CASTING

 The Casting or Founding Process is the

process of forming objects by putting molten
metal in moulds and letting it to solidify.
 The Casting is the oldest manufacturing
processes dating back to more than 6000
years.
 Especially used in making Aircraft
components, Engines, Machine Tools, etc.
SAND CASTING:
A method of casting in which a mould is first
formed from a three-dimensional pattern of sand
and finally filled with molten metal which is allowed
to solidify.
Requirements for Casting Process

 Patterns

 Moulding Sand

 Core

 Molten Metal
 Patterns

► It is the solid form that is used to make

the Mould
► The Patterns resembles the Castings
being produced
► The Quality of Casting depends upon
the design of Pattern, Its material and
Construction.
► A poor casting may result from a good
pattern, but a poor Pattern will never make
a good casting
 Loose patterns
 Gated patterns
 Match plate patterns
 Cope and Drag Patterns
 Pattern Devices
 Shell patterns
1. LOOSE PATTERNS
These patterns are patterns which are not
connected to other patterns or mounted on a
plate.

They are further divided into:

 Solid Patterns
 Self core Patterns
 Split Patterns
 Patterns with Loose Pieces
Solid Patterns
Self Core Pattern
Split Pattern
Loose Piece Pattern
2. GATED PATTERN
They are number of loose patterns
connected with a gating system
 castings

Gating system
3. MATCH PLATE PATTERN
► A match-plate pattern is similar to a
split pattern, except that each half of the
pattern is attached to opposite sides of a
single plate. The plate is usually made
from wood or metal.

► This pattern design ensures proper

alignment of the mold cavities in the match
plate.

► Match-plate patterns are used for

larger production quantities and are often
used when the process is automated.
 Cope Pattern

Drag Pattern
Match
Plate
4. COPE AND DRAG PATTERN
► A cope and drag pattern is similar to a
match plate pattern, except that each half
of the pattern is attached to a separate
plate and the mold halves are made
independently. Just as with a match plate
pattern.
► The plates ensure proper alignment of
the mold cavities in the cope and drag and
the runner system can be included on the
plates.
► They are also used for larger
production quantities and are often used
when the process is automated.
 Cope
Pattern

Drag
Pattern
Plate
5. PATTERN DEVICES
 A skeleton pattern is the skeleton of a desired
shape which may be S-bend pipe or a chute or
something else. The skeleton frame is mounted on a
metal base
 The skeleton is made from wooden strips, and is
thus a wooden work.
 The skeleton pattern is filled with sand and is
rammed.
 A strickle (board) assists in giving the desired shape
to the sand and removes extra sand.
 Skeleton patterns are employed for producing a
few large castings.
 A skeleton pattern is very economical, because it
involves less material costs.
6. SHELL PATTERN
PATTERN MATERIALS
The factors to be considered for selection
of Pattern Material are

 Number of Castings to be produced

 Shape, Complexity and Size of the Casting
 Degree of accuracy and surface finish
required
 Design of Casting
 Casting method to be used
► Wood is by far the most commonly used
material for making pattern because of it is
economical, readily available, reasonably strong
and durable.
► It can also be worked easily.
► When joined with glue, there is no need to
use nails or screws.
► Wood patterns can be prepared easily.
► Wood used for patterns must be free from
any defects.
► It should be hard, strong and less likely to
Warp.
limitations:
 It absorbs moisture from sand and
changes its shape
 It has high wear and tear rate
 It has a non uniform structure
 It cannot be used for Machine Moulding
for Mass productions

► When number of castings to be produced are

very large, Metal patterns are used.
► Most of the pattern used for machine molding are
made of metal.
► Aluminum, Cast iron, Brass, Mild Steel are some
of the metals used for metal patterns.
► Steel is not an Ideal material for patterns even
though it has high strength, High Wear resistance,
fairly good Machinability because of its poor
resistance to rust and corrosion.
► Metal patterns are first made by making a
master pattern in Wood and then casting with the
pattern material. The pattern castings are machined
to required surface finish and dimensional accuracy.
► Metal patterns are expensive than compared to
wooden patterns.
► Some patterns like aluminium patterns cannot
be easily repaired.
► Metal patterns are also heavier than wooden
patterns.
▼ Plastics are intermediate between wood and
metal in their utility as pattern material.
▼ Plastic patterns have reasonably good wear
resistance and are not affected by moisture.
▼ They give good surface finish and are light in
weight.
▼ Because of their Glossy surface they can be
removed easily.
▼ The main dis-advantage is they are fragile and
light section may need metal reinforcement.
▼ Plastic patterns cannot withstand severe shock
as in machine moulding.
◄ Plaster of Paris (or) Gypsum Cement is used for
making Patterns and Core boxes.
◄ Plaster is easy to cast and work with but is brittle
and not suitable when the number of castings to be
produced is large. It is also affected by moisture.
◄ Plaster pattern can be prepared by pouring plaster
slurry in the mould with the help of the master pattern.
◄ An advantage of plaster pattern is that it expands
on solidification. By selecting a plaster with correct
expansion rate, the effect of casting shrinkage can be
completely minimized.
◄ Plaster can also be used for moulding of irregular
parts.
 PATTERN ALLOWANCES
A Pattern is always made larger than the final
casting, because it needs certain allowances due to
metallurgical and mechanical reasons.
The following allowances are provided on patterns,

 Shrinkage or Contraction allowance

 Machining or Finish allowance
 Draft or Taper allowance
 Distortion or Camber allowance
 Rapping or Shake allowance
 SHRINKAGE OR CONTRACTION
ALLOWANCE
Almost all the metals used in Casting Shrink or
Contract during cooling from Pouring temperature to
Room temperature.
Liquid Shrinkage:
refers to the reduction in volume
When liquid metal changes to solid state. Risers are
used to compensate this shrinkage.

Solid Shrinkage:
refers to the reduction in volume
when solid metal cools to the ambient temperature.
to compensate this reduction shrinkage allowance is
given on the patterns
Shrinkage Allowance for different Metals

Allowance
Metal
(mm/metre)
Grey Cast Iron 6.95 - 10.4
Steel 20.8
Aluminium 16.5
Brass 15.4
Bronze 10.5 - 21.0
Magnesium 16.5
 MACHINING OR FINISH ALLOWANCE
 Machining Allowance or Finish Allowance is the
amount of dimension on the casting which is made
oversized to produce stock for machining.
 Machining Allowance varies from 1.5 mm – 16 mm.
 3 mm Allowance is more common for Small and
medium Casting.

Aluminum Piston
for an Internal
Combustion
Engine.
(a) As cast
(b) After machining.
 DRAFT OR TAPER ALLOWANCE
 Draft or Taper Allowance is given to all vertical faces
of the pattern for easy removal from sand without
damaging the mould.
 It is expressed in degrees or mm/metre.

Parting line

Pattern Without Allowance Pattern With Allowance

DISTORTION OR CAMBER ALLOWANCE
 The tendency of distortion is not common in all
casting.
 Distortion or warp in the casting will happen, If
 It is of irregular Shape.
 It is of U or V shape.
 Arms having unequal thickness.
 One portion of the casting cools at a faster rate than the
other.
 To eliminate this, an opposite distortion is provided
on the pattern, so that balanced and correct shape of the
casting is produced.
 The amount of Distortion varies from 2 mm to 20 mm
as per the size of the Casting.
 RAPPING OR SHAKE ALLOWANCE

 When the pattern is taken out from the mould,

it is first rapped or shaken from side to side.
 This is done, so that the pattern becomes free
from the adjoining sand of the mould.
 Due to this, there is a little increase in the size
of the mould cavity.
 For this reason, a negative allowance is
provided to the pattern (i.e.) the pattern is made
smaller.
 It is generally made for larger casting.