CASTING TECHNOLOGY

CASTING
Sand casting process,
Patterns and pattern allowances,
Moulding sand properties and their testing methods,
Mould preparation,
Core and Core making,
Gating system and its design,
Riser design and its placement,
Melting, Pouring and Fluidity,
Solidification of pure metals and alloys,
Casting defects, Inspection and
testing. Special casting processes,
 Recommended Books for reference:

• Manufacturing Engineering and Technology – Kalpakjian

(Addison Wesley)
• Principles of Metal Casting – RW Heine, CR Loper and PC
Rosenthal (Tata-McGraw Hill).
• ASM handbook on casting technology
• Mechanical Metallurgy (Part IV) – G E Dieter (Tata-
Hill).
McGraw .
• Manufacturing Science – A. Ghosh and A.K. Mallik (East
West Press)
 CASTING TECHNOLOGY
Distribution of Marks

Minor 1 – 40
Minor 2 – 40
Assignment- (Presentation and Quiz) – 40
Practicals –20 ( Reports)
Major – 60
.
75% Attendance- As per IITD rules.
Less than 75% attendance – one grade less.
• 14 million pounds of castings are produced
every year
• The most common materials cast are gray iron,
ductile iron, aluminum alloys, and copper
alloys
• 35% of the market is in automotive and light
truck manufacturing
• Castings are used in applications ranging from
agriculture to railroad equipment and heating
and refrigeration
• No Weight limitation
 Iron Pillar
7 meter height
6 ton weight
Chandragupta period
• Six basic steps of casting
• 1. Mold cavity is produced having the desired shape and size of the part
• Takes shrinkage into account
• Single-use or permanent mold
2. Melting process
• Provides molten material at the proper temperature
3. Pouring technique
• Molten metal is poured into the mold at a proper rate to ensure that erosion
and or defects are minimized
4. Solidification process
– Controlled solidification allows the product to have desired properties
– Mold should be designed so that shrinkage is controlled
5. Mold removal
– The casting is removed from the mold
• Single-use molds are broken away from the casting
• Permanent molds must be designed so that removal does not damage the
part
6. Cleaning, finishing, and inspection operations
– Excess material along parting lines may have to be machined
 180 720
720
90 300
60 120 240 450
A. A thin layer cools and
solidifies where the
metal touches the mold
surface.

B. Heat is sucked out of

the metal anywhere it
is touching the mold,
and crystal dendrites
form along the surface
layer.

C. As heat continues to
leave via the metal/mold
interface, the dendrites
grow.
D. Metal in the
center finally
cools enough to
start to crystallize.
Small seed
crystals form.

E. These seed
crystals multiply
and grow until the
casting is solid.
Science and Engineering of Casting
Solidification “Stefanescu, Doru Michael”
 FLUIDITY

1.Spiral shaped fluidity test

2.Vacuum fluidity test
• Molten metal can flow in the mould cavity
• Inverse of viscosity
• Temperature related
• Chemical composition
• Solidification range
• Heat transfer
• Mould-metal thermal conductivity
• Applied heat
• Casting temperature
• Oxide/particle content
• MAGMASOFT
• PROCAST
• FLOW 3D
Fluidity is higher for pure metals and eutectic alloys
Aluminum alloy with different percentage of silicon
Mold material on fluidity
Mold coating
Skim Bob – a small hollow above the
runner that acts to skim off floating
dross, sand and debris so it does not
enter the casting.
Relief Sprue
A second sprue at opposite end of the runner
to relieve pressure created during pouring operation.
Splash Core . . . A core of tile placed in a mold to prevent erosion
of the mold at places where metal impinges with more than
normal force. Splash cores are commonly used at the bottom of
large rammed pouring basins, at the bottom of long downsprues,
or
at the ingates of large molds.
 Fluidity
Composition factor:
Cf= %C+ 0.25%Si + 0.5%P
Fluidity (cm) = 37.846Xcf
+0.228T-389.6
(T: pouring temperature in degree centigrade)
carbon 4.0 2.0 3.2 2.5

silicon 1.0 1.8 1.8 0.4

Phosporus 0.5 0.2 0.1 0.4
Mn 1.2 0.2 0.8 0.3
Pouring 1537 1537 1648 1704
temperatur
e (0C)

CF 4.5 2.55
Fluidity (cm)
 Gating ratio
Sprue : Runner: ingate
 Gating system
• Mould cavity should be completely filled within
shortest possible time (Neither rise metal
temperature nor use higher metal head)
• Metal flow should be smooth
• Slag and dross should not be allowed to enter
the cavity
• No aspiration is allowed
• No mould or gate erosion
• Proper thermal gradient to promote directional
solidification
Pouring basin

0.25R
Strainer core and ceramic
filter
Bottom, parting and top gates

Top Gate

Parting
Gate Bottom Gate
Step gate
 Solidification rule
• Solidification time = K ( V/SA)2
1:2:4
1:2:2
• Pressurized and Non pressurized gating
systems

Non pressurized gating system:

Sprue : Runner: ingate
1: 4 :4

Pressurized gating system

back pressure exists
Ingate area is the smallest; flows full;
Higher casting yield