Casting 07met

8/11/2019 Casting 07met

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MOLDING PROCESS AND MATERIALS Mold ----------a forming tool. Good castings cannot be

made without good molds. Because of the importance of the mold, casting processes and

castings are often described by the materials and methods employed in the molding.

3. A classification of casting processes is given below: (1) Sand casting a) Green-sand molds,

green-sand molding b) Dry-sand molds c) Core-sand molds d) Cement-bonded-sand molds e)

Loam molds f) Shell molding g) Pit and floor molding h) All core molding

4. (2) Permanent-mold casting (3) Die casting (4) Centrifugal casting (5) Plaster-mold casting

(6) Investment casting (7) Slush casting (8) Shot casting (9) Special processes; graphite

molds, ceramic molds.

5. There are two major categories of casting: Expendable mold casting Permanent mold

casting Expendable molds : Made of sand, plaster, ceramics and similar materials which are

generally mixed with various binders or bonding agents, the molds are broken up to removethe casting. Permanent molds : Used repeatedly and are designed in such a way that casting

can be easily removed and the mold used for the next casting.

6. Composite Molds : Made of two or more different materials (such as sand, graphite, and

metal) combining the advantages of each material. Used to improve mold strength, cooling

rates and overall economics of the process.

7. SAND CASTINGS Silica sand (Si O 2 ) is used more universally for making casting than any

other molding materials. * It is relatively cheap. * It has good refractoriness. A suitable

bonding agent (usually clay) is mixed or occurs naturally with the sand; the mixture is

moistened with water to develop strength and plasticity of the clay and to make the

aggregate suitable for molding. *Hand molding *Machine molding Sand refers to the

molding material, the simplest type being a mixture of silica sand, clay and water, blended

by hand or mechanical mixer .

8. The flask is a frame of steel, iron or wood in which the mold is made. The cope is the

upper and the drag the lower half of the mold; intermediate sections, if used, are cheeks .

The rammer is provided with a peen and butt end for ramming sand around the edges of

the flask and over the pattern respectively. The pattern is the form around which sand isrammed; it may be one piece or of split construction, depending upon size and

configuration. Bottom boards are flat plates of wood or metal upon which patterns with at

least one flat side or one-half of a split pattern is laid before ramming the drag.

9. The mold cavity is the empty shape left in sand when the pattern is removed and into

which metal is poured, or cast, to form the casting. The mold cavity may not be left

completely empty; a core of firmly baked sand may be used to form the internal shape and

dimensions of the casting. Chaplets are metal objects for holding the core in position against

the washing and lifting effect of molten metal. Molten metal is introduced into the moldcavity through the gating system, which includes the downgate (sprue) and ingate . A


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pouring cup or pouring basin is either placed upon or formed into the upper cope surface,

connecting to the downgate, to receive the metal from the ladle.

10.

11.

12. Green-sand Molding: Molding is often done with green sand. Green molding sand may

be defined as a plastic mixture of sand grains, clay, water and other materials which can be

used for molding and casting processes. The sand is called green because of the moisture

present and is thus distinguished from dry sand. The basic steps in green sand molding are

the following: Preparation of the pattern Making the mold Core setting Closing and

weighting.

13. Sand Casting: Making an imprint in sand (using a pattern), filling the resulting cavity with

molten metal, and removing the casting (part) when solidified, by breaking up the sand.

14. Advantages: Greater flexibility as a production process. Mechanical equipment can be

utilized for performing molding and its allied operations. Furthermore, green sand can be

reused many times by reconditioning it with water, clay and other materials. Usually the

most direct route from pattern to mold ready for pouring is green-sand molding. Economy:

Green sand molding is ordinarily the least costly method of molding unless special reasons

exist which favor the other casting processes.

15. Limitations: (i) Some casting designs can not be made and require the use of othercasting processes. Thin, long projections of green sand in a mold cavity are washed away by

the molten metal or may not even be moldable. Cooling fins on air cooled engine cylinder

blocks and heads are an example. Greater strength is then required of the mold. (ii) Certain

metals and some castings develop defects if poured into mold containing moisture. (iii)

More intricate castings cannot be made.

16. (iv) The dimensional accuracy and surface finish of green-sand castings may not be

adequate. A dimensional variation of 1/64 in. on small castings and 1/16 to 3/32 in. on

larger ones may be encountered. However, this variation on many castings may be much

less than that cited if adequate control is exercised. (v) Large castings require greater mold

strength and resistance to erosion than is available in green sands.

17. BASIC STEPS IN MAKING A SAND MOLD: Preparation of the molding sand. In making a

simple mold, the bottom board is first laid securely on the bench or floor. The pattern is

positioned, the flask is located properly, and the sand is sieved over the pattern with a

riddle. The sand employed for this purpose will touch the metal; in the best practice, it is an

especially fine and clean variety of sand, called facing sand . Used backing sand may then be

shoveled into the flask over the facing, and the whole rammed securely, using the peen

around the edges and the butt rammer over the pattern.


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18. Once the flask is rammed properly a straightedge, or strike, is drawn across the upper

surface to remove excess sand; a second flat board is placed upside down on the mold and

flask and clamped or held in position while the whole is over-turned. The original bottom

board, which is now on the top, is removed, and the drag half of the mold is essentially

finished. It will later be necessary to cut an ingate to the mold cavity unless one is providedas part of the pattern, as is the recommended practice. It may be necessary to tool the drag

somewhat, i.e., smooth the sand around the pattern edges or otherwise shape it.

19. Parting powder, a white powdery substance, is dusted over the sand and pattern, and

the cope flask is positioned. If patterns are provided with downgates , these are set in place,

as are the patterns for whatever risers are used. Downgates are sometimes cut through the

cope with a cylindrical tube after the cope is finished. A layer of facing sand is riddled over

the drag and pattern as before, and backing sand is added and rammed solidly. A steel bar is

again used to strike off the upper surface of the cope; sprue and riser patterns are thendrawn. The cope is removed from the drag and usually placed aside for any finishing

operations required.

20. If split patterns are used one-half will be picked up with the cope; so the cope is laid

upside down on a spare bottom board. The patterns are then rapped slightly to loosen them

from the sand and are removed from cope and drag with a draw spike; ingates are cut, the

mold is patched as required, chaplets and cores are positioned, and mold is closed by

placing the cope again atop the drag. Small vent holes are made through the sand to within

a fraction of an inch of the pattern to insure the escape of gases. Clamps or weights are

placed on the flask to resist the tendency of the cope to float or shift as molten metal fills

the mold cavity.

21. Figure: Basic steps involved in making a casting from a green sand mold.

22. Desirable Mold Properties and Characteristics: Strength - to maintain shape and resist

erosion. Permeability - to allow hot air and gases to pass through voids in sand. Thermal

stability - to resist cracking on contact with molten metal. Collapsibility - ability to give way

and allow casting to shrink without cracking the casting. Reusability - can sand from

broken mold be reused to make other molds?

23.

24.

25. Figure: Sand Mold



28. Figure: Pouring of molten metal into mould cavity


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29. Dry-sand Molds: These molds are made with molding sand in green condition. Has good

dry strength. Molding done the same way as green-sand molding. Refractory coating. The

entire mold is dried in an oven at 300 to 650 o F or by circulating heated air through the

mould. The drying operation is one inherent disadvantage The volume of gas formed when

the casting is poured is much less than with green moulds. Casting defects attributable tomoisture should be absent.

30. The essential difference between dry sand and green sand molding is that the moisture

in the mold sand is removed prior to pouring the metal. Dry sand molding is more applicable

to medium and large castings than to small castings. The molds are stronger and more rigid

than green sand molds. They can therefore withstand more handling and resist the static

pressure of molten metal, which may cause green sand molds to deform or swell. In

addition, they may be exposed to the atmosphere for long periods of time without

detrimental effect. Such exposure may be necessary for placing and fitting a large number ofcores.

31. Skin-dried Moulds: The effect of a dry-sand mould may be partially obtained by drying

the mould surface to some depth, to 1 in. Skin drying may be performed by torches, a

bank of radiant-heating lamps, or electrical heating elements directed at the mould surface.

These moulds must be poured shortly after drying so that moisture from the un-dried sand

will not penetrate the dried skin.

32. Floor and Pit Molding: * Large intricate castings weighing from 1 to over 100 tons. * The

surface finish and dimensional accuracy of these large castings in ferrous alloys is not that ofsmaller ones, dimensional tolerances of 1/16 to in. being acceptable unless special

experiences permits closer control. * The problems of mold construction, handling, coring,

gating, pouring and cleaning of large castings require much engineering efforts and control.

The terrific amount of labor, time, and materials going into making a large casting makes the

scrapping of one exceedingly costly.

33. * When the molds are medium to large in size, considerable heavy equipment, floor

space and time must be allocated to the molding operation. * Floor molding is done on the

floor of bays of the foundry set aside for these heavy molding jobs. When the pattern beingmolded is too large to be handled in flasks, the molding is done in pits. Molding pits are

concrete-lined box-shaped holes in the molding floor. The pattern is lowered into pit and

molding sand is tucked and rammed under the pattern and up the side walls to the parting

surface. The cope of the pit mold is finished off with cores or with sand rammed in a cope

flask.

34. Figure: Dry sand pit mold for stationary diesel engine.

35. Such large molds are always dried. Floor molding : When castings increase in size, with

resultant difficulty in handling, the work is done on the foundry floor. This type of molding is


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used for practically all medium and large size castings. Pit molding : Extremely large castings

are frequently molded in a pit instead of a flask. The pit acts as the drag part of the flask and

a separate cope is used above it. They sides of the pit are brick kind, and on the bottom

there.

36. Loam Molding: * Loam is a molding sand containing about 50 per cent sand grains and

50 per cent clay. * Loam molding was much used in the past for making large bronze

castings and is still practiced in some shops, particularly in making huge manganese- bronze

propellers. * In this method a substrate is made of bricks, wood and other material to the

approximate contour of the casting. A very viscous slurry of water, clay and sand is daubed

over the framework and worked to proper shape with sweeps. The mold is dried by forced

hot air or torches.

37. * No pattern is required, as sheet-steel sweeps are so shaped that they generate proper

casting contour as the sweep arm is moved back and forth over a fixed spindle. * Such

sweeps are used occasionally in making molds for large rolling-mill rolls where ordinary

molding sand is used instead of a slurry. * The chief advantages of this process are savings in

pattern cost and storage; pattern storage alone is an important and expensive item in most

foundries. * Loam molding is slow and laborious, and special molders are required; all work

must be done by hand as the process is very much an art.

38. Figure: To cast a bell, molten bell metal is poured into a mould, which is made in two

parts: an inner mould, or 'core', and an outer mould, known as the 'cope'.

39. Figure: The strickle is revolved around the mould, paring off excess loam and shaping it

to the required profile.

40. Cement-bonded-sand Molds: Cement-bonded molding sand is a mixture of sand, 8 to 12

per cent high-early-strength hydraulic cement, and 4 to 6 per cent water. This sand develops

great hardness and strength by the setting action of portland cement. Molding may be

performed by the methods discussed above and other specially suited to the cement. The

sand must be allowed to set or harden before the pattern can be with drawn. The mold is

allowed to cure or continue setting for about 72 hours before the mold can be closed or

assembled for pouring. When the mold is poured, heat causes the water of crystallization of

the cement to be driven off, and thus steam must be allowed to pass off through the sand

by means of its porosity and suitably distributed vent holes. Cement-bonded-sand molds

can be constructed with considerable accuracy, often more than that obtainable in other

processes for making large molds. Consequently more accurate castings may be obtained.

41. Core-sand or Core Molds (All-core Molding) Some large castings are made entirely of

cores; hundreds of large and small individual core sections are fitted together in a pit and

finally rammed securely in position with molding sand or pressed together with suitable

clamps. Some large cores for this purpose weigh as much as 60 tons. This method is chosen


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where design is such that standard patterns could not be drawn from regular molds. In place

of patterns, core boxes are used for making all parts of the mold. The cores are being fitted

together to make the mold, being located by alignment bosses and holes.

42. Core sands usually consist of mixtures of sand grains and organic binders which develop

great strength after baking at 300 to 450 F. The strength after baking makes it possible to

cast metal around thin sand projections without having them break or erode because of the

hot metal action. The baking operation and the core-sand binders plus difficulties in reusing

the sand make the process more costly. However, this is usually justified in intricate castings

made in core-sand molds. Core-sand molds are also sometimes made with dry molding

sands or cement-bonded sands where the great strength and heat resistance of a dry-sand

mixture is required, as in large castings.

43. Shell Molding Shell molding is a special form of sand casting. Skilled molders are not

required, and process can be highly mechanized. The sand used for shell molding consists of

a mixture of the following ingredients: Dry sand grains, AFS fineness 90 to 140, distributed

over 4 to 5 screens. Sands for shell molding are always washed and graded for best results;

fine sands can be used, as permeability of the thin shell is not a problem.

44. 2) Synthetic-resin binder, 3 to 10 per cent by weight. Resins which may be used are the

phenol formaldehydes, urea formaldehydes, alkyds and polyesters. The resin must be a

thermosetting plastic since the strength developed by the mold depends entirely on the

strength of the plastic binder after the mold has been heated. * Dry powder and sand are

mixed intimately in a muller or other suitable device, or sand may be purchased pre-coated with resin.

45. The shell is cured in two stages: i) When the sand mixture drops onto a metal pattern

heated to about 350 to 700 F, in about 30 seconds the plastic partially thermosets and

builds up a coherent sand shell next to the pattern. * The thickness of this shell is related to

pattern temperature, dwell time on the pattern and the sand mixture. An example of these

relations is given below: Pattern-plate temp., F Approx. time, sec, required for 3/16 in. shell,

6 % resin sand 300 21 350 12 400 10 450 07

46. ii) The shell, still on the pattern, can then be cured by heating it to 550 to 650 F for 3 to 1

minute. Stripping the shell from the mold presents a problem since the shell is very strong

and grips the mold tightly. A mold release agent or parting agent is necessary so that the

ejector pins can push the shell off the patterns. Silicone parting solutions sprayed on the

pattern have been found satisfactory. The shell halves may then be assembled and poured.

47. Advantages claimed for shell molding are exceptionally good surface finish and

dimensional accuracy, 0.003 to 0.010 in. per in. variation being obtained in some castings.

Hence, the elimination of some machining operations, decreased casting-weight variation,

and less cleaning cost are thought to be available. Castings can be made of any metal/alloy.


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Mold collapsibility usually avoids cracks in casting. Can be mechanized for mass production.

Disadvantages: More expensive metal pattern. Difficult to justify for small quantities.

48. Figure: Steps in shell-molding: Step-1, a match-plate or cope-and-drag metal pattern is

heated and placed over a box containing sand mixed with thermosetting resin.

49. Figure: Step-2, box is inverted so that sand and resin fall onto the hot pattern, causing a

layer of the mixture to partially cure on the surface to form a hard shell.

50. Figure: Step-3, box is repositioned so that loose uncured particles drop away.

51. Figure: Step- 4, sand shell is heated in oven for several minutes to complete curing. Step-

5, shell mold is stripped from the pattern.

52. Figure: Step- 6, two halves of the shell mold are assembled, or metal shot in a box, and

pouring is accomplished. Step- 7 the finished casting with sprue removed

53. PERMANENT MOLDS Molds which can be reused are made of metal, usually grey cast

iron or steel, though sometimes of bronze, graphite or aluminum. The mold cavity (or die

cavity) in a permanent mold is often cast to its rough contour and then is machined to its

finished dimensions. The gating system as well as mold cavities are machined. The machined

mold makes it possible to obtain very good surface finish and dimensional accuracy in the

castings. Aluminum, magnesium, zinc, lead, copper-base alloys and cast irons are the

principal alloys so cast.

54. The extremely high temperatures of casting and consequent mold attrition make

permanent molds unsuitable for most steel castings. The process is limited to volume

production and usually requires a continuous cycle of mold preparation, pouring and casting

ejection. This is necessary so that all steps can be timed and the mold thus kept within a

fixed operating-temperature range at the start of the pour. Operating temperature of the

mold is one of the most important factors in successful permanent-mold casting.

55. Automatic machines have been developed to obtain a continuous cycle. Coating of mold

cavity. Carbon soot, deposited from an acetylene torch, is used for iron castings. Refractory

suspensions. Metal or sand cores may be set in the mold before it is closed. The metal is

usually fed into the mold only by gravity (gravity casting), but in some cases air pressure, 3

to 10 psi, is used on the sprue after the casting is poured.

56.

57. Figure: Permanent Mold Casting

58.

59. The sequence of operations includes: Cleaning the mold by brushing or blasting withwarm air, and maintaining them at proper casting temperature by a gas or oil flame; the


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correct operating temperature can be determined only by experience and varies with the

casting; Painting or spraying the mold surface with a thin refractory wash, or blacking it by

depositing carbon from a reducing gas or oil flame; Inserting cores, if used, and closing the

mold by hand or by automatic action; Pouring the metal from a hand ladle or a bull ladle

suspended on a movable track; Allowing sufficient time for the casting to solidify; andEjecting the casting from the mold automatically or by hand.

60. Advantages: By means of permanent-mold casting, dimensional tolerances of 0.010 in.

on a dimension for many castings together with good surface finish can be obtained. The

chilling action of the mold produces better metal properties in many alloys. Holes can be

cored and inserts cast into place more accurately than is possible in sand molds. Higher

production rates than sand casting, but much slower than die casting.

61. Limitations: The casting design must be simple enough and with sufficient draft so that

the ejection from the mold is feasible. Because of mold cost, the process is limited to

applications where the advantages named result in an economic or engineering gain in

preference to sand castings. Applications: carburetor bodies, refrigeration castings,

hydraulic-brake cylinders, connecting rods, washing-machine gears and gear covers, oil

pump bodies, typewriter segments, vacuum-pump cylinders, small crankshafts, many

others.

62. DIE CASTING The molten metal is forced into the mold cavity under high pressure, 1000

to 100,000 psi. Two principal type of die-casting machines are used. The hot-chamber

machine (gooseneck) The cold-chamber machine

63. In submerged hot-chamber-type machine , molten metal flows into the hot chamber

since it is submerged in the melt and is then forced into the die cavity at about 1000 to 2000

psi. This machine is used for casting Zn, Sn, Pb and other low melting alloys. In gooseneck

machine pressure may be applied directly by metal plunger or by air. The gooseneck may be

filled by hand or it may be actuated by a cam to alternatively dip into the metal and rotate

into the position against the die opening before pressure is applied for the shot.

64. In the cold-chamber process , metal is ladled into the shot chamber. Pressure in the

cold-chamber machine may go as high as 30,000 psi. This machine is used for die-casting Al,

Mg, Cu-base and other high-melting alloys.

65.

66.

67. Die Casting in Hot-Chamber Process

68. Die Casting in Cold-Chamber Process


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69. Advantages: A production rate of 150 to 250 die-cast cycles per hour with up to 500

shots per hour possible. High dimensional tolerances, 0.001 to 0.003inch. Thin sections,

down to 0.015 in. in small castings, can be cast because of the pressure involved. iv) Holes

as small as 2 mm dia. may be cored. v) May cast threads (up to 24 / inch). vi) Accurate coring

and casting of inserts is possible. vii) Surface finish of many castings is such that they can bebuffed directly. viii) Rapid cooling rate produces high strength and quality in many alloys.

70.

71.

72. Figure: Sequence of steps of operation of cold-chamber die-casting machine. The metal

is ladled into the chamber, (b) the plunger forces the metal into the die cavity, the die

opens, (d) the casting together with the gate and slug of excess metal is ejected from the

die.

73. INVESTMENT CASTING * Lost-wax Process or Precision Casting or Lost Pattern The term

investment refers to a cloak or special covering apparel, in this case a refractory mold,

surrounding a refractory-covered wax pattern. In this process a wax pattern must be made

for every casting and gating system to be cast; i.e., 100 casting require 100 patterns. The

patterns are cast by injection molding. The basic steps involved in investment casting are as

bellow: A master pattern and die for casting the wax pattern is made. The die, usually a tin-

bismuth alloy, must make allowance for shrinkage of both wax and later the metal casting,

about 0.011 to 0.015 in. per in. total.

74. Wax patterns and gating systems are produced from the metal die. Wax employed are

blends of beeswax, carnauba, ceresin, Acrawax, paraffin and other resins usually obtained

as proprietary mixtures. 150 to 170 F and 500 to 1000 psi. Polystyrene plastics ---- 300 to

600 F, 12,000 psi, iron or steel dies. Mercury may also be used in place of wax patterns but

must be frozen to retain the shape desired. Patterns and gating system must be assembled

if cast separately. They can be joined by heating the surfaces to be attached in the case of

wax or moistening with a solvent, carbon tetrachloride, in case of polystyrene patterns.

75. (iii) Pre-coating: The wax assembly is dipped into a slurry of a refractory coatingmaterial. A typical slurry consists of 325-mesh silica flour suspended in water-ethyl silicate

solution of suitable viscosity to produce a uniform coating after drying. After dipping the

assembly is allowed to dry for up to 10 hours. Sometimes pre-coating is not used and the

wax pattern is directly invested in the molding material. In this case, the molding mixture

must be vacuumed to remove air bubbles which may lodge next to the pattern.

76. ( iv) The coated wax assembly is next invested in the mold. This is done by inverting the

wax assembly on a table, surrounding it with a paper-lined steel flask, and pouring the

investment-molding mixture around the pattern. The mold material settles by gravity andcompletely surrounds the pattern as the work table is vibrated. The molding investment is


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composed of silica or quartz grains and binders. Two types of investments are used, one for

low-temperature metals cast below 2000 F and others for metals with high pouring

temperatures. The molds are allowed to air-set for 6 to 8 hours.

77. (v) Dewaxing and preheating: Wax is melted out of the hardened mold by heating it in

an inverted position at 200 to 300 F. The wax may be reclaimed and reused. Molds with

polystyrene patterns in them are preferably dried at 140 to 160 F. For burn out and

preheating, the molds are heated at the rate of 100 to 160 F per hour from 1600 to 1900 F

for ferrous alloys or 1200 F for aluminum alloys. The finishing temperature of preheating is

controlled so that the mold is at a temperature desirable for pouring the particular alloy and

casting design. Burnout and preheating cycle must completely eliminate wax and gas-

forming material from the mold.

78. (vi) Pouring: In case of ferrous castings the mold is poured with metal from an individual

small melting furnace, arc type, holding the exact weight required by the mold. When the

metal is at pouring temperature the furnace and mold are inverted, transferring metal from

the former to the latter. Air pressure may then be applied to the sprue to force-fill the mold

cavity. (vii) Cleaning operations follow cooling of the casting. Advantages: Casting high-

pouring-temperature alloys to accurate dimensions. Near net shape, excellent surface finish,

minimum machining. Castings of great exterior and interior intricacy may be cast. Thin

sections may be cast even, in the high-pouring-temperature alloys, because of the heated

mold. Wires forms down to 0.002 in. in diameter and 2 in. long have been cast.

79. Wide range of casting materials possible High Accuracy achievable (125 m) Excellentsurface finish (2.5 m) Allows intricate internal contours that are impossible by other

methods (because mold is destroyed each time) less draft required Little to no machining

Disadvantages High tooling cost (recurring), and labor cost Max. size usually about 5 Kg

Production rate low (less than 100/hr)

80.

81. Figure: Investment Casting

82. Investment Casting Process

83. Investment Casting One-piece mold Dried in the air Heated to 90175 C Held inverted

for 12 hrs to melt out wax The mold is then heated to 6501150 C for about 4 hrs

depending on the metal to be cast to drive off the water of crystallization After the metal

has been poured and solidified the mold is broken up and the cast is removed A number of

patterns can be joined to make one mold called a tree which increases production rate

84. One-piece mold - cont Small parts The tree can be inserted on to a flask and filled with

slurry investment The investment is then placed into a chamber and evacuated to remove

air bubbles Next it is placed in a vacuum drawing machine to produce fine detail Not a


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cheap process Produces fine details Good surface finish Few or no finishing operations Can

produce intricate parts from parts weighing 1g35Kg Ex : Investment die casting examples

85. Schematic illustration of investment casting 1. WAX INJECTION : Wax replicas of the

desired castings are produced by injection molding. These replicas are called patterns. 2.

ASSEMBLY : The patterns are attached to a central wax stick, called a sprue, to form a

casting cluster or assembly. 3. SHELL BUILDING : The shell is built by immersing the assembly

in a liquid ceramic slurry and then into a bed of extremely fine sand. Up to eight layers may

be applied in this manner. 4. DEWAX : Once the ceramic is dry, the wax is melted out,

creating a negative impression of the assembly within the shell.

86. 5. CONVENTIONAL CASTING In the conventional process, the shell is filled with molten

metal by gravity pouring. As the metal cools, the parts and gates, sprue and pouring cup

become one solid casting. 6. KNOCKOUT When the metal has cooled and solidified, the

ceramic shell is broken off by vibration or water blasting. 7. CUT OFF The parts are cut away

from the central sprue using a high speed friction saw. 8. FINISHED CASTINGS After minor

finishing operations, the metal castings--identical to the original wax patterns--are ready for

shipment to the customer.

87. Figure: Schematic illustration of investment casting (lost-wax process). Castings by this

method can be made with very fine detail and from a variety of metals.

88.

89. PLASTER MOLDS Casting in plaster molds, or plaster-bonded molds, has become a useful

casting process. Ag, Au, Mg, Cu,- and Albase alloys may be cast in plaster molds, but

ferrous alloys are not. Plasters used for molding consist of mixtures of gypsum or plaster of

Paris, CaSO 4 . H 2 O, and ingredients such as talc, asbestos fiber, silica flour, and others to

control the contraction characteristics of the mold and setting time. The plaster is added to

water and is mixed to a consistency of 140 to 180.

90. It is important that the plaster be added to water rather than water to plaster, and that

an optimum rate of mixing be developed by experience for the particular mixer used; very

rapid mixing develops too much air in the slurry, which adversely affects mold texture, andmixing too slowly may permit the slurry to harden (set) prematurely. Consistency is defined

as the pounds of water per 100 pounds of plaster in the mixture. Dry strength of the plaster

depends greatly on the consistency of the mix, as revealed in the table from R. F. Dalton.

91. Dry compression strength, psi Consistency, lb water per 100 lb mix 11,000 30 6,000 37

4,000 47 2,000 68 200 140 - 180

92. After mixing, plaster in a creamy condition is poured over the pattern and retained in a

flask. A pattern parting, stearic acid dissolved in petroleum spirits , for example, may be

used. Generally metal patterns are necessary because the water in plaster raises grains on


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inner diameter of castings such as pipe naturally. Semi-centrifugal casting: the object, such

as wheel with spokes, is spun about its own axis, but risers and cores are needed.

Centrifuged casting: the mold impressions are grouped around a central downgate, as in

static casting, and centrifugal force is used mainly as a mold-filling device.

99. weighed amount of metal is poured Mold coating ----- mold wash Advantages:

Economical for making tubular objects. No core is needed to form the bore. Centrifugal

pressures ---- force molten metal quickly into mold to prevent premature freezing .

100. Centrifugal Casting Process Figure: Schematic illustration of the centrifugal casting

process. Pipes, cylinder liners, and similarly shaped parts can be cast with this process.

101. Semicentrifugal Casting Figure: (a) Schematic illustration of the semicentrifugal casting

process. Wheels with spokes can be cast by this process. (b) Schematic illustration of casting

by centrifuging. The molds are placed at the periphery of the machine, and the moltenmetal is forced into the molds by centrifugal force.

102. SLUSH CASTING Statuary work --- only the external features of the casting are

important. No core required Thin skin of the solid metal freezes against the mold walls. The

mold is then inverted and the unfrozen metal bled from the casting It is used only for a

limited amount of art and decorative work.

103. SHOT CASTING Metal shots --- made by dropping molten metal from considerable

heights into a pool of water. The droplets become spherical in shape as they fall freely

through air and freeze in this form upon striking the water. Size of shot is regulated by type

of metal, pouring temperature, rate of exit of metal stream, distance through which the

droplets fall, and any air jet or mechanical device used to disperse the stream as it exits

from the control nozzle.

104. GRAPHITE MOLDS Non-ferrous alloys and cast irons. Blocks of graphite may have mold

cavities machined into them. Not as durable as metal. Graphite begins to oxidize above 750

F and the mold then begins to show wear. Mold coating of ethyl silicate.

105. OTHER MOLD MATERIALS Aluminum --- low temperature casting alloys. Silicon carbide

--- chilling power much greater than sand though not so great as metal

106. Operation Sequence of Making a Ceramic Mold

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