Glossary of Casting Terminology

Air Furnace - A long, low, reverberatory-type furnace, in which metal is melted by flame
A from fuel burning at one end of the hearth, passing over the bath toward the stack at the other
end of the hearth; heat is also reflected from the roof and side walls.
Alloy - A substance having metallic properties and composed of two or more chemical elements of
which at least one is a metal.
Alloying Elements - Chemical elements constituting an alloy; usually limited to elements added to
modify the properties of the base metal.
Annealing - Generally a heat treatment to soften metals; for iron and steel, consists of healing
above the critical temperature followed by slow cooling usually in the furnace. Specifically used to
modify the properties of 65/45/12 ductile iron castings to 60/40/18 ductile iron casting properties.
Arc Furnace - A furnace in which metal is melted either directly by an electric arc between an
electrode and the work or indirectly by an arc between two electrodes adjacent to the metal.
As-Cast Condition - Castings as removed from the mold, without subsequent heat treatment.
Atmosphere (Protective) - In metallurgical practice, the gases surrounding the work in a furnace or
other high-temperature apparatus. The character of the atmosphere varies with the work being
carried out and, in nature, may be oxidizing, reducing or neutral.
Austempering - A heat treatment process that consists of quenching a ferrous alloy from a
temperature above the critical range into a medium having a rate of heat abstraction (usually molten
salt) sufficiently high to prevent the formation of high temperature transformation products; and in
maintaining the alloy, until transformation. Most widely used to produce austempered ductile iron
castings. Also performed on grey iron castings, but to a lesser degree.

B Burnt-on Sand - A misnomer. Usually due to metal penetration into the sand casting mold
resulting in a mixture of sand and metal adhering to the surface of a casting.

C Captive Foundry - An organization that produces castings from its own patterns for its own
use. Sometimes specific to a material poured such as a captive gray iron foundry.
Carbide - A compound of carbon with one or more metallic elements.
Carburizing - The diffusion of carbon into solid iron by heat treatment in a carbon rich
atmosphere.
Case Hardening - A process of hardening a ferrous alloy so that the surface layer or case is made
substantially harder than the interior or core. Induction hardening and flame hardening are most
commonly used for ductile iron castings.
Cast Iron - A generic term for the family of high carbon-silicon-iron casting alloys. Also called
grey iron, grey iron, grey cast iron and grey cast iron.
Castability - A complex combination of liquid-metal properties and solidification characteristics
which promotes accurate and sound final castings.
Casting (noun) - Metal object cast to the required shape by pouring or injecting liquid metal into a
mold, as distinct from one shaped by a mechanical process. Often preceded by the material used to
produce the casting. For example: gray iron casting, ductile iron casting, steel casting, bronze
casting or aluminum casting.
Casting (verb) - Act of pouring molten metal into a mold.
Casting Yield - The weight of casting or castings divided by the total weight of metal poured into
the mold, expressed as a percent.
Centerline Shrinkage - Shrinkage or porosity occurring along the central plane or axis of a cast
part.
Centrifugal Casting - A process of filling molds by 1) pouring metal into a sand or permanent
mold that is revolving about either its horizontal or its vertical axis; or 2) pouring metal into a mold
that is subsequently revolved before solidification of the metal is complete. See also Centrifuge
Casting.
Chaplets - Metal supports or spacers used in molds to maintain cores, or parts of the mold which
are not self supporting in their proper positions during the casting process. They become a
permanent part of the casting.
Charge - 1) The materials placed in a melting furnace. 2) Castings placed in a heat treating furnace.
Charpy Test - A pendulum type of impact test in which a specimen, supported at both ends as a
simple beam, is broken by the impact of the swinging pendulum. The energy absorbed in breaking
the specimen, as determined by the decreased rise of the pendulum, is a measure of the impact
strength of the metal. Often times related to steel castings or ductile iron castings.
Chill - 1) A white iron structure that is produced in iron castings by rapid solidification. 2) A
metal mold insert which induces rapid solidification of the metal. Also called Chiller, or Chill
Block.
Chilled Iron - Cast iron that is poured into a metal mold or against a mold insert so as to cause
rapid solidification. This often leads to a white iron structure in the casting.
Chills - Metal inserts in molds or cores at the surface of a casting or within the mold which serve to
hasten solidification of heavy sections and cause the casting to cool at a uniform rate.
Chipping - Removal of fins and other excess metal from castings by means of chisels and other
suitable tools.
CO2 Process - Molds and cores made with sand containing sodium silicate are instantly hardened
by permeating the sand with carbon dioxide gas. Also called no-bake molding or air-set molding
Coining - A press metal-working operation which establishes accurate dimensions of flat surfaces
or depressions under predominantly compressive loading.
Coke -Coal from which the volatiles have been driven off by heating in the absence of air.
Cold Shot - Small globule of metal embedded in, but not entirely fused with the casting.
Cold Shut - A casting defect caused by imperfect fusing of molten metal coming together from
opposite directions in a mold, or due to folding of the surface.
Commercial Foundry -An organization that produces castings for its customers from the
customers' patterns. Sometimes refered to as a jobbing foundry. Examples include commercial
ductile iron foundry, commercial steel foundry
Compacted Graphite Iron - Cast iron in which the graphite is in the form of interconnected flakes
with blunt edges. Its properties are intermediate between gray iron castings and ductile iron
castings.
Compression Yield Strength - The maximum stress that a material can withstand under
compression without sustaining unit plastic deformation beyond a predetermined limit.
Continuous Casting - A process for forming a bar of constant cross-section directly from molten
metal by gradually withdrawing the bar from a die as the metal flowing into the die solidities.
Cope - Upper or topmost section of a flask, mold, or pattern.
Cope and Drag Patterns - Pattern equipment in which the cope and drag pattern sections are
mounted on separate pattern boards so that the cope and drag mold sections can he made at the
same time.
Core - A preformed sand aggregate inserted into a mold to shape the interior of the casting or that
part of a casting which cannot he shaped by the pattern.
Core blower - A machine for making cores by blowing sand into the core box by means of
compressed air. The air escapes from the core box through finely grated openings called vents.
Core box - Wood, metal, or plastic structure containing a shaped cavity into which sand is packed
to make a core.
Core Dryers - Supports used to hold cores in shape while being baked; constructed from metal or
sand for conventional baking, or from plastic material for use with dielectric core baking
equipment.
Core Oil - A binder for core sand that sets when baked and is destroyed by the heat from the
cooling casting.
Core Print - Projections attached to a pattern in order to form recesses in the mold at points where
cores are to be supported.
Core Shift - A variation from specified dimensions of a cored casting section, due to a change in
position of the core or misalignment of cores in assembling.
Core Wash - A suspension of a fine refractory applied to cores by brushing, dipping or spraying to
improve the surface of the cored portion of the casting.
Coupon - An extra piece of metal, either cast separately or attached to a casting, used to determine
the analysis or proper-lies of the metal.
Critical Temperature - Temperature at which metal changes phase. In usual iron alloys the
temperature at which alpha iron transforms to gamma iron or vice versa. Actually, a temperature
range for cast irons.
Crucible - A pot or receptacle made of refractory materials such as high temperature resisting
alloys, graphite, alundum, magnesia, or silicon carbide, bonded with clay or carbon, and used in
melting or fusion of metals.
Crush - A casting defect. An indentation in the casting surface due to displacement of sand into the
mold cavity when the mold was closed.
Cupola - A vertically cylindrical furnace for melting metal, in direct contact with coke as fuel, by
forcing air under pressure through openings near its base.

D Density - The mass per unit volume of a substance, usually expressed in grams per cubic
centimeter or in pounds per cubic foot. Aluminum castings have a lower density than that of gray
iron castings, ductile iron castings or steel castings.
Die Casting -A casting process in which the molten metal is forced under pressure into a metal
mold cavity.
Draft (Pattern) - The taper on the sides of a pattern which are perpendicular to the parting plane
that allows the pattern to be withdrawn from the mold without breaking the edges of the mold.
Draft (Permanent Mold) - The taper in the mold cavity which allows the casting to be removed
easily.
Drag - Lower or bottom section of a mold, flask, or pattern.
Drawing (Pattern) -Removing pattern from mold or mold from pattern in production work.
Dross - Metal oxides in, or on the surface of, molten metal, or trapped in the casting.
Dry Sand Mold - A sand mold that is dried before filling with liquid metal.
Ductile Iron - Cast iron containing graphite in a spherulitic form. Also called nodular iron,
spherulitic iron, or S.G. iron.
Ductility - The property permitting permanent deformation without rupture in a material by stress
in tension.
Dump box - A simple core box from which the core is removed, after the box has been filled with
sand, by inverting the core box onto a core plate.
Duplexing - Melting in one furnace and superheating and refining in another.

E Elastic Limit -Maximum stress that a material will withstand without permanent deformation.
Elongation - Amount of permanent extension in the vicinity of the fractures in the tensile test;
usually expressed as a percentage of original gage length, such as 25 per cent in two inches. Certain
grades of steel castings have elongations exceeding 25%. Ductile iron castings can meet or exceed
18% in grade 60/40/18
Expendable Pattern - A pattern that is destroyed in making a casting. It is usually made of wax or
foamed plastic (Styrofoam).

F Facing Material - Coating material applied to the surface of a mold to protect it from the heat
of the molten metal. See Mold Wash.
Facing Sand - Specially prepared molding sand mixture used in the mold adjacent to the pattern to
produce a smooth casting surface.
Faked - The purposeful distortion of a pattern to compensate for casting warpage so as to obtain a
casting of the desired shape.
Fatigue Fracture - The gradual propagation of a crack across a section due to cyclic stresses within
the elastic limit.
Fatigue Limit - Maximum stress that a metal will withstand without failure for a specified large
number of cycles of stress. Usually synonymous with endurance limit.
Fatigue ratio - The ratio of fatigue limit or fatigue strength at N cycles to the static tensile strength.
Fatigue Strength - The maximum stress which a material can sustain, for a given number of stress
cycles, without fracture.
Feeder, Feed Head (Riser) - A reservoir of molten metal attached to a casting to compensate for
the contraction of metal as it solidifies, thus preventing voids in the casting. Also known as a riser.
Ferrite - An essentially carbon-free solid solution in which alpha iron is the solvent, and which is
characterized by a body-centered cubic crystal structure.
Ferro-Alloy - An alloy of certain elements with iron used to add these elements to molten metal.
Ferrous - Metallic materials in which the principal component is iron. Also a general term to
describe steel castings, gray iron castings and ductile iron castings.
File Hardness - The hardness of metal generally at an edge as determined by whether a file of an
established hardness will bite into the metal.
Fillet - Material used on a pattern or core box to round out the internal corners formed by the
intersection of two surfaces. Maybe of wax, plastic, leather, or wood.
Fin - Thin projection of excess metal on a casting resulting from imperfect mold or core joints.
Finish Allowance - Amount of stock left on the surface of a casting for machining.
Flake Graphite - Graphitic carbon, in the form of platelets, occurring in the micro-structure of
gray cast iron.
Flame Hardening - Process of hardening a casting surface by healing it above the transformation
range with a high temperature flame followed by rapid cooling.
Flask - Metal or wood frame, without a top and without a fixed bottom, used to hold the sand of
which a mold is formed; usually consists of two parts, the cope and drag.
Flask Pins - Projections for aligning the parts of a flask.
Founding - The art of melting and casting metals into useful objects.
Foundry - A building or establishment where founding is carried on. Examples: aluminum foundry,
steel foundry, gray iron foundry, ductile iron foundry
Free Fertile - Ferrile formed into separate grains and not intimately associated with carbides as in
pearlile.

G Galvanizing - The coaling of iron or steel with zinc.

Gas Holes - Rounded cavities, either of spherical or elongated round shape, caused by the
generation and/or accumulation of gas or entrapped air during solidification of the metal.
Gate - End of the runner in a mold where molten metal enters the casting or mold cavity;
sometimes applied to entire assembly of connected channels and to the pattern parts which form
them.
Gated Patterns - One or more patterns with gales or channels attached.
Gating System - The complete assembly of sprues, runners, and gates in a mold through which
metal flows to enter the casting cavity. Term also applied to equivalent portions of the pattern.
Graphite - One of the crystal forms of carbon; also the uncombined carbon in cast irons (gray iron
castings).
Gray Cast Iron - iron which contains a relatively large percentage of the carbon present in the
form of flake graphite. The metal has a gray fracture. Also known as grey cast iron
Green Sand - A molding sand that has been tempered with water and is employed for casting when
still in the damp condition. Not specific to one material as the technique is used to produce
aluminum castings, gray iron castings, steel castings, bronze castings, brass castings and
ductile iron castings.
Green Sand Mold - A mold composed of moist molding sand and not dried before being filled
with molten metal.
Growth, Cast Iron - Permanent increase in dimensions of cast iron resulting from repealed or
prolonged healing at temperatures over 900 degrees F. This growth is due to 1) graphitization of
carbides, and 2) internal oxidation.

H Hardenability - In a ferrous alloy, the property that determines the depth and distribution of
hardness induced by quenching.
Hardness - The property of a substance determined by its ability to resist abrasion or indentation by
another substance. For metals, hardness is usually defined in terms of the size of an impression
made by a standard indenter. (Brinell, Rockwell, Vickers, etc.)
Heat - The entire period of operation of a continuous melting furnace such as a cupola from light-
up to finish of molding. One cycle of operation in a batch melting furnace. Also the total metal from
one such operation.
Heat Treatment - A combination of heating, holding, and cooling operations applied to a metal or
alloy in the solid state in a manner which will produce desired properties.
Hot Tear - Surface discontinuity or fracture caused by either external loads or internal stresses or a
combination of both acting on a casting during solidification and subsequent contraction at
temperatures near the melting point.

I Impact Resistance - The resistance of a material to breaking by loading or stressing at high rates.
Impact Strength - The energy absorbed in fracturing a standard specimen (notched or unnotched)
by a blow from a pendulum in one of several standard impact tests.
Impregnation - The treatment of defective castings with a sealing medium to stop pressure leaks in
porous areas. Mediums used include silicate of soda, drying oils with or without styrenes, plastics,
and proprietary compounds.
Inclusions - Non metallic particles, such as oxides, sulphides or silicates that are held within solid
metal.
Induction Furnace - An alternating current electric furnace in which the primary conductor is
coiled and generates a secondary current by electromagnetic induction which heats the metal
charge.
Induction Hardening - Process of hardening the surface of a casting by heating it above the
transformation range by electrical induction, followed by rapid cooling.
Inoculant - Materials which, when added to molten metal, modify the structure, and thereby change
the physical and mechanical properties to a degree not explained on the basis of the change in
composition resulting from their use. Most widely used in a ductile iron foundry.
Insert - A part, usually formed from metal, which is placed in a mold and becomes an integral part
of a casting.
Insert Pattern - A pattern plate without provision for flask registration which is made to be
inserted and locked into a frame that fits on a molding machine and provides for flask registration.
Internal Shrinkage - A void or network of voids within a casting caused by inadequate feeding of
that section during solidification.

J Jacket Mold - A wooden or metal form, which is slipped over a mold made in a snap or slip
flask, to support the four sides of the mold during pouring.
Jobbing Foundry - A casting facility equipped to economically produce a single casting or in small
quantities from a pattern. The term is sometimes used to designate a commercial foundry. Also used
to describe a casting facility that pours to distinctly separate materials such as steel castings and
ductile iron castings.

K Keel block - A standard specimen for testing relatively high shrinkage ferrous alloys. A
rectangular block with a smaller rectangular bar attached across the bottom and resembling the keel
of a boat.
Knock-out - Operation of removing sand cores from castings. See also Shake-out.
Ladle - Metal receptacle frequently lined with refractories used for transporting and-pouring molten
metal.

L Loose Piece - 1) Core box; part of a core box which remains embedded in the core, and is
removed after lifting off the core box. 2) Pattern; laterally-projecting part of a pattern so attached
that it remains in the mold until the body of the pattern is drawn. Back-draft is avoided by this
means. 3) Part of a permanent mold which remains on the casting, and is removed after casting is
ejected from the mold.
Lost Wax Process - A casting process in which an expendable pattern made of wax or a similar
material is melted or burned out of the mold rather than being drawn out.

M Magnetic Particle Inspection - The use of magnetic particles as a dry powder or in a liquid
suspension to indicate discontinuities in a surface when it has been magnetized so that the particles
adhere to the surface at the discontinuity.
Malleable Iron - Cast iron containing graphite in the form of nodules or temper carbon. It is cast as
white iron and the graphite is precipitated during the subsequent heat treatment. Malleable iron
castings we widely replaced in the 1960’s with ductile iron castings.
Martensite - In iron or steel a very hard micro-constituent with an acicular (needle-like)
appearance; produced in heat treating by quenching or with alloys.
Master Pattern - A pattern embodying a double contraction allowance in its construction, used for
making castings to be employed as patterns in production work.
Match Plate - A plate of metal or other materials on which patterns and gating systems split along
the parting line are mounted back-to-back, or cast to form an integral piece. Common commercial
names of match plate molding machines include Hunter (Hunter 10, Hunter 20 and Hunter 30),
Roberts Sinto (Sinto 10, Sinto 20) and to a lesser degree Beardsley and Piper (B&P).
Matrix - The principal phase in microstructure in which another constituent, such as graphite, is
embedded or enclosed.
Matrix Structure - In the microstructure of an alloy, the principal, continuous constituent in which
other constituents or phases reside.
Mechanical Properties - Those properties of a material that reveal the elastic and inelastic reaction
when force is applied, or that involve the relationship between stress and strain; for example, the
modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and fatigue limit. These properties have often been
designated as physical properties but the term mechanical properties is preferred. Often times cited
in the material description of the material. Examples: Glass 30 gray iron, 65/45/12 Ductile Iron,
etc….
Metallurgy - Science and art of extracting metals from their ores, refining them and preparing them
for final use.
Microporosity - Extremely fine porosity caused in castings by solidification shrinkage or gas
evolution.
Microstucture - The structure of polished and etched metal and alloy specimens as revealed by the
microscope at magnifications over ten diameters.
MPa – Mega Pascal - [N/mm2]
Modulus of Elasticity - The ratio of tensile stress to the corresponding strain within the limit of
elasticity of a material.
Mold - The form, made of sand, metal or refractory material, which contains the cavity into which
molten metal is poured to produce a casting of desired shape.
Mold Shift - A casting defect which results when the parts of the mold do not match at the parting
line.
Mold Wash - A slurry of refractory material, such as graphite and silica flour, used in coating the
surface of the mold cavity to provide an improved casting surface.
Mold Weight - A weight that is applied to the top of a mold to keep the mold from separating.
Molding Machine - A machine for making molds. Trade names include Hunter, Roberts Sinto,
Beardsley and Piper (B&P), Osbourne, Disa-matic, etc…

N Ni-hard - The common trade name for nickel, chromium, alloyed white irons that have a
martensitic matrix as cast.
Ni-resist - The common trade name for high nickel content alloy gray irons and ductile irons.
Nodular Graphite - Graphite in the nodular form as opposed to flake form. Nodular graphite is
characteristic of malleable iron. The graphite of nodular iron castings or ductile iron castings is
spherulitic in form, but called nodular.
Nodular Iron - See ductile iron.
Normalizing - A heat treatment in which ferrous alloys are heated to a suitable temperature above
the transformation range and cooled in still air to room temperature.

O Oil Quenching - A ferrous material that has sufficient hardenabilily to be satisfactorily

hardened by quenching in oil.

P Parting Iine - A line on a pattern or casting corresponding to the separation between the parts
of a mold.
Pattern - A form of wood, metal or other materials, around which molding material is placed to
make a mold for casting metals.
Pattern Equipment - The entire collection of patterns, core boxes, jigs, fixtures, and gauges that
are necessary to produce a casting in the desired quantities.
Patternmaker's Shrinkage - Contraction allowance made on patterns to compensate for the
decrease in dimensions as the solidified casting cools in the mold from freezing temperature of the
metal to room temperature. Pattern is made larger by the amount of contraction that is characteristic
of the particular metal to be used.
Pearlite - Lamellar aggregate (alternate plates) of ferrite and cementite in the microstructure of iron
castings and steel castings.
Pearlitic Malleable - An iron silicon carbon alloy, cast white and heat treated under controlled
conditions in such a manner that part of the carbon is present as nodules of graphite and the
remainder is intentionally retained in the combined form. The combined carbon appears as
spheroids, pearlite lamellae, or tempered martensite products.
Permanent Mold - A mold of two or more parts that is used repeatedly for the production of many
castings of the same form. Liquid metal is poured in by gravity.
Physical Properties - Properties, other than mechanical properties, that pertain to the physics of a
material.
Pig Iron - The crude product of the blast furnace where ore is reduced into iron and from which it is
cast into small bars (pigs). A primary material used in producing ductile iron castings and
Austempered ductile iron castings.
Production Foundry - A casting facility equipped to economically produce castings in larger
quantities. Examples: Production automotive foundry, production gray iron foundry, production
ductile iron foundry.
PSI - Pounds per square inch.

QQuench Hardening - Process of hardening a ferrous alloy of suitable composition by heating

within or above the transformation range and cooling at a rate sufficient to increase the hardness
substantially. The process usually involves the formation of martensite.
Quenching - A process of inducing rapid cooling from an elevated temperature.

R Ramming - The compacting of molding sand in forming a mold.

Residual Stress - A stress that is a member of a balancing stress couple existing within a free body,
not requiring a load external to the body lo generate the stress.
Rig - To prepare a pattern and flask equipment for molding.
Riser - A reservoir of molten metal provided lo compensate for the contraction of the metal in a
casting as it solidifies.
Rockwell Hardness - The relative hardness value of a metal determined by measuring the depth of
penetration of a steel ball (1/16 in. dia. for B Scale) or a diamond point (C Scale) with controlled
loading, the Rockwell number being the difference between the depth obtained with a minor and a
major loading.
Runner - The portion of the gate assembly that connects the downgate (sprue) with the casting
ingate or riser. The term also applies to that part of the pattern which forms the runner.
Runout - Unintentional escape of molten metal from a mold.

S Sand Slinger - Mechanical device which impels sand by centrifugal force into a flask or core-
box.
Scrap - a) Defective casting, b) Metal to be remelted.
S. G. Iron - See Ductile Iron.
Shake-Out - The operation of removing castings from the mold. A mechanical unit for separating
the molding materials from the solidified metal casting.
Shear Strength - Maximum shear stress that a material is capable of withstanding without failure.
Shell Core - Process Resin-coated sand is blown into a heated core box. The sand against the box
hardens. The balance of the sand is drained out to make a hollow core.
Shell Molding Process - A resin-coated sand is laid on a heated pattern so that the sand against the
pattern bonds together to form a hardened shell. Two mating shells make a mold.
Shift - A casting defect caused by mismatch of mold halves or of cores and the mold.
Shrinkage - Decrease in volume of the metal as it solidifies.
Shotblasting - Casting cleaning process employing a metal abrasive (grit or shot) propelled by
centrifugal or air force.
Slag - A product resulting from the action of a flux on the oxidized non-metallic constituents of
molten metals. May also be produced by oxidation of the molten bath, ash from the fuel, erosion of
the refractories, and floating of non-metallics in the charge.
Snag - To remove excess metal from a casting by rough grinding.
Snagging - The process of rough cleaning castings by grinding.
Spheroidization (Spheroidizing Heat Treatment) - A long annealing at a temperature below but
near the critical point, causing the cementite to spheroidize.
Spheroidized Cementite - A microstructure in which iron carbide occurs as small spheres in a
ferritic matrix.
Spheroidized Pearlite - A matrix microstructure that results from tempering pearlite at a sub
critical temperature.
Spherulitic Graphite - Graphite occurring in highly compact spherical or nearly spherical form
with a radial internal structure. Characteristic of ductile iron castings.
Sprue - The vertical channel from the top of the mold to the parting line. Also a generic term to
cover all gates, risers, etc., returned to the melting unit for re-melting. Also applied to similar
portions of patterns.
Stack Molding - A molding method by which a number of identical mold sections are placed one
above the other and poured through a common sprue.
Steel - An alloy of iron and carbon which may contain other elements in which the carbon content
does not exceed about 2.0% and which is malleable to some temperature in the solid stale.
Sticker - A lump on the surface of a casting caused by a portion of the mold face slicking to the
pattern. Also, a forming tool used in molding.
Stress Relieving - A subcritical heat treatment to reduce residual stresses.
Strike-off or Slrickel - A tool with a straight or curved edge for removing excess sand from a mold
or core.
Strip - To draw a pattern from a mold or a core from a core box.
Subcritical Anneal - Heat treating at a temperature below that at which austenite is formed and
above the temperature normally used for stress relieving of the material that is being treated. Mostly
related to ductile iron castings.
Surface Finish - Generally refers to the roughness of a machined surface, numerically stated as the
root-mean-square height of irregularities in microinches.
Swell - A casting defect consisting of an increase in metal section caused ny displacement of the
mold wall under ferrostatic pressure.

T Tapping - 1) The process of removing molten metal from the melting furnace. 2) Opening the
tap hole.
Target - To establish locating points on a casting for machining so that machining allowances are
properly distributed.
Tempering - A heat treatment consisting of reheating quench-hardened or normalized iron to a
temperature below the transformation range, and holding for sufficient time to produce the desired
properties.
Tensile Strength - The maximum load in tension, which a material will withstand prior to fracture.
It is calculated from the maximum load applied during the tensile test divided by the original cross-
sectional area of the sample. Sometimes referred to in the name of the material. Examples: Class 30
grey iron (The 30 represents the tensile strength of 30,000 psi.) 80/55/06 ductile iron (The 80
represents the tensile strength of 80,000 psi)
Test Lug - A small projection on a casting that may be fractured to test the ductility of the metal in
the piece without destroying the casting
Tie Bar - A bar shaped connection added to a casting to prevent distortion caused by uneven
contraction between two separated members of the casting.
Torsion Strength - The shearing stress limit for a body when loaded by twisting.

U Ultimate Strength - See Tensile Strength.

V "V" Process - A molding process in which the sand is held in place in the mold by vacuum.
The mold halves are covered with a thin sheet of plastic to retain the vacuum. Most common to an
aluminum foundry.
Veining - A defect on the surface of a casting appearing as veins or wrinkles and associated with
excessive thermal movement of the sand, especially core sands.
Vent - A small opening or passage in a mold or core to facilitate escape of gases when the mold is
poured.
Vermicular Graphite - See compacted graphite.
Vickers Hardness - An indentation hardness test employing a 136° diamond Pyramid indentor and
variable loads enabling the use of one hardness scale for all ranges of hardness.

W Warpage - Deformation other than contraction that develops in a casting between

solidification and room temperature; also, distortion occurring during annealing, stress-relieving,
and high-temperature service.
White Iron - Irons possessing white fractures because all or substantially all of the carbon is in the
combined form.
Whiteheart Malleable - A European type of malleable iron not produced in North America.

Y Yield Strength - The stress at which a material exhibits a specified limit of permanent strain;
often the maximum unit load with a 0.2% deviation from a proportional stress-strain relation.
100/70/03 ductile iron castings have a yield strength of 70,000 psi (the second place of the
material description “70”) while 65/45/12 ductile iron castings have a yield strength of 45,000 psi.