MEE1007 THEORY OF METAL CASTING

L T P J C
3 0 2 0 4

Dr. CHINMAYA P. MOHANTY

Assistant Professor (Senior)
School of Mechanical Engineering,
VIT Vellore, Vellore, TN, India – 632 014.
 INVESTMENT CASTING

Investment Casting
1.It can cast very thin and complex features
2.It offers excellent surface finish
3.It offers excellent dimensional accuracy
4.Can be used to cast all metals and alloys

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 INVESTMENT CASTING

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 INVESTMENT CASTING

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 INVESTMENT CASTING

Broad Classification
1.Ceramic cell investment casting
2.Plaster mould investment casting
3.Mercast investment casting

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
CERAMIC SHELL INVESTMENT CASTING

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
PLASTER MOULD INVESTMENT CASTING
1.Plaster mould investment casting the ceramic slurry is replaced
with plaster of paris slurry.
Preparation
1.The wax pattern is placed in side a flask and plaster of paris is
poured in to it.
2.The flask is shaken well so that the plaster of paris can flow to
every nock and corner of the casting.
3.After the plaster of paris is set or hardened the wax is drained
out by heating.
4.The mould is then heated in an oven to remove the moisture.
5.Finally the molten metal is poured in to the mould and the paris
is broken to collect the final product.

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
MERCAST CASTING PROCESS
1.Instead of wax mercury is used as a pattern.
2.Initially the mercury pattern is prepared at below room
temperature.
3.The pattern then repeatedly dipped in ceramic slurry followed by
stucco.
4.It will form a thick layer of ceramic body over the mercury pattern
5.Then the mercury is drained out at higher temperature.
6.Finally, molten metal is poured and casted product is gettable
after breaking of ceramic mould.

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
ADVANTAGES
1.Good surface finish and dimensional accuracy.
DISADVANTAGES
1.Mercury patterns are heavy.
2.Pattern production and shell building has to be carried out at -39
degree Celsius.

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
ADVANTAGES
1.Size of casting can vary from few grams(dental brace for tooth)
to 500kg(complex aircraft engine parts).
2.Excellent surface finish up to 1.5 to 3.2 microns can be
achieved.
3.Close dimensional tolerance 0.08 to 0.13 mm can be achieved.
4.Typical minimum wall thickness thinner sections up to 1 mm is
possible to manufacture.
5.Very and complex products like jewellery can be manufactured.
6.Finishing not required after manufacturing.
7.Any type of alloy can be casted.
8.Used for precise manufacturing of compressor wheels.
9.Castings are free from usual defects of sand casting.

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
APPLICATIONS

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
APPLICATIONS

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
APPLICATIONS

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
APPLICATIONS

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 INVESTMENT CASTING
LIMITATIONS
1.Productions of wax patterns makes the process costly.
2.Huge castings cant be made.
3.Relatively slow process.
4.Core incorporation is difficult.

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 CASTING
DIE CASTING
1.Die casting is a metal casting process that is characterized by
forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mold cavity.
The mold cavity is created using two hardened tool
steel dies which have been machined into shape and work
during the process.
2.Most die castings are made from non-ferrous metals,
specifically zinc, copper, aluminium, magnesium, lead, pewter 
and tin-based alloys.
3.Depending on the type of metal being cast, a hot- or cold-
chamber machine is used.

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 DIE

BB Sahoo (06615102) Centre for Energy, IIT Guwahati 17

 CASTING
DIE CASTING

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 CASTING
DIE CASTING ADVANTAGES
1.Excellent dimensional accuracy (dependent on casting
material, but typically 0.1 mm for the first 2.5 cm (0.005 in. for
the first inch) and 0.02 mm for each additional centimeter
(0.002 in. for each additional inch).
2.Smooth cast surfaces (1—2.5 μm (40—100 μin.) rms).
3.Thinner walls can be cast as compared to sand and
permanent mold casting (approximately 0.75 mm (0.030 in.). 
Inserts can be cast-in (such as threaded inserts, heating
elements, and high strength bearing surfaces).
4.Reduces or eliminates secondary machining operations.
5.Rapid production rates.

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 CASTING
DIE CASTING DISADVANTAGES
1.Casting weight must be between 30 grams (1 oz) and 10 kg
(20 lb).
2.Casting must be smaller than 600 mm (24 in.).
3.High initial cost.
4.Limited to high-fluidity metals.
5.A certain amount of porosity is common.
6.Thickest section should be less than 13 mm (0.5 in.).
7.A large production volume is needed to make this an
economical alternative to other processe

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 CASTING
CENTRIFUGAL CASTING
1.Centrifugal casting or rotocasting is a casting technique that
is typically used to cast thin-walled cylinders.
2.It is used to cast such materials as metal, glass, and
concrete. It is noted for the high quality of the results attainable,
particularly for precise control of their metallurgy and crystal
structure.
APPLICATIONS
1.Jet engine compressor cases,
2. Petrochemical furnace tubes,
3.Many military products and other high-reliability applications

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 Centrifugal cast

BB Sahoo (06615102) Centre for Energy, IIT Guwahati 22

 CASTING
CENTRIFUGAL CASTING

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 CASTING
CENTRIFUGAL CASTING ADVANGAGES
1.Castings acquire high density, high mechanical strength
and fine grained structure
2.Inclusions and impurities are lighter
3.Gates and risers are not needed
4.High output
5.Formation of hollow interiors without cores
DISADVANGAGES
1.An inaccurate diameter of the inner surface of the casting.
2.Not all alloys can be cast in this way.

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 SQUEEZE CASTING
1. Squeeze casting is a combination of casting and forging
process.
2. The process can result in the highest mechanical properties
attainable in a cast product.
WORKING
1. The process starts when the molten metal is poured into the
bottom half of a pre-heated die.
2. As soon as the metal starts solidifying, the upper half of the
die closes and starts applying pressure during the
solidification process.

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 squeeze

BB Sahoo (06615102) Centre for Energy, IIT Guwahati 26

 SQUEEZE CASTING
ADVANTAGES
1.The extent of pressure applied is significantly less than that in
forging.
2.Parts of great detail can be produced good accuracy and
surface finish can be produced.
3.Coring can be used in tandem with the process to form holes
and recesses.
4.The high pressure and the close contact of molten alloy with
the metal die surface results in minimum porosity(due to no gas
entrapment) and improved mechanical properties.
5.This process can be used for both ferrous and non-ferrous
metals.

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 SQUEEZE CASTING
DISADVANTAGES
1.The volume of the melt must be determined exactly.
APPLICATIONS
Application of Squeeze Casting:
1.Squeeze casting is an economical, simple and convenient
process.
2. It has found extensive application in automotive industry in
producing aluminium front steering knuckles, chassis frames,
brackets or nodes.
3. High capacity propellers for boat-engine.

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 SQUEEZE CASTING
APPLICATIONS
Audi front steering knuckle

Audi chassis frames

propellers for boat-engine

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 SQUEEZE CASTING
DIRECT (LIQUID METAL FORGING)
This is done in equipment which closely resemble the forging
process. Liquid metal is poured into lower die segment,
contained in a hydraulic press. Upper die segment is closed. A
very high pressure of 100 Mpa or more is applied to the whole
cavity until the part gets solidified.

INDIRECT SQUEEZE CASTING

This process is very much similar to die casting. It takes place in
a die casting equipment. This equipment van be vertical or
horizontal. The melt which is cleaned and grain -refined is poured
in to the shot sleeve of a horizontal or vertical casting machine.
The melt is then injected into the die through relatively large
gates. This is accomplished through relatively slow velocity (less
than 0.5m/sec).
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 STIR CASTING
Application
Stir casting process is one of the prominent and economical
method for producing metal matrix composites.
Flow diagram for composite preparation

Solid metal Generally Aluminium or magnesium used for

manufacturing aeroplane or automotive parts or
which requires high temperature resistance
Melting in a furnace properties.

Addition of ceramics SiO2,Al2O3,

String is employed so that heavy ceramics

Stirring in a crucible particles will not settle at the bottom and ensure
uniform spreading through the liquid metal.

Final casting process like Die casting,

centrifugal casting, permanent mould Finally, higher temperature
casting etc. resistance and good mechanical
property in the casted product.

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 STIR CASTING

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 STIR CASTING APPLICATION

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 STIR CASTING
ADVANTAGES
1.Manufacturer can have desired property in a casted product
(Composites can be prepared).
2. Casted product will have good surface finish as the molten
metal is stirred well that gas bubbles will disappear.
3. Good mechanical properties viz. good hardness enhance
wear resistance and temperature resistance.

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