ME 6513 METAL CASTING AND JOINING

Four modules:
Foundry-10 hrs
Design/Casting Processes- 12 hrs
Metal Joining- 10 hrs
Welding Metallurgy-10 hrs

REFERENCES

Prerequisites: NIL
But, a knowledge about the practical
classes you had during the
undergraduate course
and
knowledge of Materials Science
desirable

If not, Revise.

WHAT IS MANUFACTURING?
From Latin word manu factus
(meaning made by hand)
manufacture -first appeared in 1567
manufacturing in 1683
-MAKING PRODUCTS FROM RAW
MATERIALS BY VARIOUS PROCESSES,
MACHINERY & OPERATIONS FOLLOWING A
WELL ORGANISED PLAN FOR EACH
ACTIVITY REQUIRED

Product- something that is produced.

[Manufacturing Engineering in U.S.
Production Engineering in Japan & Europe]
Manufacturing -,a complex activity.
Involves
MATERIALS, CAPITAL, ENERGY, PEOPLE

WE Concerned in converting natural resources to useful

products
Entire discipline of engineering concerned with this
Manufacturing- most important conversion of raw
to useful form
Earlier methods- use of empirical relationships,
experience, trial and error methods
But, fast progress cannot be achieved through trial
and error

 Continuous struggle for cheaper

production with better quality
Only through optimal utilization of
material, human resources,
development of newer and better
methods

Manufacturing which was an

art became a Science

 Raw materialconversion through mining and

metallurgy
Changing the raw material to useful form
through various processes---Casting; primary and secondary forming;
machining and joining

Making a Product
PRODUCT
DESIGN

MATERIAL

PRODUCT

PROCESS
DESIGN

Involves

Product Design
Material Selection
Process Design
Cost analysis
Feedbacks and
improvements

MANUFACTURING

CASTING
FORMING
JOINING
MACHINING

In various
sections of
workshops,
you had basic
training during
the first year.

 Out of this, this course covers the primary

process of

casting, and the process of joining.

Evaluation:
20(1stseries) +
20 (2nd series) +
10 (Assignment)+
50 (End semester)

WHAT YOU HAD SEEN IN FOUNDRY

SECTION

FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT
WOODEN MOULDING BOXES
METALLIC MOULDING BOXES
PATTERNS
SHELL MOULDING MACHINE
OIL FIRED FURNACE
INDUCTION FURNACE
MOULD SHAKER

Foundry
1.Fundamentals of metal casting
2.Foundry materials, moulders tools and
equipment
3. Moulding and core sand, Binders-additives
4.Sand preparation- sand control tests
5.Pattern and pattern making
6.Mould and core making
7.Expendable and non expendable moulds,
mould assembly
8.Melting furnaces and melting practices
9.Pouring and fettling
10.Solidification of pure metals and alloys
11.Grain growth

Some basics - you had in

Foundry
Sand casting.

Steps:

1.Mechanical Drawing of the part

2. Making pattern- about pattern material.
3.Making cores- if needed
4.Preparing drag and cope. (Setting the core, positioning
etc.)
5.Removal of pattern
6Assembling cope and drag
7.Pouring- factors, method, etc.
8.Casting removed
9.Trimming etc.
10. READY FOR SHIPMENT
NITC

MOULDERS
TOOLS
AND
EQUIPMENT

MOULDING BOARD
FLASK
SHOWEL
DRAW SPIKE
RIDDLE
SLICK
RAMMER
LIFTER
STRIKE-OFF BAR

FUNDAMENTALS OF METAL CASTING

Basically involves
i. Pouring molten metal into a mould patterned
after the part to be made NITC

Knowledge of certain fundamental

relationships is essential to produce good
quality economic castings
This knowledge helps in establishing proper
techniques for mould design and casting
practice.
Castings must be free from defects, must
meet the required strength, dimensional
accuracy, surface finish
NITC

CASTING
Basically involves

FUNDAMENTALS

i. Pouring molten metal into a mould patterned after the part to be made
WITHOUT TURBULANCE , SERIES OF EVENTS TAKES PLACE
INFLUENCE SIZE, SHAPE, UNIFORMITY OF THE GRAINS FORMED,
AND THUS THE OVERALL PROPERTIES.

ii. Allow it to cool

HEAT TRANSFER DURING SOLIDIFICATION

iii. Remove from the mold

INFLUENCE OF THE TYPE OF MOULD MATERIAL

SIMILARITY WITH POURING CAKE MIX INTO A PAN

NITC

POURING CAKE MIX INTO A PAN (MOULD) & BAKING IT

*SELECT THE KIND AND SIZE OF PAN,
*CONTROL THE COMPOSITION OF THE MIX,
* CAREFULLY POUR THE MIX,
* SET THE PROPER BAKING TEMPERATURE,
* SET THE TIMER FOR PROPER BAKING TIME,
* LEAVE THE CAKE IN THE MOULD FOR A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE REMOVING.
(CASTING OF PLASTICS & CERAMICS - DIFFERENT)
NITC

Moulding

Sand

- pattern making
- Core making
- Gating system

Mould

Melting Pouring

casting Heat Treat

Furnaces Solidification

Shakeout

Clean

Inspect

Addl. Heat Treatment

Defects, pressure tightness, dimensions

Outline of production steps in a typical sand casting

operation

NITC

CASTING TERMS

Flask: A metal or wood frame, without fixed top or

bottom, in which the mold is formed. Depending upon
the position of the flask in the molding structure, it is
referred to by various names such as drag lower
molding flask, cope upper molding flask, cheek
intermediate molding flask used in three piece molding.

Pattern: It is the replica of the final object to be made.

The mold cavity is made with the help of pattern.

Parting line: This is the dividing line between

the two molding flasks that makes up the mold.

Molding sand: Sand, which binds strongly

without losing its permeability to air or gases. It
is a mixture of silica sand, clay, and moisture
in appropriate proportions.

Facing sand: The small amount of carbonaceous

material sprinkled on the inner surface of the
mold cavity to give a better surface finish to the
castings.

 Core: A separate part of the mold, made of sand and

generally baked, which is used to create openings and
various shaped cavities in the castings.
Pouring basin: A small funnel shaped cavity at the top
of the mold into which the molten metal is poured.
Sprue: The passage through which the molten metal,
from the pouring basin, reaches the mold cavity. In
many cases it controls the flow of metal into the mold.
Runner: The channel through which the molten metal is
carried from the sprue to the gate.

 Gate: A channel through which the molten metal

enters the mold cavity.
Chaplets: Chaplets are used to support the cores
inside the mold cavity to take care of its own
weight and overcome the metallostatic force.
Riser: A column of molten metal placed in the
mold to feed the castings as it shrinks and
solidifies. Also known as feed head.
Vent: Small opening in the mold to facilitate
escape of air and gases.

A typical pattern attached with gating and risering

system

MOULDING SAND
Granular particles from the breakdown of rocks by frost, wind, heat and water currents
Complex Composition in different places
At bottom and banks of rivers
- mainly silica (86 to 90%); Alumina (4% to 8 %);
Iron oxide (2 to 5%) with oxides of Ti, Mn, Ca. etc.

NITC

NATURAL SAND , called Green sand. Only water as binder; can maintain water for long time
SYNTHETIC SAND.- (1)GREEN and (2)DRY types
(1) Artificial sand by mixing clay free sand, binder(water and bentonite)
Contains New silica sand 25%; Old sand 70%;
bentonite 1.5%;moisture 3% to 3.5%

(2) New 15%; Old 84%;

bentonite and moisture 0.5 % each

NITC

DRY SAND- for moulding large castings. Moulds of green sand dried and baked with venting done. Add- cow dung, horse manure etc.
LOAM SAND- mixture of clay and sand milled with water to thin plastic paste. Mould made on soft bricks. The mould dried very slowly before cast. For large
regular shapes- drums, chemical pans etc.
FACING SAND- used directly with surface of pattern; comes in contact with molten metal; must have high strength, refractoriness.
Silica sand and clay without used sand- plumbago powder, Ceylon lead, or graphite used. Layer of 20 to 30 mm thick--about 10% to 15% of whole mould sand

NITC

BACKING SAND- old used moulding sand called floor sand black in colour. Used to fill mould at back of facing layer. Weak in bonding strength
SYSTEM SAND- used in machine moulding to fill whole of flask. Strength, premealibility and refractoriness high
PARTING SAND- used for separating boxes from adhering, free from clay
CORE SAND- for making cores. Silica sand with core oil (linseed oil, rosin, light mineral oil, binders etc)
SPECIALISED SANDS - like CO2 sand, Shell sand, etc for special applications
Mould washers- slurry of fine ceramic grains applied on mould surface to minimize fusing

NITC

About MOULDING SAND

1.
2.

NATURAL SAND
SYNTHETIC SAND.- GREEN

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

DRY SAND
LOAM SAND
FACING SAND
BACKING SAND
SYSTEM SAND
PARTING SAND
CORE SAND
SPECIALISED SANDS
Mould washers

and DRY

Functions of pattern
Moulding the Gating
system;
Establishing a parting
Line,
Making Cores,
Minimising casting
Defects,
Providing Economy in
moulding
Others, as needed

NITC

MOULDING SAND- PROPERTIES

Green Strength- Adequate strength after mixing, and
plasticity for handling
Dry Strength- After pouring molten metal, adjacent
surface loses water content. Dries. Dry sand must have
enough strength to resist erosion
Hot Strength- Strength at elevated temperature after
evaporation of moisture
Permeability- Permeable or porous to permit gases to
escape. Ability of sand moulds to allow the escape of
gases

NITC

 Thermal stability- Rapid expansion of sand surface at

mould-metal interface. May crack. Results in defect
called SCAB
Refractoriness- Ability of sand to withstand high
temperature
Flowability- Ability to flow & fill narrow portions around
pattern
Surface finish- Ability to produce good surface finish in
casting
Collapsibility- Allow easy removal of casting from mould
Reclamation- Should be reusable and reclaimable

NITC

Binder
Binders are of many types such as:
Clay binders,
Organic binders and
Inorganic binders
Clay binders are most commonly used binding agents
mixed with the moulding sands to provide the
strength.
The most popular clay types are:
Kaolinite or fire clay (Al2O3 2 SiO2 2 H2O) and
Bentonite (Al2O3 4 SiO2 nH2O)
Of the two,Bentonite can absorb more water which
increases its bonding power.

A Typical Composition of
Moulding Sand
Moulding Sand Constituent

Weight Percent

Silica sand

92

Clay (Sodium Bentonite)

Water

Making a Core; (a). Ramming Core Sand. (b). Drawing the core box
(c). Baking in an oven (d) Pasting the core halves
(e). Washing the core with refractory slurry

1.
1

2.
3a

3.
2
4a

4.

3b
4b
5

5.

Make the pattern in

pieces, prepare the
core.
Position the drag half
of pattern on mould
board in the drag half
of flask
Prepare the drag half
of mould, roll drag
over, apply parting
sand, place the cope
half of pattern and
flask, ram and strike off
excess sand
Separate flasks,
remove patterns, cut
sprue, set core in
place, close flask
Now after clamping,
ready fro pouring.

THREE BOX MOULDING

PROCEDURE

LOAM MOULDING USING

LOAM SAND

PATTERN- Model of a casting constructed such

that it forms an impression in moulding sand

Functions of the Pattern

-prepares a mold cavity for the purpose of making a casting.
-may contain projections known as core prints if the casting is
to be made hollow.
Runner, gates, and risers used for feeding molten metal in the
mold cavity may form a part of the pattern.
If properly made, with finished and smooth surfaces, can
reduce casting defects.
If properly constructed, minimizes the overall cost of the
castings.

NITC

PATTERN
1st step- Prepare model (pattern)
Differs from the casting
Differences
Pattern Allowances.
To compensate for metal shrinkage,
Provide sufficient metal for machining
Easiness in moulding
As Shrinkage allowance, Draft allowance, Finishing
allowance, Distortion or camber allowance, Shaking or
rapping allowance

NITC

Pattern Material
Patterns may be constructed from these materials:
wood, metals and alloys, plastic, plaster of Paris,
plastic and rubbers, wax, and resins
Each material has its own advantages, limitations, and field
of application.
To be suitable for use, the pattern material should be:

Easily worked, shaped and joined

Light in weight

Strong, hard and durable

Resistant to wear and abrasion

Resistant to corrosion, and to chemical reactions

Dimensionally stable and unaffected by variations in

temperature and humidity

Available at low cost

MATERIAL
1. WOOD.
2. METAL
Al, CI, Brass,
3. For special casting processes, Polystyrene which leaves mould as gas when heated also used.
Types- many

Simple-Identical patterns;
Complex, intricate- with number of pieces.
Single or loose piece; Split; gated; Match Plate;
Sweep; Segmental; Skeleton(frame, ribbed), skell;
Boxed Up; Odd shaped etc. Sketches--

NITC

Material
1. WOOD.
(+) Cheap, easily available, light, easiness in surfacing, preserving (by shellac coating), workable, ease in joining, fabrication
(-) Moisture effects, wear by sand abrasion, warp during forming, not for rough use.
Must be properly dried/ seasoned,
free from knots, straight grained
Egs. Burma teak, pine wood, mahogany, Sal, Deodar, Shisham, Walnut, Apple tree

NITC

2. METAL:
For durability, strength
Egs: Al alloys, Brass, Mg alloys, Steel, cast Iron
for mass production
(first, wooden pattern is made, then cast in the
metal)
Type of material depends on shape, size,
number of castings required, method of
moulding etc.
NITC

A Typical Job, its Pattern and the Mould Cavity

Pattern Allowances
A vital feature as it affects the dimensional characteristics of the
casting.
Thus, when the pattern is produced, certain allowances must be
given on the sizes specified in the finished component drawing
so that a casting with the particular specification can be made.
The selection of correct allowances greatly helps to reduce
machining costs and avoid rejections.

Allowances usually considered on patterns and core boxes

are:
Shrinkage or contraction allowance
Draft or taper allowance
Machining or finish allowance
Distortion or camber allowance
Rapping allowance

COPE

DRAG

MOULDING BOX