SAND CASTING

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 Basic materials & equipment for sand-casting
Pattern
(a copy of the shape you want
to produce, made of wood,
plastic or metal)

Sand,
mixed with clay binder &
water (so it will hold its
shape) plus coal dust to
improve surface finish

Container of molten metal Top and bottom mold forms

(filled from furnace) (made of metal, open at top and bottom)

Rammer (tool to compact the sand; often

a pressing machine is used)

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Basic summary of the sand casting process. . .

First of all,
mix the sand.

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THEN MOLDING: 2 MOLDING:
Sand placed into Pattern placed into mold
bottom
mold
form &
compacted
 3 MOLDING: Add A tube or pipe provides a
the top mold path to pour the metal
form in

Pattern is still inside!

4 MOLDING: Fill top form with

compacted sand.
 MOLDING:
5 Take the top mold off In the middle of the sand is
and remove pattern & a cavity shaped like the
pipe or post pattern!
P
o
ur
in
g
h
ol
e

6 MOLDING: Replace the top

mold and fasten securely!
 8 Wait for the metal to cool
(minutes to days, depending
7 CASTING: on the size of the casting)
Pour the metal (container is filled from
furnace immediately before you are
ready to pour)
 A copy of the pattern has
now been made in metal

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CLEANING. Sand is cleaned
off the part, the “tab” where
metal flowed in must be
removed.

8 SHAKE OUT: Break apart the two halves of 10 Mold forms are reused
the mold & take out the part—usually
requires vibrating or striking the mold to Sand is broken up, screened
break apart the sand 11 to remove debris and
clumps, and sent for
remixing
Types of Molding Sand