Material Science

Len Bin Annuar Rigos

Mechanical Engineering Dept
 Material Science
SYNOPSIS
MATERIAL SCIENCE provides students
with an understanding of material science
and engineering which emphasizes on
atomic and crystal structure, material
properties and behavior including material
classification and its application in the
engineering field.

The topic also covers the processes of

metal work used to produce engineering
components and apply basic principles of
material testing and processing through
practical.
Summary
(30 LECTURE : 30 PRACTICAL)
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO MATERIAL SCIENCE

TOPIC 2 MATERIAL STRUCTURE AND BONDING

TOPIC 3 MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND BEHAVIOUR

TOPIC 4 SOLID SOLUTION AND EQUILIBRIUM PHASE DIAGRAM

Summary
(30 LECTURE : 30 PRACTICAL)
TOPIC 5 METAL ALLOYS

TOPIC 6 METAL PROCESSING

TOPIC 7 HEAT TREATMENT

TOPIC 8 MATERIAL TESTING

 UNIT 6 METAL PROCESSING

This topic explains the fabrication of metal works which focuses on

hot and cold works, forming operation and casting process.

On successful completion of the unit the student will be able to:

• Explain the fabrication of metals.
• Describe metal working(cold and hot work process).
• Discuss types of forming operations.
• Describe the casting process.
 Definition
• Process of pouring molten metal into a prepared mould cavity of a
desired shape and allowing the metal to solidify.

• Casting can produce very complex geometry parts with internal

cavities and hollow sections.

• It can be used to make small to very large size parts.

• It is economical, with very little wastage (the extra metal in each

casting is re-melted and re-used)

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 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASTING PROCESS:

• Sand casting
• Investment / “lost wax” casting
• Pressure die casting.
• Centrifugal casting
• Permanent mould casting

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 Sand casting
• Most versatile and widely used.
• Sand as the mould material.
• Molten metal is poured into a mold cavity formed out of sand
(natural or synthetic).

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9
 Common tools and materials required to produce a
sand casting mold

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 Sand casting process

The diagrams shows the pattern on a

flat board and a casting box called a
‘drag’ being placed over it.

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 Sand casting process

Special casting sand will soon be packed around

the pattern ,
Parting powder is sprinkled over and around it.
It stops the casting sand sticking to the pattern.

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 Sand casting process

Casting sand is then shaken through a sieve.

only fine particles fall around the pattern.
so that detail on the pattern shows up on the final
casting.
 Sand casting process

It is a good idea to sieve all the sand being placed

above the pattern and then ram it down firmly using
a ramming tool.

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 Sand casting process
5

When the drag is packed fully it is leveled

off using a straight steel bar.

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 Sand casting process
6

The entire drag and its contents are then turned

over so that the base of the pattern can be seen.

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 7

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.

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 8

Sprue pins are positioned. These will eventually

provide an entrance and exit for the molten
metal when it is poured into the sand.

The sand is rammed into the cope in the same

way as the drag.
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 9

Small depressions are dug into the sand at

the top of the two sprue pins.

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 10

The cope is then removed and if all is well the

cope with the sand inside should lift off the
drag without the sand falling out.
A small ‘gate’ is cut below the position of one
of the sprue pins.

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 11

The pattern is removed using a ‘spike’.

It can then be lifted away from the casting box
(drag).

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 The cope is placed back on top of the drag
and the locating pins put in position.

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

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 The molten metal is poured down the
hole left by the first sprue pin (now
called the ‘runner’).

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 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 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.

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 Sand casting applications

• Bearings housing
• Gears
• Valves body
• Brush holders
• Brackets
• Clamps
• Lever arms
• Slippers
• Engine blocks
• Gear blanks
• Crankshafts
• Brake drums

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 Basic material and tools used
Tool Function
Bellows it is used to produce wind to remove sand grain;
Straighten bar levelling sand in the flask;

Spatula for finishing work such as repairing a damaged

mould and making a molten metal flow path;
Spoon repair a minor damage at mould cavity and flow
path;
Ram to compacting the sand when making moulds;
Vent wire to makes ventilation holes to removes heat and
gas;
Sprue to forms an inlet and outlet drainage for molten
metal.

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 Sand Casting Advantages
• No limits of mould size.

• Large components can be produced.

• Low cost of capital investment in terms of mould materials and

equipment.

• Wide variety of metals and alloys (ferrous and non-ferrous) may be

cast (including high melting point metals).

• Can produce almost finished shape, requiring only little machining

for dimensional accuracy and smooth surface.

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 Sand Casting Disadvantages

• Rough surface due to sand indentation.

• Each mould can be used to produced only one casting.

• Very slow process.

• Poor dimensional accuracy due to shrinkage phenomena.

• Cannot make thin sections.

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 Investment / Lost Wax Casting
• Also called the precision casting.

• A plaster mould is formed around a wax pattern, which is then

melted out, leaving a hollow mould to be a casting cavity.

• Used to produces small, complex components that are

difficult to make by other casting processes/machining.

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 Investment / Lost Wax Casting
• Examples of components that are investment cast:

• air craft parts (e.g. turbine blades, gear)

• air frames and fuel systems.
• hand tools.
• Valve.
• optical equipment.
• medical implants.

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 Steps in lost-wax casting
1. Produce a wax pattern of the part to be cast.
 the two halves of the master die are clamped
together and the molten wax / plastic is injected in to
die cavity under pressure.
 Patterns are made by pouring molten wax into the
master die, or injecting it under pressure, and
allowing it to harden.

2.Assembling the wax patterns to a wax gating

system;
 multiple patterns are assembled to a central wax
sprue.
 a cluster or “tree” of wax is created.

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3.Investing the wax pattern.
• the assembly of pattern is immersing in a
liquid ceramic slurry to form a thin coating
(about 1mm).
• final investment is made by immersing it
into a coarser and less expensive slurry to
make a solid shell.

4.Melting out the wax patterns and baking

the mould.
• once the ceramic is dried, the wax is
melted by fired the ceramic shell (mould)
to burn all wax.
• the mould then is inverted so that all of the
wax will drain out through the sprue.
 5.Melting the metal and pouring the mould
 the mould is preheated up to 800oC ~ 900oC in order
to vaporize the remaining wax in the mould and to
ensures that the molten metal will completely fill the
mould cavity.
 the molten metal then is poured into the mould and is
allowed to cool and solidify.

6.Taking out the casting

 This is accomplished by breaking the mould away
from the casting. Techniques include mechanical
vibration and high-pressure water.

7.Disconnect the parts;

 the parts are cut away from the sprue using a high
speed friction saw.
 minor finishing gives final part.

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 Advantages of lost-wax casting process
• casting have extremely good surface finish.

• there is no parting line.

• more than one casting can be made simultaneously.

• can cast very intricate and undercuts shapes (e.g. jewellery, tooth
fillings, surgical instruments)

• save cost and times, especially for steels and hard alloys that are
difficult to machine.

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 Disadvantages of lost-wax casting process

• The process is involved and expensive (due to specialized

equipment, refractories and binders).

• The parts produced are limited to a few kg, thus castings cannot be
too large.

• The process has the limitations in use of and location of holes.

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 Pressure Die Casting
• Die casting is a very commonly used type of permanent mold
casting process.

• There are two types of die casting:

• gravity die casting

• pressure die casting

• Most die castings are made from non-ferrous metals:

• zinc and its alloys/aluminum and its alloys;

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 Pressure die casting

• Pressure die casting is casting process that consists of using

substantial pressure to inject molten metal into the cavity of a metal
mold called “die”.

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 Die Casting Applications

• automobile (e.g. steering wheel hub, fuel pumps, carburetor

parts, valve covers, brake shoe etc.)
• electrical equipments (e.g. toaster, lawnmowers etc.);
• telecommunication equipments (e.g. microphone, fire
alarm systems, speakers etc.);
• building hardwares (e.g. bathroom fixtures, cabinet handles
etc.);
• home appliances (e.g. fans, dishwasher, vacuum cleaners,
washing machines, refrigerators, can openers, stoves etc.).

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 Basic Process in Die Casting

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 Die Casting Advantages
• High production rates.
• Intricate shapes.
• Dimensional precision.
• Excellent surface qualities.
• Reduces and sometimes completely eliminates subsequent
machining operations.
• Surfaces are smooth and clean and require a minimum of
preparation for other finishes.
• Reusable molds.
• Good surface finish.

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 Disadvantages of Die Casting
• High cost for dies.
• Less flexibility for products.
• Limited to small- to –medium-sized parts.
• Most for nonferrous metals and alloys.
TERMS YOU SHOULD REMEMBER:
• Sand Casting
• Lost wax / investment
casting
• Pressure Die Casting
LEN BIN ANNUAR RIGOS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT