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Routine test procedures on moulding sand-preparation of standard test pieces

Control of moulding-sand quality requires the regular testing of samplesof the sand to determine its moisture content, permeability, green strength and shatter index. All of these tests, with the exception of moisture content, employ standard cylindrical test pieces, 50 mm dia. x 50 mm or 2 in dia. x 2 in, made from the sand being controlled. It is essentialthat thesetest piecesare prepared correctly.

Sand sampling In order to obtain accurateand reproducible test results, a representativesample of the prepared sand should be taken at the moulding station according to the procedures given in BCIRA Broadsheet 16-17: Routine test procedureson foundry sands-sampling preparedgreensands. Preparation of 2 in dia. x 2 in AFS test pieces The standardAFS cylindrical test pieceof 2 in dia. x 2 in is made by dropping a 14 lb weight three times through a height of 2 in onto the appropriate quantity of sandin a special container. The method of preparation of the test piece is as follows: 1 The quantity of sandrequired to form the test pieceis weighedout-160 g is a suitable initial trial weight to use. 2 The sand is placedin a S in high specialtube with an internal diameter of 2 in, the baseof which has been sealed by a suitable metal base-plug or metal cup, whichever is appropriate. 3 The weight on the rammer is raised by meansof the handle provided on the side of the equipment. 4 The specimentube and base plug, or cup, are then placedunder the ramming head with the centralizing peg on the metal plug located in the hole of the base plate. S The rammer head and weight are lowered until they are supported by the sand in the container. 6 The rammer weight is raised by rotating the handle attached to the apparatus and allowed to fall freely through a 2 in height determined by the caIn on the equipment. 7 This operation is repeatedtwice to ram three times in total. S After the third ramming, the gauge mark on the upper end of the rammer rod should be betweenthe limits set on the tolerance scale, to give a specimen height of 2:tt. in.

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Ridsdaie-Dietert rammer suitable for the production of standard AFS sand specimens. The rammer is shown mounted on a cast iron plate over a concrete support piOar.

9 If the specimen height is not within the tolerance allowed, the test piece is discarded and another prepared with suitable adjustment to the weight of sand taken. 10 The specimentube is removed from the rammer by raising the weight and, for greenstrengthtests only, the test piece can be stripped from the tube on a suitable stripping-post.
. Revised Feb 85.

Preparation of 50 mm dia. x 50 mm DINtest

pieces These test pieces are prepared in the sameway as the AFS test pieces,except that the metric test pieceis made by dropping a 6.7 kg weight three times through a height of SOrom, and the allowed toleranceof the test piece is SO:t 0.3 rom. The specimencontainer should be a tube 140 rom high with an internal diameter of SOrom.

Precautions
To obtain accurateresults, the following points must be observed: 1 The ramming apparatusmust be bolted to a solid base such as a concreteor brick pillar. Alternatively, it may be supported on a stout wooden bench provided that a metal slab 50-75 mm thick is fitted under the rammer base.Failure to observethis precaution will result in a reduced ramming action giving rise to incorrect results. 2 The intervals between the three blows should be standardized,and it is suggested that the blows should be regulated to a frequency of 1 blow/so 3 The sand should be evenly distributed in the test-piece tube prior to ramming, preferably by use of a funnel. 4 The minimum wall thickness of the tube should be 2.4 mm (A in) and it should be made from a hard corrosion-resisting material, preferably hardchromium-plated or nitrided steel. 5 The inside of the specimentube must be kept clean and smooth. A badly scouredtube would give irregular ra!J1~ingof the specimen,difficulty with stripping and inaccurateresults. 6 The ramming apparatusshould be kept clean,with the ramming-weight post and lifting-arm kept weIllubricated with a light oil.

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A Geoqe FischersandrammerType PM (DIN). 7 When stripping the test piece from the tube useonly a suitable 50 mm dia., or 2 in dia., stripping-post, an even pressUre being applied to the outside of the container forcing it slowly downwards.
RECOMMENDED FURTHER READING
AMERICAN FOUNDRYMEN'S SOCIETY. Mold and core test hand-

book. 1978, Des Plaines, m., AFS, Sections3-5 to 3-12. Ouruw AITE, J. Recent trends in greensandpractice. British FoundlYnJan,April 1967, vol. 60, 143-159.

Members can obtain free copies of any BCIRABroadsheetfrom BCIRA,Alvechurch, Birmingham B487QB
@ 1985 BCIRA