Coatings for moulds and

cores
The need for a coating
When liquid metal is cast into a sand mould or against a core, there may be
a physical effect and a chemical reaction at the sand/metal interface. Either
may result in surface defects on the finished casting.
Physical effects metal penetration
Liquid metal penetrates the pores of the sand mould or core giving a rough
surface to the casting. The degree of penetration is dependent on:
metallostatic pressure
penetration is most severe in the lower parts of the casting and with
high density metals such as iron and steel
dynamic pressure
most severe where the metal stream impacts on the mould or core
pore size of mould or core surface
open pores arise from the use of coarse sand or sand with poor grading,
or from poorly compacted sand, due to imperfect core blowing or the
use of sand having a high viscosity binder or one which has exceeded
its correct work time
sand expansion
stresses can form in the bonded sand due to differential thermal
expansion, this can lead to the formation of mould or core surface
cracks allowing ingress of molten metal (finning or veining).
Chemical effects
(1) Burn-on
A chemical reaction occurs between sand and metal. It occurs with
impure sand
some impurities, particularly alkalis, reduce the refractoriness of the sand
some binders
mostly those based on sodium silicate which have poor refractoriness
so that liquid phases are produced at temperatures as low as 900C
used for overpouring or spraying, is to measure the time taken for the
slurry to pass through a flow cup. There are a number of standard flow
cups available, the 4 mm DIN cup is commonly used for coatings.
Neither of these test methods will measure the true coating properties of
any slurry and, for dip-coats in particular, some foundries use a small test
core which is weighed, dipped in the coating, dried, then weighed again to
measure the dry weight pick-up.
Equipment for mixing and applying coatings
Coatings applied by brush or swab are often used straight from the container
in which they are supplied with perhaps a small adjustment in water or
carrier liquid made and manually stirred in. For dip coating, spraying and
overpouring it is usual to have a separate mixing tank in which the coating
is adjusted to the required consistency and from which the dip tank, spray
container or holding tank for flow coating can be topped-up when needed.
Transfer between suppliers drums or containers to the mixing tank and
from mixing tank to the working tank or vessel may be done by using a
double diaphragm slurry pump.
Dip tanks should be fitted with a paddle stirrer to maintain the coating
in suspension without excessive movement, which could affect the rheology
of the coating. The temperature of the mixed coating should be maintained
reasonably constant.
Equipment for the application of coatings by the overpour or flowcoat
system consists of a method of pumping a continuous flow of coating over
the core, allowing the surplus to run off the core to a catchment tray from
which it is returned to the storage tank. Small portable systems may be
used, in which a portable catchment tray is placed under the work and the
coating pumped over the core through a coating gun by a diaphragm pump
or by displacement with low pressure compressed air. Larger cores and
moulds are usually coated at a fixed station having a coating storage tank of
about 100 litres capacity allowing about 4 minutes uninterrupted coating
time. Cranes or hoists and specially designed racks may be needed to support
the work while it is being coated, with moulds being angled over the catchment
tray in such a way that no pools of coating are left on the work.
Drying ovens
Cores coated with water based coatings must be thoroughly dried before
casting. High production cores are usually passed through an oven on a
conveyor. Warm air, infra-red and de-humidifying ovens may be used, in all
cases good air circulation is needed to carry away the moisture laden air
from the core surface. Air temperatures up to 100C may be used. Large
cores and moulds, which cannot be moved to an oven, may be dried using
portable warm air blowers, or a gas torch.