3.

1 Preparation of moulding sand and mould

In the experiment high silica sand was used as the principal moulding material. The sand mixture
was prepared by adding binder i.e. bentonite, coal dust as additive and water. The composition of
green sand mixture is given in Table3.1. The sand was prepared by hand mixing. After
preparation of moulding sand, the mould was prepared by ramming the sand in the mould box.

Table 3.1

Composition of moulding sand mixture

High Silica Sand : 86%

Bentonite (Binder) :8%

Coal Dust (Additive) :1%

Moisture (Water) :5%

Melting of Aluminium Alloy (LM6)

The small ingot of LM6 was melted in an electric furnace ( Electrical Resistance Melting
Furnace, Capacity: 5kg, Maximum Temperature:1050º C) using clay graphite crucible as shown
in Figure 3.1 The melt was poured at a temperature of 720º C into green sand mould.

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 Figure 3.1 Electric Resistance Furnace

3.2 Study of solidification behavior of LM6:

To study the solidification behavior of LM6 at different modulus/section of the casting a three
step wooden pattern was prepared. The schematic diagram of the three step pattern is shown in
Figure 3.2 and 3.3 respectively. Then the mould was prepared by green sand shown in Figure
3.4. Three (i.e.T1, T2 & T3) K-type thermocouples of 3.0 mm size has inserted at the centre of
different section (step) of the mold. One more K-type thermocouple has been inserted into the

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sand to measure the temperature variation of the molding sand during solidification of the
castings.

Figure 3.2 Layout of Three Step Pattern

Figure 3.3 Three Step Pattern.

Figure 3.4 Mould for Step Casting.

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The 3D geometry of mould cavity with K-thermocouples (T1,T2&T3) has been shown in Figure
3.5 .The solidification curves of the castings and the variation of temperatures at different
sections in the mold has been recorded with the help of a computer aided data acquisition
system, shown in Figure 3.6. A complete assembly of sand mold with thermocouples which are
connected with the Data acquisition system (DAS), has been shown in Figure 3.7. The
schematic sketch of the computer aided data acquisition set up has been shown in Figure 3.8.

After complete solidification the casting was separated . The casting is shown in Figure 3.9.

Figure.3.5 The 3D geometry of mould cavity with K-thermocouples (T1,T2&T3).

(All dimensions are in mm)

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Figure 3.6. Computerized Data Acquisition System.

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Figure 3.7. Sand mold with Thermocouples connected with the Data acquisition system.

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Figure 3.8 Schematic sketch of the computer aided temperature data acquisition set up. (T1, T2 &
T3, Thermocouples attached at different section of casting and T4 was inserted into the sand)

Figure 3.9. Three Step Casing.

3.3 Study of Fluidity

In order to accomplish the aim of this work a lay-out was designed which would enable to
determine the fluidity of Al alloy in thin wall mould cavities. Modeling lay-out and the spiral
pattern are shown in Figure 3.10 and 3.11 respectively . The Figure shows the gating system and
Archimedes spirals with 1500 mm length and 3mm X 15mm, 4mm X 15mm and 5mm X 15 mm

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sections. Common gating system enabled simultaneously filling of spiral cavities with different
wall thickness. A match plate pattern has been used to prepare the spiral sand mold (shown in
Figure 3.12). The molten metal has been poured into the spiral sand mold at the centre of the
spiral and the pouring temperature of molten metal maintained at 695-730 oC, to measure the
fluidity of the casting at different pouring temperature.

Figure 3.10 Layout of spiral pattern.

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Figure 3.11 Pattern for Spiral Casting.

Figure 3.12 Mould for Spiral Casting

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3.4 Determination of modulus method for LM6:

In order to determine the modulus method for LM6 alloy, four different sizes of plate pattern
were prepared and shown in Figure 3.13. The sizes of the plate patterns have shown in Table 3.2.
In all the cases riser dimensions were calculated by modulus method of steel. The plate castings
were produced and the shrinkage defects were observed . The optimization were done by
reducing riser dimension and observed the minimum dimension where shrinkage defect was not
found. The back calculation was done to find out the optimum riser modulus and casting
modulus . Finally the relationship between these two modulus was also established .

Figure 3.13. Patterns for Plate (With different thickness).

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 Table 3.2 Sizes of work pieces

Sl. No. Dimension in mm

Length Width Thickness

1 100 100 10

2 100 100 12.5

3 100 100 25

4 100 100 50

3.5 Determination of neck sizes of LM6 casting:

For the experimental investigations on optimization of neck sizes of aluminium alloy plate
casting (100mm×100mm×20mm thickness) were produced. The required diameter and the height
of risers were calculated by modulus method and castings were produced by green sand mould.
The physical castings were cut in vertical section manually for observation. The relationship was
developed between the riser dimension and neck dimension aluminium alloy castings from these
optimum neck dimensions . Optimization of neck dimensions were also done by trial and error
method which were also validated with simulated results.

3.6 Determination of Shape Factor method for LM6:

Shape factor method has also been adopted to find out the riser dimension of different
components with different shapes . Here castings of different thickness plates have been
manufactured . The riser dimensions of different shapes were calculated by modulus method of
steel. Then the intermediate steps of riser dimensions was considered to find out the optimum
dimensions of risers. Castings were produced and observed the shrinkage defects. From these
optimized dimensions, volume of risers and volume of castings were calculated for observations.
The following dimensions of castings with shape factors are given below (Table 3.3), all
dimensions are in mm.
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 TABLE 3.3 The riser dimensions as per modulus method

Dimension in mm Safe Factor Riser dimension by modulus method

Length Width Thickness

100 100 50 4 Ø67.5 × 135

100 100 25 8 Ø 45 × 90

100 100 16.7 12 Ø33.8 × 67.5

100 100 12.5 16 Ø27 × 54

100 100 10 20 Ø22.5 × 45

100 100 8.4 24 Ø19.3 × 38.6

100 100 7.2 28 Ø16.9 × 33.8

100 100 6.3 32 Ø15 × 30

100 100 5.6 36 Ø13.5 × 27

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