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Metal Casting Techniques and Principles

The document provides an overview of metal casting processes, including solidification of metals, various casting methods such as sand, investment, and die casting, along with their advantages and disadvantages. It discusses key engineering principles like heat transfer, fluid flow, and casting defects, as well as die design principles for effective casting. Additionally, it covers fluidity, microsegregation, and macrosegregation in the context of casting operations.

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balasubramaniyankumar700
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17 views24 pages

Metal Casting Techniques and Principles

The document provides an overview of metal casting processes, including solidification of metals, various casting methods such as sand, investment, and die casting, along with their advantages and disadvantages. It discusses key engineering principles like heat transfer, fluid flow, and casting defects, as well as die design principles for effective casting. Additionally, it covers fluidity, microsegregation, and macrosegregation in the context of casting operations.

Uploaded by

balasubramaniyankumar700
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Metal Casting

Solidification of Metals in Molds


• Pure Metals -
– Solidify at a constant
temperature
– Planar solidification front
– Columnar crystals
• Eutectics -
– Solidify at a constant
temperature
– Planar solidification front
– Lamellar crystals
• Solid Solutions
– Solidify over freezing
range (solidus – liquidus)
– Dendritic structure
Basic Engineering Principles

• Heat Transfer • Fluid Flow


– Degree of Superheat
– Degree of Superheat
– Part Geometry
– Material Properties
– Material Properties
– Die Properties (viscosity)
– External Heating/Cooling – Die Properties
– Part Geometry – Continuity Equation
– Chvorinov’s Rule • A0v0 = A1v1
– Bernoulli Equation
2
V – Max Flow without
ts C.
A turbulence
• Reynold’s Number
r .v .D
Re
m
Microsegregation

Microsegregation or coring
Macrosegregation

Macrosegregation caused by compositional difference over long


distances within a casting.
Fluidity

• Fluidity is used to
characterize the
mold filling ability,
sometimes
castability.

• Superheat =
(Tmelt –TL)/TL
Shape Casting Processes

• Expendable Mold • Permanent Mold


– Permanent Pattern – Gravity
• Sand Casting – Low Pressure/Vacuum
• Plaster Molding – Die casting
– Expendable Pattern Moderate to high
• Lost Foam pressures
• Lost Wax • Hot Chamber
(investment casting) • Cold Chamber
Sand, Investment, and Lost Foam Casting

• Use gravity to fill the mold


• Mold is destroyed to remove
casting
• Metal flow is slow
• Walls are much thicker than
in die casting
• Cycle time is longer than die
casting because of inability of
mold material to remove heat
Sand Casting

• Pattern for shape


• Pack sand
around pattern
• Remove Pattern
• Put Cope and
Drag together
• Pour - gravity
fed
• Take part out of
sand - recycle
sand.
Casting Terminology
Sand Casting Advantages/Disadvantages

• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Inexpensive mold – Cost per part is higher
– Complex geometry • Labor intensive
– All alloys • Slower production
– Unlimited size rate
– Economical in low – Rough surface finish
quantities – Loose tolerances
– Requires relatively
thick walls (0.120”)
Investment
Casting

• Create Wax Pattern


• Assemble Wax Tree
• Coat with Ceramic
• Melt out wax
• Pour in molten metal
• Break off ceramic
Investment Casting Adv/Disadv

• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Good dimensional – Long production cycle
accuracy • leads to high cost
– Relatively inexpensive per part
mold – Mold is not reusable
– Rapid production rates
possible
– Complex shapes
– Very high temp
materials - Titanium
Permanent Mold
Casting

• Mold removed, not destroyed


• Uses gravity to fill mold
• Metal flow is slow
• Mold is steel - has
comparatively good thermal
conductivity
• Machines smaller
Die Casting
• Liquid metal injected into
reusable steel mold, or die,
very quickly with high
pressures
• Reusable steel tooling and
injection of liquid metal with
high pressures differentiates
die casting from other metal
casting processes
Die Casting - Two Major Types
• Hot Chamber • Cold Chamber
– Zn or Zn alloys only – Al, Mg, Zn
– Higher production rate – Melt is poured into
15 cycles per minute cylinder, which is then
for small parts shot into chamber
– Metal injected directly
from melt zone
Adv/Disadv of Die Casting

• Advantages • Disadvantages
– High production rates – High tooling cost
possible, with high – Long lead times
level of automation (months)
– Very thin walls – Limited size (<25 lbs)
possible (0.020” for – Limited in alloys (low
Mg die casting) temperature only)
– Good surface finish • Zn
– Economical in large • Al
quantities
• Mg
– Better control of mold
temps • Cu
Casting Defects

• Porosity
• Impurities - oxides
• Cold Shut
• Hot Tearing
• Dimensional tolerance and
part geometry
• Warping
• Shrinkage
Casting
Die Design

• Fill completely
with metal
• Solidify quickly
without defects
• Eject readily from
the die
Six Die Design Principles
• Wall thickness should be as consistent as possible
– Wall section possesses a dense fine-grained skin. Defects likely in material in
between walls. Wall sections should be as uniform as possible. Thinner walls
contribute a lesser heat load than heavier walls and will have a longer die life.
• Intersections of walls, ribs and gussets should blend with transitions and
generous radii
– Generous radii and transitions promote metal flow and internal integrity. Radii and
fillets enhance structural integrity. Fillets reduce heat concentration in both the die
and castings.
• Specify standard draft
– Draft is highly desirable on surfaces parallel to the direction of die draw.
Recommended draft is determined by the alloy, the length of the dimension parallel
to the die draw, and If the dimension is an inside or outside wall
• Eliminate or minimize sharp corners
– Accommodate them at parting lines and at the junctions of die components. Break
them with radii or chamfers.
• Avoid undercuts
– May require machining operations or additional die components, such as retractable
core slides
• Dimensions with critical tolerances should relate to only one die member
– Precision is reduced for relationships across the parting line or to moving
components
Casting of Single Crystal Components

Jet engine turbine blades


Fluid Flow Characteristics

• Mass Continuity Q = A1v1 = A2v2


– where Q is the volumetric rate of flow, m3/s, A is the
cross sectional area of the liquid stream, and v is the
velocity of the liquid in that location.
vDr
Re =
• Reynolds number h
– where v is the velocity of the liquid, D is the diameter
of the channel, r is the density, and h is the viscosity.
– For casting, Re = 2,000 – 20,000
Bernoulli’s Theorem

• Under steady well-developed flow conditions, the total


energy of a unit volume of material must be a constant at
every part of the system.
rv02 rv12
p0 + + rgh0 = p1 + + rgh1 + f
2 2

– where p is the pressure, v is the velocity, h is the height


above a reference plane, f is the energy losses due to
friction, and r is the density.
Heat Extraction

• The solidification time is a function of the volume of the


casting and its surface area (Chvorinov’s rule)
2
Ê volume ˆ
Solidification _ Time = ÁÁ ˜˜
Ë surface _ area ¯

Common questions

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Sand casting advantages include the low cost of molds, suitability for complex geometries, all alloy types, large sizes, and economical small batch production . Its disadvantages are higher cost per part, labor-intensive process, slower production, rough surface finishes, and less precise tolerances . In contrast, die casting offers high production rates, excellent surface finishes, precise dimensions, and very thin walls, but requires high tooling costs, has longer lead times, and is limited to low-melting-point alloys .

Chvorinov’s rule relates the solidification time of a casting to its volume and surface area. The solidification time is proportional to the square of the ratio of volume to surface area, which means that reducing the volume or increasing the surface area can expedite cooling and solidification . This principle is crucial in designing casting molds to ensure efficient heat extraction and solidification.

The Reynolds number (Re) influences fluid flow characteristics in casting, indicating whether the flow will be laminar or turbulent. A Reynolds number in the range of 2,000 to 20,000 is typical for casting . This affects how the liquid metal fills the mold, with higher numbers suggesting more turbulent flow, which can lead to defects like air entrapment, inconsistencies, and poor surface finishes . Proper management of Re can improve mold filling and quality of the final product.

Macrosegregation results in compositional differences over much larger scales in the casting, potentially impacting overall mechanical properties . This differs from microsegregation, which involves small-scale compositional variations due to the differing solidification rates of various elements but generally retains a uniform composition across larger sections . Macrosegregation can compromise consistency in the material's characteristics, requiring careful control of the casting process to mitigate.

Fluidity characterizes the mold filling ability, often referred to as castability, and is crucial for ensuring complete mold filling without defects . Influential factors include the degree of superheat, which is the difference between melting and pouring temperatures, and mold characteristics such as geometry and thermal properties . This determines the metal's ability to flow and fill intricate details before solidification starts.

Selecting between hot chamber and cold chamber die casting depends on the specific alloy and production needs. Hot chamber is suitable for low-melting-point metals like zinc and offers higher production rates with direct metal injection from the melt zone . Cold chamber is used for aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys, requiring separate melting and injection stages, resulting in more control but potentially slower production . The choice impacts production rate, alloy suitability, and operational control.

Pure metals and eutectics solidify at a constant temperature with a planar solidification front, but pure metals form columnar crystals while eutectics create lamellar crystals . Solid solutions, however, solidify over a range (solidus to liquidus temperatures) and form a dendritic structure . This fundamental difference in solidification impacts the microstructure and properties of the final cast product.

Key design principles for casting dies include maintaining consistent wall thickness, using generous radii at wall intersections, specifying standard drafts, avoiding sharp corners, minimizing undercuts, and ensuring critical tolerances relate to a single die member . These principles ensure effective metal flow, minimized defects, enhanced structural integrity, and ease of die removal, ultimately optimizing the quality and longevity of the casting and the die .

Superheat, the temperature difference above a metal's melting point, enhances fluidity by reducing viscosity, thereby improving mold fill and surface finish . However, excessive superheat can lead to increased porosity and longer solidification times, promoting defects . Thus, balancing superheat is crucial for optimizing both the flow characteristics and the microstructure quality of the final casting.

Mold material properties, such as thermal conductivity, significantly impact the cooling rate and final properties of a cast component. Higher conductivity materials, like steel, in permanent mold casting, facilitate faster heat extraction, reducing solidification time and potentially improving grain structure . In expendable molds, inefficient heat removal prolongs cooling, affecting the microstructure and possibly reducing mechanical strength or causing defects. Thus, the choice of mold material is critical for achieving desired casting quality.

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