ME8351 

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY I
UNIT I METAL CASTING PROCESSES
Sand Casting : Sand Mould – Type of patterns – Pattern Materials – Pattern allowances –
Moulding sand Properties and testing – Cores –Types and applications – Moulding machines– Types and
applications; Melting furnaces : Blast and Cupola Furnaces; Principle of special casting processes : Shell –
investment – Ceramic mould – Pressure die casting – Centrifugal Casting – CO2 process – Stir casting;
Defects in Sand casting

Session I

Objective

To study about sand : Sand Mould – Type of patterns – Pattern Materials – Pattern

Terminology

1.Casting 2.Mould 3.Pattern

INTRODUCTION

In engineering industries, most of the components are made by ferrous and non-
ferrous metals such as iron, steel, aluminium, etc. some of the complicated shapes may
not be produced on the components with conventional machining processes.

SAND CASTING

Casting is one of the processes used for making components of complicated shapes in
larger quantity. It is the process of producing metal parts by pouring molten metal into the
mould cavity of the required shape and allowing the metal to solidify. The solidified
metal piece is called as "casting".

A plant where the castings are made is called a "Foundry". Therefore, it is a collection
of necessary materials, tools and equipments to produce castings.

SAND MOULDS

Mould is the cavity of the required shape made in moulding sand or in other material
The process of moulding consists of all operations done to make a mould.

Pattern is the model of the required casting made in wood, metal or plastics. It is
primarily used to produce the mould cavity in sand. The important processes involved in
foundry arc i. Pattern making ii. Mould making Casting

PATTERN AND PATTERN MAKING.

A pattern is one of the important tools used for making cavities in the mould into
which molten metal is poured to produce a casting. We have already seen that it is the model
of the part to be produced however there are certain essential differences.
TYPES OF PATTERNS

Patterns are classified according to the usage and forms of the patterns. The following
factors are very useful for selection of patterns

 Size and complexity of the shape

 Number of components to be produced
 Method of castings to be used

The following types of patterns are normally used in foundry:

1. Solid or single piece pattern

2. Split pattern

3. Loose piece pattern

4. Match plate pattern

5. Sweep pattern

6. Skeleton pattern

7. Segmental pattern

8. Shell pattern

SOLID PATTERN OR SINGLE PIECE PATTERN

These types of patterns arc made of single solid piece without joints, partings or loose
piece. Therefore, it is called solid or one-piece pattern. It is made exactly into the desired
.casting to be produced with some allowances. It is used for making a few large size simple
castings. Removal of pattern from the sand is Fig 1.1 Solid pattern easy.

SPLIT PATTERN

One pattern which is having complex geometry cannot be removed upper part
from mould if they are made by single piece. Generally split pattern is made into two parts.
One part is used to produce the lower half of the mould where as the other part is used to
produce the upper half of the mould. These two parts are assembled together in correct
position by pins called dowel pins. The line separating the two parts is called parting line.

Split patterns are used for making symmetrical shaped castings like sphere, bearings and
pulleys.

LOOSE PIECE PATTERN

If a pattern is made from a single piece having projections or hack drafts which he
above or below the parting plane. it is impossible to withdraw it from the mould In such
cases. the pattern is built up into solid pattern and loose piece. Loose piece pattern making the
mould, first the solid pattern is removed and then the loose! pieces are removed without
breaking the mould. Loose pieces are attached to the main body of the pattern by pins.
MATCH PLATE PATTERN

This pattern is made in two halves mounted on both sides of a plate called match plate
which is made by aluminium or wood The match plate is accurately placed between pattern
the cope and the drag flasks by means of locating pins.

Sweepattern:

A sweep is a section or board (wooden) of proper contour that is rotated about one

edge to shape mould cavities having shapes of rotational symmetry. This type of pattern is
used when a casting of large size is to be produced in a short time. Large kettles of C.I. are
made by sweep patterns

Skeleton pattern:

For large castings having simple geometrical shapes, skeleton

patterns are used. Just like sweep patterns, these are simple wooden frames that outline the
shape of the part to be cast and are also used as guides by the molder in the hand shaping of
the mould.This type of pattern is also used in pit or floor molding process.

Shell pattern

Shell pattern is a hollow pattern. The core is prepared inner side of the pattern

Pattern materials

Some materials used for making patterns are: wood, metals and alloys, plastic, plaster of

Paris, plastic and rubbers, wax, and resins.

Pattern Allowance

1.ShrinkageAllowances:
Shrinkage is defined as reduction is the dimension of the cast during the cooling
or solidification process. This is a general property of all materials.

Draft Allowances:
When the pattern is removed from the mold, the parallel surface to the direction at
which the pattern is withdrawn gets damaged slightly and gets converted into slightly tapered
surfaces.

Mac
hining allowances:

As we know that the product of a casting process gives very poor surface
finish, hence the surface of final product of casting will be rough.
 But we need a product which is polished and have good surface finish.

 So to obtain good surface finish, the final product of casting is machined with the
processes like turning or grinding to improve the surface finish.

 This machining after the casting process causes a significant loss of mrtal from the
mold part. To compensate this loss, machining or finishing allowances are given in
the pattern of casting.
 

Rappingallowances:

 When the pattern is to be removed from the sand of casting , the pattern will have to
be shaken slightly to remove it from the sand and this will cause a slight increase in
dimension of casting.
 To compensate this increase in dimension of casting, the patterns are made slightly
smaller from casting. This change in dimension of pattern is known as shaking or
rapping allowances.
Distortion allowances:

When the metal is in cooling process, stress is developed in the solid metal due to uneven
metal thickness in the casting process. This stress may cause distortion or bending in the
casting.
To avoid this bending or distortion in casting, camber is provided in the opposite
direction so that when bending occurs due to uneven thickness of metal, casting becomes
straight. This change in pattern shape to compensate bending while casting is known as
Bending Allowances.
Session outcome

1. Define casting.
2. What are the pattern materials?
3. What is split pattern?
4. Explain distortion allowance.