Workshop Course WS 1301

Training module: Manufacturing Process-

Foundry & Smithy

D. Muthurajan

Central Workshop
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai – 600 036, India
Foundry Practice
 General Foundry Safety

✓ Before using any equipment or materials, proper knowledge of its usage is required.

✓ PPE protects you from the foundry environment. Wear leather shoes, gloves, and safety glasses with a side shield.

✓ A hat with a brim protects you from spatters.

✓ Use hearing protection in the noisy environment.

✓ When directly working with molten metals, heat, and flame sources, add a hard hat, apron, jacket or cape, leggings,
and spats made of leather, aluminized glass fabrics, synthetic fabrics or treated wool.

✓ Foundry furnaces, crucibles, and metals are at such high temperatures, remain cautious while you work.

✓ Do not work with equipment or processes that are unfamiliar to you.

✓ Be conscious of where your hands are when working with conveyors and automated machinery.
 General Foundry Safety

✓ Pour and melt in areas that have a nonflammable surface such as metal or sand.

✓ Molten metal that is spilled can travel a great distance, so keep the work area clear.

✓ Have a Class D fire extinguisher handy along with a shovel and clean, dry sand for extinguishing fires.

✓ Melting metals create fumes that can be hazardous to breathe.

✓ Melting scrap metals can create fumes from old paints, lubricants, and coatings and lead, nickel, or chromium
additives that are hazardous to breathe.

✓ Use good ventilation through exhaust hoods and wear a respirator that are medically approved, fit-tested, and
trained to wear.

✓ Molding sand often contains silica. Silica dust exposure can lead to silicosis, a lung disease, or lung cancer.

✓ Use good ventilation with dust control measures such as non-toxic binding materials to control silica dust.
 General Foundry Safety

✓ All equipment you use should operate properly.

✓ Dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are some of the health effects foundry workers can
experience from exposure to excessive heat.

✓ Packing the molds, shaking them out, and cleaning the castings can also be a source of silica dust, so wear a
respirator and work in a well-ventilated area.

✓ Inspect foundry equipment on a frequent basis for cracks and signs of wear.

✓ Never introduce water to the furnace or crucible. A trace amount of water can cause a large explosion.

✓ Workers may also develop eye cataracts from infrared and ultraviolet radiation which can be emitted when
pouring white hot metal.
 Introduction

Manufacturing Processes

Casting Machining Forming Joining

( Subtractive secondary process) ( Additive secondary process)

(Net shape primary process) (Net shape secondary process)
Introduction

❑ Foundry: A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings.

✓ Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, Pouring the metal in a mold

✓ Removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools.

✓ The most common metals processed are Aluminium and cast iron.

✓ Other metals, such as bronze, steel, magnesium, copper, tin, and zinc, are also used to produce castings.
 Introduction

❑ Casting: one of oldest and one of the most popular processes of converting materials into final useful shapes.

✓ Casting is the process of pouring molten metal in to a mould cavity of required shape & size and allowing for
cooling

It involves a series of operations

✓Pattern making
✓Core making
✓Mould making
✓Melting
✓Pouring
✓Cleaning
Introduction

Casting

Conventional Methods Unconventional Methods

Green sand mould CO2 Moulding (Strong mould)
Dry sand mould
Permanent (Metal mould)

Shell Moulding (Thin mould)

Investment casting (Precision)

Centrifugal ( without core)

Continuous Casting (Open)
 Casting Terms
✓ Pattern- replica of the part to be cast

✓ Molding material- material that is packed around the pattern to provide the mold cavity

✓ Core- sand or metal shape that is inserted into the mold to create internal features

✓ Flask- rigid frame that holds the molding aggregate

✓ Cope- top half of the pattern

✓ Drag- bottom half of the pattern

✓ Mold cavity - combination of the mold material and cores

✓ Riser - additional void in the mold that provides additional metal to compensate for shrinkage

✓ Gating system - network of channels that delivers the molten metal to the mold

✓ Pouring cup - portion of the gating system that controls the delivery of the metal

✓ Sprue - vertical portion of the gating system

✓ Runners - horizontal portion of the gating system

✓ Parting line - separates the cope and drag

 Introduction

❑ Six Basic Steps of Casting

✓Pattern making

✓Core making

✓Moulding

✓Melting

✓Pouring

✓Cleaning & inspection

 Introduction

❑ The Pattern

✓replica of the part to be cast

❑ Pattern materials:
❖Wood - common material because it is easy to work, but it warps
❖Metal - more expensive to make, but lasts much longer
❖Plastic - compromise between wood and metal
❖Plaster of Paris
❖Wax –precision casting
 Introduction

❑ Types of Patterns
(a) solid pattern ( single piece)
(b) split pattern ( Two piece)
(c) match-plate pattern
(d) cope and drag pattern
(e) Sweep pattern
(f) Skeleton pattern
 PATTERN ALLOWANCES
• Shrinkage of contraction allowance
• Draft allowance
• Machining allowance
• Distortion allowance
• Rapping or shaking allowance
• Core Prints
❑ Core in Mold
✓ A core consists of two portions: the body of the core and one or more extensions (called prints)
✓ Cores are used to create internal cavities.
✓ Core is a separate entity placed in a mould to produce a corresponding cavity – hole or undercut – in the casting
✓ Cores for sand casting are manufactured by packing specially prepared sand in core boxes
✓ Chaplets
 Introduction

❑ Moulding
The cavity in the sand mold is formed by packing sand around a pattern, then separating the mold into
two halves and removing the pattern

Major part of Moulding material in sand casting are

1. 85-90% silica sand (SiO2)

2. 3-7% bonding material e.g., clay cereal etc.

3. 3-6% water

Requirements of molding sand are:

(a) Refractoriness

(b) Cohesiveness

(c) Permeability

(d) Collapsibility
Moulding sand properties

❑Porosity or Permeability

✓It is the property of sand which permits the steam and other gases to pass through the sand mould.

✓ The porosity of sand depends upon its grain size, grain shape, moisture and clay components are the moulding
sand. If the sand is too fine, the porosity will be low.

❑Plasticity

✓It is that property of sand due to which it flows to all portions of the moulding box or flask.

✓ The sand must have sufficient plasticity to produce a good mould

❑Adhesiveness

✓It is that properties of sand due to it adheres or cling to the sides of the moulding box.
❑Cohesiveness
✓It is the property of sand due to which the sand grains stick together during ramming. It is defined as the strength
of the moulding sand.

❑Refractoriness
✓The property which enables it to resist high temperature of the molten metal without breaking down o r fusing.
 Classification of Moulding Sand According to their Use
❑Green sand
✓The sand in its natural or moist state is called green sand. It is also called tempered sand.
✓It is a mixture of sand with 20 to 30 percent clay, having total amount of water from 6 to 10 percent.
✓The mould prepared with this sand is called green sand mould, which is used for small size casting of ferrous and
non-ferrous metals.

❑Dry Sand
✓The green sand moulds when baked or dried before pouring the molten metal are called dry sand moulds.
✓The sand of this condition is called dry sand.
✓The dry sand moulds have greater strength, rigidity and thermal stability.
✓These moulds used for large and heavy casting.

❑Loam Sand
✓A mixture of 50 percent sand grains and 50 percent clay is called loam sand. It is used for loam moulds of large grey
iron casting.

❑Facing Sand
✓A sand which is used before pouring the molten metal, on the surface is called facing sand. It is specially prepared
sand from silica sand and clay.
❑Backing or Floor Sand
✓A sand used to back up the facing sand and not used next to the pattern is called backing sand.
✓ The sand which have been repeatedly used may be employed for this purpose.
✓It is also known as black sand due to its colour.

❑System Sand
✓A sand employed in mechanical sand preparation and handling system is called system sand.
✓This sand has high strength, permeability and refractoriness.

❑Parting Sand
✓A sand employed on the faces of the pattern before the moulding is called parting sand.
✓The parting sand consists of dried silica sand, sea sand or burnt sand.

❑Core Sand
✓The cores are defined as sand bodies used to form the hollow portions or cavities of desired shape and size in the
casting.
✓Thus the sand used for making these cores is called core sand.
✓It is sometimes called oil sand. It is the silica sand mixed with linseed oil or any other oil as binder.
 Hand tools used in moulding

✓ In hand moulding processes, all the moulding operations, such as ramming the sand, placing and drawing the pattern,
turning over the moulding boxes, etc., are performed by hand

✓ A number of hand tools which are used by the molder to perform above mentioned operations are shown below

Bellow : A bellow is used to blow loose sand particles from the pattern and the mold cavity

Lifter: It lifts dirt or loose sand from the mold. It is used for repairing and finishing
the sand mold cavity
 Heart & square: It is employed for finishing the mould cavity

Hand rammer: It is used for ramming the sand in molds

Sprue pin: It is tapered wooden rod which is placed in the cope to make Sprue cavity

Hand Riddle: It consists of wire mesh fitted into a circular wooden frame. It is used for cleaning,
removing foreign matter from sand.
Trowels: used to finish flat surfaces of the mould, cut in gates, make joints or repair moulds.
Smoothers and corner slics: They are employed to repair and finish corners, edges, round and flat surfaces
 Gate cutter: it is a shaped piece of sheet metal . It is used to cut the gate

Shovel : used to transfer moulding sand from store to place of use. Also used to mix and temper
the moulding sand
Preparation of Sand Mould
Preparation of sand mould

SAND CASTING

✓ Before any casting can take place a wooden pattern is made precisely.
✓ This is called pattern making and in industry this is a very skilful job.
✓ Any inaccuracy at this stage will result in the final cast being wrong or even failing.

✓ Drag is placed inverted on the mould floor and pattern is placed at the center of
the box
Preparation of sand mould

✓ Special casting sand will soon be packed around the pattern for easy removal of
pattern from parting powder is sprinkled over and around it.
✓ It stops the casting sand sticking to the pattern and pulling away with it when the
pattern is finally removed from the sand.

✓ Casting sand is then shaken through a sieve (called riddled sand) so that only fine
particles fall around the pattern.
✓ This is called facing sand and it must be fine so that detail on the pattern shows up
on the final casting.
Preparation of sand mould

✓ The drag is then packed with more casting sand and then ram it down firmly using
a ramming tool.
✓ The tool has two ends, one is cylindrical and is used for general packing down of
the sand.
✓ The other end is quite pointed and this can be used for packing sand close up to
the pattern.

✓ When the drag is packed fully it is levelled off (called ‘strickled off’) using a
straight steel bar
Preparation of sand mould

✓ The entire drag and its contents are then turned over so that the base of the pattern can
be seen
 Preparation of sand mould

A top box called a ‘cope’ is then placed on top of the drag and locating pins are put in position so that the casting
boxes cannot move sideways
Preparation of sand mould

✓ Sprue pins are positioned.

✓ One usually on the back of the pattern and the other to the side.
✓ These will eventually provide an entrance and exit for the molten aluminium when it
is poured into the sand.

✓ The sand is packed/rammed into the cope in the same way as the drag
Preparation of sand mould

✓ The top box (the cope) is then removed and if all is well the cope with the sand inside should lift off the drag
(bottom box) without the sand falling out.
✓ A small ‘gate’ is cut below the position of one of the Sprue pins.
✓ This will help the molten metal to flow into the cavity left by the mould.
✓ Small tools are available or can easily be made to dig a variety of shapes in the casting sand.
✓ They are similar to small trowels
Preparation of sand mould

✓ The pattern is removed using a ‘spike’.

✓ Before removing the pattern it is a good idea to gently tap the spike so that it
loosens the pattern from the sand.
✓ It can then be lifted away from the casting box (drag).

✓ The cope (top casting box) is placed back on top of the drag and the locating pins
put in position.
Preparation of sand mould

✓ Vents can be created using a thin piece of welding rod, pushing it through the
sand
✓ This allows gases to escape once the molten metal is poured.
Preparation of sand mould

✓ The molten metal is poured with great care.

✓ The molten metal is poured down the hole left by the first Sprue pin (now
called the ‘runner’).
✓ As it runs down the runner it flows through the ‘gate’ cut by the trowel,
into the cavity left by the pattern and up the riser (the hole left by the
second Sprue pin).

✓ The casting should be left for at least an hour before removal from the sand

✓ When removed from the sand, the runner and riser are cut away and the
casting is ready for machining
• Uses a metal mold constructed of two sections
• designed for easy, precise opening and closing
• Molds used for casting lower melting point alloys are
• commonly made of steel or cast iron
• Molds used for casting steel must be made of
• refractory material, due to the very high pouring
• temperatures
Forging Practice
Introduction

✓Forging is a Bulk Deformation Process in which the work is compressed between two dies.

✓ According to the degree to which the flow of the metal is constrained by the dies.

✓A metal is shaped by compressive forces

✓Oldest metal working process – 4000BC
✓Can be performed with a hammer and anvil
Typical forged products
✓Bolts
✓Rivets
✓Connecting rods
Introduction

FORGING TERMINOLOGIES
❑ Hot forging

Plastically deforming an alloy at a temperature above its re-crystallization point

❑ Open Die Forgings / Hand Forgings

✓ Made with repeated blows in an open die

✓ The operator manipulates the work piece in the die.

❑ Impression Die Forgings / Precision Forgings:

✓Are further refinements of the blocker forgings.

✓The finished part more closely resembles the die impression.

❑ Cold working is metal forming performed at room temperature.

✓ Advantages: better accuracy, better surface finish, high strength and hardness of the part, no heating is required.

✓ Disadvantages: higher forces and power, limitations to the amount of forming, some material are not capable of cold
working.

❑ Warm working is metal forming at temperatures above the room temperature but below the recrystallization
temperature.

✓Advantages: lower forces and power, more complex part shapes, no annealing is required.

✓Disadvantages: some investment in furnaces is needed.

❑ Hot working involves deformation of preheated material at temperatures above the re crystallization temperature.

✓Advantages: big amount of forming is possible, lower forces and power are required, forming of materials with low
ductility, no work hardening and therefore, no additional annealing is required.

✓Disadvantages: lower accuracy and surface finish, higher production cost, and shorter tool life.
Introduction

Illustration of Simple forging Operation

Anvil
✓serves as a work bench to the blacksmith, where the metal to be beaten is placed.

✓made of cast or wrought iron with a tool steel face welded on

✓The flat top has two holes; the wider is called the hardy hole, where the square shank of the hardy fits.

✓The smaller hole is called the punch hole, used as clearance when punching holes in hot metal
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FORGING

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

✓ Uniformity of qualities for parts subject to high stress ✓High tool cost.

and loads. ✓High tool maintenance.

✓ No weight loss. ✓Limitation in size and shape.

✓ Close tolerance.

✓ Less machining or no machining in some cases.

✓ Smooth surface.

✓ High speed of production.

✓ Incorporation in welded structures, i.e., what can be

welded easily.
Forging Operations
❑ Upsetting forging

✓Upset forging increases the diameter of the work piece by compressing its length.

✓A few examples of common parts produced using the upset forging process are engine valves, couplings,
bolts, screws, and other fasteners.
❑ Drawing
This is the operation in which metal gets elongated with a reduction in the cross sedation area. For
this, a force is to be applied in a direction perpendicular to the length axis.
❑ Bending Operations

Bending is very common forging operation. It is an operation to give a turn to metal rod or plate.
This is required for those which have bends shapes.
❑ Fullering

It a similar to material cross-section is decreased and length increased.

✓ To do this; the bottom fuller is kept in angle hole with the heated stock over the fuller .

✓The top fuller is then kept above the stock and then with the sledge hammer, and the force is
applied on the top fuller.
Edging

✓It is a process in which the metal piece is displaced to the desired shape by striking between two dies
✓Edging is frequently as primary drop forging operation.
Punching

✓It is a process of producing holes in motel plate is placed over the hollow cylindrical die.

✓By pressing the punch over the plate the hole is made.
 Assessment
Foundry & Smithy Module assessment
Exercises Class Lab report Total marks
observation
15 5 5 25

Marks break-up for Exercises:

3 Exercises X 5 = 15

100% Attendance is compulsory for All module

Thank you