Metal Casting: Design, Materials, & Economics

Chapter 12

Design Considerations
Developed over many years
Established though practical experience Analytical methods Process modeling CAD Manufacturing techniques

Improving productivity Cost savings

Design for expandable-Mold Casting

Corners, angles, and section thickness Flat areas Shrinkage Parting line Draft Dimensional tolerances

Machining allowance
Residual stresses

Casting design modifications

Fig : Suggested design modifications to avoid defects in castings. Note that sharp corners are avoided to reduce stress concentrations.

Design for expandable-Mold Casting Cont

Fig : Examples of designs showing the importance of maintaining uniform cross-sections in castings to avoid hot spots and shrinkage cavities

Avoiding shrinkage cavities

Fig : Examples of design modifications to avoid shrinkage cavities in castings.

Chills

Fig : The use of metal padding (chills) to increase the rate of cooling in thick regions in a casting to avoid shrinkage cavities.

Normal Shrinkage Allowance for some Metals Cast in Sand Molds

Metal Grey Cast Iron White Cast Iron Malleable cast Iron Percent 0.83 1.3 2.1 0.78 1.0

Aluminum alloys
Magnesium alloys Yellow Brass Phosphor bronze Aluminum bronze High-manganese steel

1.3
1.3 1.3 1.6 1.0 1.6 2.1 2.6

Solidification Contraction of various Cast Metals

Parting Line

Fig : Redesign of a casting by making the parting line straight to avoid defects.

Casting Design Modifications Special consideration

Draft angle Galling

Eamples of casting design modifications.

Desirable and Undesirable Die-Casting Practices

Examples of undesirable and desirable design practices for die-cast parts. Note that section-thickness uniformity is maintained throughout the part.

Nonferrous Casting Alloys

Aluminum-based alloys Magnesium-based alloys

Copper-based alloys
Zinc-based alloys High-temperature alloys

Ferrous Casting Alloys

Cast Irons
Gray cast iron Ductile iron White cast iron Malleable iron Compacted graphite iron

Cast steels Cast stainless steels

The Economics of Castings

Casting Processes Some involve more labor than others Some take a more time than others Some more time to produce Cost of a product Materials Labor Tooling Equipment Cost of casting process Sand casting little cost Die-casting Materials Machining Preparation Melting and pouring of molten metal Cost for furnaces Related machinery Cost of finishing the casting Heat treating Cleaning Inspecting

THE END