Fundamental of Casting Process

 Casting process:

 Creating a mold from a pattern

 Pouring molten metal into the mold
 Allowing part to cool
 Removing the metal part from the mold
 Heat treating and finish machining
 Factors that affect the overall properties
of the cast part
 Type of metal
 Thermal properties of the metal
 Thermal properties of the mold
 Geometric relationship between volume and surface
area of the casting
 Shape of the mold
 Porosity of the mold
 Metal pour rate
 The important considerations in casting
process
 Flow of Molten Metal
 Solidification and Cooling
 Type of Mold Material

 Solidification of Metals
 Involves liquid metal turning back in to solid metal
 The process is different for Pure metals and alloys
 Can be divided into two steps:
 Formation of stable nuclei
 Growth of crystals
 Pure Metals
 Have a clearly defined melting point
 Temperature remains constant during freezing
 Solidifies from the walls of the mold toward the center of
the part
 Grain Structure for Pure Metals
 Two types of grains are formed for a pure metal
 Fine equiaxed grains
 Columnar
 Rapid cooling at the walls produces fine equiaxed grains
 Columnar grains grow opposite of the heat transfer
throughout the mold following the chill zone
 Equiaxed Grains
 If crystals can grow approximately equally in all
directions – equiaxed grains will grow.
 Large amounts of under cooling is needed near the wall
of the mold.
 Alloys
 Solidification in alloys begins when the temperature
drops below the liquidus TL and is complete when it
reaches the solidus, TS.