ME 355 – Manufacturing Processes

Lab – Sand Casting

Report Due next lab.

1. Purpose: Now that you have learned the basics of casting, it is time to
apply what you know. This lab should solidify the terminology and
principles behind casting that you learned in class. Casting is one of the
oldest manufacturing processes, and still has a very large use yet today.

2. Procedures:

a. Each lab team will be assigned an aluminum casting to produce from

one of the following categories:
1) The hub for use in the Stirling Fan Project.
2) One of the “standard patterns” available in the lab (e.g., a frying
pan, bird, etc).
3) A “fluidity spiral”.
4) Depending upon time available, some groups may be able to do
multiple castings. A report will only be required on one.
b. Assemble all tools and equipment necessary to prepare a sand mold
(as per instructions from the shop manager or the TA).
c. Prepare the mold and gating system (as with all procedures, have your
setup checked).
d. Complete the casting.
e. Special instructions for fluidity spirals:
1) Record the temperature at which the casting was poured.
2) Note the surface finish and the general appearance of each of the
fluidity spirals.
3) After the casting is cool, measure and record the length of the
spiral.
4) Report the results to the TA for recording. All information will be
saved and used by all students for the lab report.

3. Report:

a. Use the following report format for all labs:

1) Introduction - Brief introduction of what the lab was about. This should
only be about four sentences long. It should NOT give results from the
lab.
2) Procedure – Detailed, step by step process to complete lab. Ideally,
one would be able to reproduce your work from this procedure. (Not
as detailed as the SOP you wrote for the first lab, but still specific
enough to know e xactly what was done. About ½ page should be
enough.)
3) Results – Data, etc.
4) Discussion – Discuss the results and their significance to the world.
 5) Conclusion/Recommendations – The points that should be
remembered forever. Brief and to the point.
6) Appendix – Excess data that wasn’t appropriate to put in the results
section.

b. Rough evaluation guide for lab writeups:

1) 100 points possible.
2) 10 points - Overall writing ability – clarity and accuracy.
3) 10 points – Introduction.
4) 10 points – Procedure.
5) 15 Points – Results.
6) 25 Points – Discussion.
7) 30 Points – Conclusions

c. Tips for a good lab report:

1) More is not necessarily better. Be direct and to the point.
2) The procedure should be very clear. It should be written in command
voice, (i.e. “Fill the mold cavity with sand.”) It should have numbered
bullets for all steps.
3) Graphs – All output variables should be on the y-axis. Input variables
go on the x-axis. Don’t use a smooth curve-fit line, unless it is
appropriate for developing a model equation or comparison. Show
data points. On a case by case determine whether multiple variables
should be graphed on the same axes – use a secondary y-axis if
necessary.
4) Label all figures below the figure. Refer to them in the text. The “F” in
Figure should always be capitalized – incorrect grammar, but correct
for convention. Graphs are figures. (Since they will be labeled below,
they don’t need a title.) All captions must be self-explanatory.
5) Label all tables above the table. Refer to them in the text. The “T” in
Table should always be capitalized.
6) Nothing should be hand-written, including graphs, figures, math
symbols and calculations, page numbers, etc. (An exception would be
made for appendix page numbers if necessary.)

d. Additional specific things that should be covered i n this lab writeup:

1) Make a sketch of your casting design, showing the riser and gating
system. Explain the different components and why they were
important, (in theory and as observed). NOTE: I don’t want a sketch
of what your part looks like, as there is no value in that. What I want to
know is how you chose to create your riser/runner system and why.
This sketch can be purely 2-D but should include all the correct
terminology labeling your parts.
2) A graph of the fluidity spiral results. Fully explain them and their
significance.

e. Please do a good job on these lab reports so that we can scale them back
in the future.