Metal Casting II

Manufacturing
Processes
 Outline
Sand Casting
Shell Mold Casting
Composite Molds
Expendable Pattern Casting
Plaster Mold Casting
Ceramic Mold Casting
Investment Casting
Pressure Casting
Vacuum Casting
Die Casting
Centrifugal Casting
Squeeze Casting and Semisolid Metal
Forming
Casting Single Crystals
Rapid Solidification
Melting
Design Considerations
Examples of Cast Parts
Examples of Cast Parts
 Typical Casting Metals

Aluminum
Aluminum-silicon alloy
Aluminum-copper
Brass
Gray cast iron
Copper
Lead
Steel
Casting Processes
 Sand Casting

Uses a mold made of compressed

sand; after the metal solidifies, the
sand is broken away
 Sand Casting

Pattern
Full sized model of the part

Core
Full sized model of the interior
surfaces of the part

Sand Silica (SiO2)

90% sand
3% water
7% clay
Sand Casting
Sand Casting
Example of a Sand
Casting Mold
 Sand Casting

Advantages:
Almost no limit on size, shape,
weight or complexity; low cost;
almost any metal

Limitations:
Relatively poor tolerances and
surface finish; machining often
required; low production rate

Common metals:
Cast irons, steel, stainless steel,
casting alloys of aluminum and
copper, magnesium and nickel
 Sand Casting

Size limits:
1 oz 6000 lb

Thickness limits:
As thin as 3/32 in, no maximum

Tolerances:
1/32 in for the first 6 in, .003 in for each
additional inch; additional increment
across the parting line

Draft allowance:
1 - 3

Surface finish:
100 -1000 in
 Shell Casting

Casting process in which the mold is

a thin shell (typically 3/8 inch) made
of sand held together by a
thermosetting binder
Shell Casting
 Shell Casting

Advantages:
Higher production rate than sand
casting; high dimensional accuracy
and smooth finish

Limitations:
Requires expensive metal patterns;
resin adds to cost; part size is
limited

Common metals:
Cast irons, casting alloys of
aluminum and copper
 Shell Casting

Size limits:
1 oz minimum; usually less than 25 lb;
mold area usually less than 500 in2

Thickness limits:
1/16 in depending on material

Tolerances:
.005 in/in

Draft allowance:
-

Surface finish:
50 150 in
 Composite Molds

Made from 2 or more different

materials

Good for complex shapes such as

turbine blades
 Expendable Pattern
Casting
Polystyrene pattern vaporizes on
contact with molten metal
Foam Pattern of an
Engine Block
 Plaster Mold Casting

Uses a mold made of plaster

(gypsum) with talc and silica,
which is broken away after the
metal solidifies

The mold has a relatively low

thermal conductivity; a
somewhat uniform grain
structure can be produced
 Plaster Mold Casting

Advantages:
High dimensional accuracy and
smooth finish; can make net- or
near-net-shaped parts

Limitations:
Lower temperature nonferrous
metals only; long molding time;
mold material is not reusable;
maximum size limited

Common metals:
Primarily aluminum and copper
 Plaster Mold Casting

Size limits:
1 oz 15 lb

Thickness limits:
As thin as .025 in

Tolerances:
.005 in on the first 2 in; .002 in per
additional inch

Draft allowance:
- 1

Surface finish:
50-125 in
 Ceramic Mold Casting

Uses a mold made of refractory

ceramic materials which can be
used for high-temperature
applications
Ceramic Mold Casting
 Ceramic Mold Casting

Advantages:
Intricate detail, close tolerances,
smooth finish

Limitations:
Mold material is expensive and not
reusable

Common metals:
Ferrous and high-temperature
nonferrous metals are most
common; can be used with alloys of
aluminum, copper, magnesium,
titanium and zinc
 Ceramic Mold Casting

Size limits:
Several ounces to several tons

Thickness limits:
As thin as .05 in, no maximum

Tolerances:
.005 in on the first inch; .003 in per
additional inch

Draft allowance:
1

Surface finish:
75-150 in
 Investment Casting

Uses a wax pattern which is

coated with refractory
materials to form a mold; the
wax is then melted out and the
mold cavity is filled with metal

Can be used for high precision

complex shapes from high
melting point metals that are
not readily machinable
Investment Casting
Example of a Wax
Injection Mold
Example of a Wax
Pattern
Example of a Coated
Pattern
Example of Finished
Castings
 Investment Casting

Advantages:
Excellent surface finish; high
dimensional accuracy; nearly
unlimited intricacy; almost any
metal; no flash or parting line

Limitations:
Expensive patterns and molds; high
labor costs; limited size

Common metals:
Mainly aluminum, copper and steel;
also used with stainless steel,
nickel, magnesium and precious
metals
 Investment Casting

Size limits:
As small as 1/10 oz; usually less than 10
lb

Thickness limits:
As thin as .025 in, less than 3 in

Tolerances:
.005 in on the first inch; .002 in per
additional inch

Draft allowance:
none required

Surface finish:
50-125 in
 Pressure Casting

Pressure casting forces the metal up

into the mold chamber by applying
a small amount of pressure
Vacuum Casting
 Permanent Mold Casting
(Pressure/Vacuum)
Advantages:
Good surface finish and dimensional
accuracy; metal mold causes rapid
cooling and fine grain structure; molds
can be used up to 25 000 times

Limitations:
High initial mold cost; shape, size and
complexity are limited; mold life is very
limited with metals with high melting
points

Common metals:
Alloys of aluminum, magnesium and
copper most common; iron and steel can
be used in graphite molds; alloys of lead,
tin and zinc also used
 Permanent Mold Casting
(Pressure/Vacuum)
Size limits:
Several ounces to about 150 lb

Thickness limits:
Minimum depends on material but generally
thicker than 1/8 in; maximum about 2 in

Tolerances:
.015 in for the first inch and .002 in for each
additional inch; .01 in added across the
parting line

Draft allowance:
2 - 3

Surface finish:
100 - 250 in
 Die Casting

Another form of permanent mold

casting; molten metal is forced
into the mold cavity at
pressures ranging from .7 MPa
- 700 MPa
Die Casting
Die Casting
Example of a Die
Casting Mold
 Centrifugal Casting

Uses a rotating mold to form hollow

cylindrical parts such as pipes, gun
barrels and lamp posts
Vertical Centrifugal
Casting
 Centrifugal Casting

Advantages:
Can produce a wide range of
cylindrical parts; good dimensional
accuracy and cleanliness

Limitations:
Limited shape; spinning equipment
may be expensive

Common metals:
Iron, steel, stainless steel, alloys of
aluminum, copper and nickel
 Centrifugal Casting

Size limits:
Up to 10 ft in diameter and 50 ft in length

Thickness limits:
Wall thickness .1 5 in

Tolerances:
Outer diameter within .1 in; inner diameter
within about .15 in

Draft allowance:
1/8 in / ft

Surface finish:
40 - 100 in
Semicentrifugal Casting

Uses a rotating mold to form parts

with radial symmetry, such as
wheels with spokes
 Squeeze Casting

A combination of casting and forging;

a die applies pressure as the metal
solidifies
Casting Single Crystals

Uses a slow crystal-growth

solidification procedure to
produce parts made of a single
crystal with no grain
boundaries

A helical constriction only allows

one crystal of favorable
orientation to grow into and fill
the mold chamber
Casting Single Crystals
 Rapid Solidification

Cools metal rapidly at rates as high

as 106 K/s so that it cannot
crystallize and instead forms an
amorphous glasslike structure
 Melting Furnaces

Cupola
Crucible Furnace
Induction Furnace
 Melting Furnaces

Cupola
A vertical cylindrical furnace used
for melting cast iron
 Melting Furnaces

Crucible furnace
Melts metal without direct contact
with a burning fuel mixture
 Melting Furnaces

Induction furnace
Uses an alternating magnetic field
to heat the metal
Design Considerations
Design Considerations
Design Considerations
Design Considerations
Casting Alloys
 Summary

A variety of casting processes

are available for different
applications

Design considerations must be

taken to prevent casting
defects