Casting
Introduction
Casting – Some examples
Casting Processes- Introduction
• In the casting processes, a material is first melted, heated to proper temperature,
and sometimes treated to modify its chemical composition.
• The molten material is then poured into a cavity or mold that holds it in the
desired shape during cool-down and solidification.
• In a single step, simple or complex shapes can be made from any material that
can be melted.
• By proper design and process control, the resistance to working stresses can be
optimized and a pleasing appearance can be produced.
• Cast parts range in size from a fraction of a centimeter and a fraction of a gram
(such as the individual teeth on a zipper) to over 10 meters and many tons (as in
the huge propellers and stern frames of ocean liners).
BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF CASTING PROCESSES
Six basic steps are present in most casting processes:
1. A container must be produced with a mold cavity, having the desired shape and size, with
due allowance for shrinkage of the solidifying material.
a) Any geometrical feature desired in the finished casting must be present in the cavity.
b) The mold material must provide the desired detail and also withstand the high
temperatures and not contaminate the molten material that it will contain.
c) In some processes, a new mold is prepared for each casting (single-use molds) while in
other processes, the mold is made from a material that can withstand repeated use, such
as metal or graphite.
d) The multiple-use molds tend to be quite costly and are generally employed with products
where large quantities are desired.
e) The more economical single-use molds are usually preferred for the production of smaller
quantities but may be required when casting the higher-melting-temperature materials.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF CASTING PROCESSES
2. A melting process must be capable of providing molten material at the
proper temperature, in the desired quantity, with acceptable quality, and at
a reasonable cost.
3. A pouring technique must be devised to introduce the molten metal into
the mold.
a) Provision should be made for the escape of all air or gases present in the
cavity prior to pouring, as well as those generated by the introduction of
the hot metal.
b) The molten material must be free to fill the cavity, producing a high-
quality casting that is fully dense and free of defects.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF CASTING PROCESSES
4. The solidification process should be properly designed and controlled.
a) Castings should be designed so that solidification and solidification shrinkage
can occur without producing internal porosity or voids.
b) In addition, the molds should not provide excessive restraint to the shrinkage
that accompanies cooling, a feature that may cause the casting to crack when it
is still hot and its strength is low.
5. It must be possible to remove the casting from the mold (i.e., mold removal).
a) With single-use molds that are broken apart and destroyed after each casting,
mold removal presents no serious difficulty.
b) With multiple-use molds, however, the removal of a complex-shaped casting
may be a major design problem.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF CASTING PROCESSES
6. Various cleaning, finishing, and inspection operations may be
required after the casting is removed from the mold.
a) Extraneous material is usually attached where the metal entered
the cavity, excess material may be present along mold parting lines,
and mold material may adhere to the casting surface.
b) All of these must be removed from the finished casting.
CASTING TERMINOLOGY
CASTING TERMINOLOGY
CASTING TERMINOLOGY
• a pattern, an approximate duplicate of the final casting.
• Molding material will then be packed around the pattern and the pattern is removed to create all
or part of the mold cavity.
• The rigid metal or wood frame that holds the molding aggregate is called a flask.
• In a horizontally parted two-part mold, the top half of the pattern, flask, mold, or core is called
the cope. The bottom half of any of these features is called the drag.
• A core is a sand (or metal) shape that is inserted into a mold to produce the internal features of a
casting, such as holes or passages for water cooling.
• Cores are produced in wood, metal, or plastic tooling, known as core boxes.
CASTING TERMINOLOGY
• A core print is a feature that is added to a pattern, core, or mold and is used to locate and support
a core within the mold.
• The mold material and the cores then combine to produce a completed mold cavity, a shaped
hole into which the molten metal is poured and solidified to produce the desired casting.
• A riser is an additional void in the mold that also fills with molten metal.
• Its purpose is to provide a reservoir of additional liquid that can flow into the mold cavity to
compensate for any shrinkage that occurs during solidification.
• By designing so the riser contains the last material to solidify, shrinkage voids should be located in
the riser, not the final casting
CASTING TERMINOLOGY
Aluminum piston for an internal
combustion engine:
(a)as cast and
(b)after machining.
The part on the left is as cast,
including risers, sprue, and well,
as well as a machining
allowance; the part on the right
is the piston after machining
Fluidity of Molten Metal
The capability of molten metal to fill mold cavities is called fluidity,
which consists of two basic factors: characteristics of the molten
metal and casting parameters.
characteristics of molten metal influence fluidity:
• Viscosity. As viscosity and its sensitivity to temperature (viscosity
index) increase, fluidity decreases.
• Surface Tension. A high surface tension of the liquid metal
reduces fluidity. Because of this, oxide films on the surface of the
molten metal have a significant adverse effect on fluidity.
• For example, an oxide film on the surface of pure molten
aluminum triples the surface tension.
A test method for fluidity using a spiral mold. The
fluidity index is the length of the solidified metal in
the spiral passage. The greater the length of the
solidified metal, the greater is the metal’s fluidity
Fluidity of Molten Metal
• Inclusions. Because they are insoluble, inclusions can have a
significant adverse effect on fluidity. This effect can be verified by
observing the viscosity of a liquid (such as oil) with and without sand
particles in it; the liquid with sand in it has a higher viscosity and,
hence, lower fluidity.
• Solidification Pattern of the Alloy. The manner in which solidification
takes place can influence fluidity. Moreover, fluidity is inversely
proportional to the freezing range: The shorter the range (as in pure
metals and eutectics), the higher the fluidity. Conversely, alloys with
long freezing ranges (such as solid–solution alloys) have lower fluidity.
Fluidity of Molten Metal
The following casting parameters influence fluidity and also influence
the fluid flow and thermal characteristics of the system:
• Mold Design. The design and dimensions of the sprue, runners, and
risers all influence fluidity.
• Mold Material and its Surface Characteristics. The higher the
thermal conductivity of the mold and the rougher its surfaces, the
lower the fluidity of the molten metal. Although heating the mold
improves fluidity, it slows down solidification of the metal. Thus, the
casting develops coarse grains and hence has lower strength.
Fluidity of Molten Metal
• Degree of Superheat. Superheat (defined as the increment of temperature of an
alloy above its melting point) improves fluidity by delaying solidification. The
pouring temperature often is specified instead of the degree of superheat,
because it is specified more easily.
• Rate of Pouring. The slower the rate of pouring molten metal into the mold, the
lower the fluidity because of the higher rate of cooling when poured slowly.
• Heat Transfer. This factor directly affects the viscosity of the liquid metal (see
below). Although complex, the term castability generally is used to describe the
ease with which a metal can be cast to produce a part with good quality.
Castability includes not only fluidity, but the nature of casting practices as well
Economics of Casting