1220F)
• Properties:
• Light weight
• Range of strength properties by heat treatment
• Easy to machine

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Nonferrous Casting Alloys: Copper Alloys

• Includes bronze, brass, and aluminum bronze

• Properties:
• Corrosion resistance
• Attractive appearance
• Good bearing qualities
• Limitation: high cost of copper
• Applications: pipe fittings, marine propeller blades, pump
components, ornamental jewelry

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Nonferrous Casting Alloys: Zinc Alloys

•Highly castable, commonly used in die casting

•Low melting point – melting point of zinc Tm =
419C (786F)
•Good fluidity for ease of casting
•Properties:
• Low creep strength, so castings cannot be subjected to
prolonged high stresses

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes
 Product Design Considerations

•Geometric simplicity:
• Although casting can be used to produce complex part
geometries, simplifying the part design usually
improves castability
• Avoiding unnecessary complexities:
•Simplifies mold-making
•Reduces the need for cores
•Improves the strength of the casting

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Geometric simplicity.
• Avoiding unnecessary complexities simplifies mold making, reduces the need for
cores, and improves the strength of the casting.
Corners
• Sharp corners and angles should be avoided, because they are sources of stress
concentrations and may cause hot tearing and cracks in the casting.
Section thicknesses
• Section thicknesses should be uniform in order to avoid shrinkage cavities.
Thicker sections create hot spots in the casting, because greater volume requires
more time for solidification and cooling. These are likely locations of shrinkage
cavities.

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Draft:
• In expendable mold casting, draft facilitates removal of pattern from mold
• Draft = 1 for sand casting
• In permanent mold casting, purpose is to aid in removal of the part from the
mold
• Draft = 2 to 3 for permanent mold processes
• Similar tapers should be allowed if solid cores are used
Use of cores: Minor changes in part design can reduce the need for
coring,

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Dimensional tolerances: There are significant differences in the
dimensional accuracies that can be achieved in castings,
depending on which process is used.

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Surface finish: Typical surface roughness achieved in

sand casting is around 6 µm (250 µ-in).
• poor finishes are obtained in shell molding, while plaster-mold
and investment casting produce much better roughness values:
0.75 µm (30 m-in).
• permanent-mold processes, die casting is noted for good surface
finishes at around 1 µm (40 µ-in).
Machining Allowances:
• Almost all sand castings must be machined to achieve the
required dimensions and part features
• Additional material, called the machining allowance, is left on
the casting in those surfaces where machining is necessary
• Typical machining allowances for sand castings are around 1.5
and 3 mm (1/16 and 1/4 in)
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 Homework

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Chapter 2: Metal Casting Processes