METAL CASTING

Casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold,

which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and
then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part
is also known as a casting.

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 Refractory mold  pour liquid metal  solidify, remove  finish

• VERSATILE: complex geometry, internal cavities, hollow sections

small (~10 grams)  very large parts (~1000 Kg)

• ECONOMICAL: little wastage (extra metal is re-used)

• ISOTROPIC: cast parts have same properties along all directions

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 History
• 3500 B.C. Egyptians first manufactured refractories
which in the form of glass vessels around a refractory
core of mud, sand, and animal dung
• 11th Century  Theophilus  Described lost wax
technique, which was a common practice in jewelry
• 1558  B. Cellini  Made an attempt to use of
wax and clay for preparation of castings
• This meticulous procedure of casting was used to
produce jewellery and ornaments

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1897 - Phillibrook described a method of casting metal
filling
1907 - William. H .Taggart introduced the lost wax
technique in dentistry
1949 - Moore and Walt developed phosphate bonded
investment.
1959 - Asgar & Peyton stated that flaring should occur at
the sprue/wax pattern junction
1959 - Strickland et al stated the importance of the type,
shape location & direction other than the size of the sprue
1959 - Morrison and Warmick reported the findings of ethyl
silicate refractory material for dental use.

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 Oldest Manufacturing Process

According to biblical records, casting dates back ~

5000 years B.C (for Arrow heads, weapons e.t.c)

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 Oldest Manufacturing Process

3200 B.C, A copper frog (oldest known casting

in existence) was cast in Mesopotamia.

460 B.C, Bronze statue of Zeus was cast in

Greece

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Iron Pillar ~ 400 A.D.

This iron pillar dating to 400

A.D., remains standing today
in Delhi, India. Corrosion to
the pillar has been minimal,
and this skill is lost to
current ironworkers.

Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG)

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Examples of Castings

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 Casting Methods

• Sand Casting • Investment Casting • Die Casting

High Temperature High Temperature High Temperature
Alloy, Complex Alloy, Complex Alloy, Moderate
Geometry, Rough Geometry, Moderately Geometry, Smooth
Surface Finish Smooth Surface Finish Surface

Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG)

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Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG)
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 Different Casting Processes
Process Advantages Disadvantages Examples
Sand many metals, sizes, shapes, cheap poor finish & tolerance engine blocks,
cylinder heads
Shell mold better accuracy, finish, higher limited part size connecting rods, gear
production rate housings
Expendable Wide range of metals, sizes, patterns have low cylinder heads, brake
pattern shapes strength components
Plaster mold complex shapes, good surface non-ferrous metals, low prototypes of
finish production rate mechanical parts
Ceramic mold complex shapes, high accuracy, small sizes impellers, injection
good finish mold tooling
Investment complex shapes, excellent finish small parts, expensive jewellery

Permanent good finish, low porosity, high Costly mold, simpler gears, gear housings
mold production rate shapes only
Die Excellent dimensional accuracy, costly dies, small parts, gears, camera bodies,
high production rate non-ferrous metals car wheels
Centrifugal Large cylindrical parts, good Expensive, few shapes pipes, boilers,
quality flywheels
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Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG)
SAND CASTING PROCESS

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Schematic illustration of a sand mould

Flask: A metal or a wooden frame with out top or a bottom, in which mould is made
Cope: Upper moulding flask
Cheek: Intermediate moulding flask
Drag: Lower moulding flask
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 Casting Terminology

Pattern: A physical model or the replica of the final objected to be

casted. Mould cavity is created with the help of the pattern.
Parting Line: A imaginary line that divides the drag & cope (two
parts of the moulding flask) .

Moulding Sand: Binding sand which is used to make the mould .

It is the mixture of silica sand, clay and moisture in appropriate
proportions and it is not supposed to loose permeability.

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Core: A separate part of the mould made of sand (conventionally
baked), which is used to make various internal cavities inside the
castings.
Pouring Basin: A small funnel shaped cavity at the top of the
mould into which molten metal is poured.
Sprue: The passage through which the molten metal flows from
pouring basin to mould cavity.
Gate: The channel through which the molten metal enters the
mould cavity.
Runner: The channel through which the molten metal is carried
from Sprue to Gate. Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG) 15
Chaplets: The metallic supports used to help Core
inside the mould cavity, to with stand its own weight and resist
metallostatic forces.
Riser: The extra void created in the mould that will be filled by
the molten material. It simple functions as a reservoir of molten
metal for the castings, to compensate material shrinkage , which
occurs during solidification.
Vent: Small opening provided in the mould to facilitate escape of
air (from the mould) and the gases (from the molten metal).

Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG)

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 PROCEDURE
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PROCEDURE

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PROCEDURE

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PROCEDURE

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 Advantages of casting
 Very complicated shapes (Close tolerances),
 Internal cavities,
 Very large castings,
 Very small castings,
 Use is widespread; technology well developed
and more diverse range of products.
 Materials are inexpensive (sand)
 Process is suitable for both ferrous, non-ferrous metal and alloys
castings,
 Cast metal is isotropic, It has same physical and mechanical
properties on all directions. Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG) 21
•Molten material can flow into very small sections so that intricate shapes can
be made by this process. As a result, many other operations, such as
machining, forging, and welding, can be minimized.

•Possible to cast practically any material: ferrous or non-ferrous.

• The necessary tools required for casting moulds are very simple and
inexpensive. As a result, for production of a small lot, it is the ideal process.

•There are certain parts (like turbine blades) made from metals and alloys that
can only be processed this way. Turbine blades: Fully casting + last machining.

•Size and weight of the product is not a limitation for the casting process. 22
Dr Kalidasan R., PhD (IITG)