Experimental analysis and testing of copper-white metal based leaf spring

with conventional steel spring

ABSTRACT

Solidification of metals continues to be a phenomenon of great interest

to physicists, metallurgists, casting engineers and software developers. It is a
non-linear transient phenomenon, posing a challenge in terms of modelling
and analysis. This paper attempts to study heat flow within the casting, as well
as from the casting to the mould, and finally obtains the temperature history of
all points
inside the casting. The most important instant of time
is when the hottest region inside the casting is
solidifying. ANSYS software has been used to obtain
the last solidifying region in the casting process by
performing Transient Thermal Analysis. Location of
the hot spot predicted by software simulation showed
good agreement with the experimental trial. It was also
observed that the simulation of casting helps in
obtaining optimum design of riser

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

Casting is one of the earliest metal shaping method
known to human beings. It can be effectively used to
make complex shaped parts which weigh less compared to
parts manufactured by any other production process.
Casting is one of the cheapest methods for mass
production of any part. However, it gives poor
dimensional accuracy and cannot take up high amount of
shock loads. Also casting leaves rough surface finish
which requires machining often. Since it is subjected to
many defects, it is necessary to eliminate them. Many of
these defects cannot be eliminated by changes to tooling
and process parameters.

NEED OF THE PROJECT

This study mainly deals with the

defect of shrinkage cavity. One of the methods to remove
this defect is by attaching a riser to casting, which serves
as a reservoir for the molten metal. The study also
emphasizes on the optimum design of riser so that the
yield of the casting is improved. Casting consists of
various parts like cope, drag, pattern, sprue, runner,
ingates, riser, etc. The process consists of design,
solidification; shake out, finishing and heat treatment. To
eliminate the defect of hot spotriser is used in casting. It
helps to fill in the cavity formed inside the casting[1].
Whenever the cavity is formed inside the casting the
molten metal from the riser moves to that space and fills
the cavity. In order to achieve this, the dimensions of the
riser should be optimized so that the metal in the riser
solidifies at last and hence increases the yield of the
casting

OBJECTIVES

To Study the background of the analysis of sand casting riser based on

the literature survey
Collection of data about sand casting.
Modeling of riser specimen
Analysis of various mechanical properties
Result and data presentation
Report preparation

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 LEAF SPRING

GREEN SAND MOLDING

Alloy Casting is a manufacturing process by which a liquid material is

usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired
shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a
casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process.
Casting materials are usually metals or various cold setting materials that cure

after mixing two or more components together; examples are epoxy, concrete,
plaster and clay. Casting is most often used for making complex shapes that
would be otherwise difficult or uneconomical to make by other methods
Sand casting, also known as sand molded casting, is a metal
casting process characterized by using sand as the mold material. The term
"sand casting" can also refer to an object produced via the sand casting
process. Sand castings are produced in specialized factories called foundries.
Over 70% of all metal castings are produced via a sand casting process.
Sand casting is relatively cheap and sufficiently refractory even for
steel foundry use. In addition to the sand, a suitable bonding agent (usually
clay) is mixed or occurs with the sand. The mixture is moistened, typically
with water, but sometimes with other substances, to develop strength and
plasticity of the clay and to make the aggregate suitable for molding. The sand
is typically contained in a system of frames or mold boxes known as a flask.
The mold cavities and gate system are created by compacting the sand around
models, or patterns, or carved directly into the sand.
3.2.1 Basic Process
There are six steps in this process:
Place a patter in sand to create a mold.

 Incorporate the pattern and sand in a gating system.

Remove the pattern.
Fill the mold cavity with molten metal.
Allow the metal to cool.
Break away the sand mold and remove the casting.

Fig. 3.2 Green Sand Process

3.2.2 Green sand

These expendable molds are made of wet sands that are used to make
the mold's shape. The name comes from the fact that wet sands are used in the
molding process. Green sand is not green in color, but "green" in the sense
that it is used in a wet state (akin to green wood). Unlike the name suggests,
"Green sand" is not a type of sand on its own, but is rather a mixture of:

Silica sand (SiO2), or chromite sand (FeCr2O), or zircon sand (ZrSiO4),

75 to 85%, or olivine, or staurolite, or graphite.

Bentonite (clay), 5 to 11%

Water, 2 to 4%

Inert sludge 3 to 5%

Anthracite (0 to 1%)
There are many recipes for the proportion of clay, but they all strike

different balances between moldability, surface finish, and ability of the hot
molten metal to degas. The coal, typically referred to in foundries as sea-coal,
which is present at a ratio of less than 5%, partially combusts in the presence
of the molten metal leading to off gassing of organic vapors. Green Sand for

non-ferrous metals do not use coal additives since the CO created is not
effective to prevent oxidation. The choice of sand has a lot to do with the
temperature that the metal is poured. At the temperatures that copper and iron
are poured, the clay gets inactivated by the heat in that the montmorillonite is
converted to illite, which is a non-expanding clay. Most foundries do not have
the very expensive equipment to remove the burned out clay and substitute
new clay, so instead, those that pour iron typically work with silica sand that
is inexpensive compared to the other sands. As the clay is burned out, newly
mixed sand is added and some of the old sand is discarded or recycled into
other uses. Silica is the least desirable of the sands since metamorphic grains
of silica sand have a tendency to explode to form sub-micron sized particles
when thermally shocked during pouring of the molds.

These particles enter the air of the work area and can lead to silicosis in
the workers. Iron foundries spend a considerable effort on aggressive dust
collection to capture this fine silica. The sand also has the dimensional
instability associated with the conversion of quartz from alpha quartz to beta
quartz at 1250 0F. Often additives such as wood flour are added to create a
space

for

the

grains

to

expand

without

deforming

the

mold. Olivine, Chromite, etc. are used because they do not have a phase
conversion that causes rapid expansion of the grains, as well as offering
greater density, which cools the metal faster and produces finer grain
structures in the metal. Since they are not metamorphic, they do not have
the polycrystals found in silica, and subsequently do not form hazardous submicron sized particles.
3.2.3 Patterns
A pattern of the object to be produced, using wood, metal, or a plastic
such as expanded polystyrene. Sand can be ground, swept or strickled into
shape. The metal to be cast will contract during solidification, and this may be
non-uniform due to uneven cooling. Therefore, the pattern must be slightly

larger than the finished product, a difference known as contraction allowance.

Pattern-makers are able to produce suitable patterns using "Contraction rules"
(these are sometimes called "shrink allowance rulers" where the ruled
markings are deliberately made to a larger spacing according to the percentage
of extra length needed). Different scaled rules are used for different metals,
because each metal and alloy contracts by an amount distinct from all others.
Patterns also have core prints that create registers within the molds into which
are placed sand cores. Such cores, sometimes reinforced by wires, are used to
create under-cut profiles and cavities which cannot be molded with the cope
and drag, such as the interior passages of valves or cooling passages in engine
blocks.
Paths for the entrance of metal into the mold cavity constitute the
runner system and include the sprue, various feeders which maintain a good
metal 'feed', and in-gates which attach the runner system to the casting cavity.
Gas and steam generated during casting exit through the permeable sand or
via risers, which are added either in the pattern itself, or as separate pieces.
3.2.4 Molding box and materials
A multi-part molding box (known as a casting flask, the top and bottom
halves of which are known respectively as the cope and drag) is prepared to
receive the pattern. Molding boxes are made in segments that may be latched

to each other and to end closures. The sand is packed in through a vibratory
process called ramming, and in this case, periodically screeded level. The
surface of the sand may then be stabilized with a sizing compound. The
pattern is placed on the sand

and another molding box segment is added. Additional sand is rammed

over and around the pattern. Finally a cover is placed on the box and it is
turned and unlatched, so that the halves of the mold may be parted and the
pattern with its sprue and vent patterns removed. Additional sizing may be
added and any defects introduced by the removal of the pattern are corrected.
The box is closed again. This forms a "green" mold which must be dried to
receive the hot metal. If the mold is not sufficiently dried a steam explosion
can occur that can throw molten metal about. In some cases, the sand may be
oiled instead of moistened, which makes possible casting without waiting for
the sand to dry. Sand may also be bonded by chemical binders, such as furane
resins or amine-hardened resins.

To control the solidification structure of the metal, it is possible to place

metal plates, chills, in the mold. The associated rapid local cooling will form a
finer-grained structure and may form a somewhat harder metal at these
locations. In ferrous castings, the effect is similar to quenching metals
in forge work. The inner diameter of an engine cylinder is made hard by a
chilling core. In other metals, chills may be used to promote directional
solidification of the casting. In controlling the way a casting freezes, it is
possible to prevent internal voids or porosity inside castings.
With a completed mold at the appropriate moisture content, the box
containing the sand mold is then positioned for filling with molten metal
typically iron, steel, bronze, brass, aluminium, magnesium alloys,

or

various pot metal alloys, which often include lead, tin, and zinc. After filling
with liquid metal the box is set aside until the metal is sufficiently cool to be
strong. The sand is then removed revealing a rough casting that, in the case of
iron or steel, may still be glowing red. When casting with metals like iron or
lead, which are significantly heavier than the casting sand, the casting flask is
often covered with a heavy plate to prevent a problem known as floating the
mold. Floating the mold occurs when the pressure of the metal pushes the
sand above the mold cavity out of shape, causing the casting to fail.

After casting, the cores are broken up by rods or shot and removed from
the casting. The metal from the sprue and risers is cut from the rough casting.
Various heat treatments may be applied to relieve stresses from the initial
cooling and to add hardnessin the case of steel or iron, by quenching in
water or oil. The casting may be further strengthened by surface compression
treatmentlike shot peeningthat adds resistance to tensile cracking and
smooths the rough surface.

2. LITERATURE SURVEY
Reis A. et. al. [3] modelled the shrinkage defects
during solidification of long and short freezing materials.
The shrinkage defects in short freezing materials tends to
be internal, as porosity, while in long freezing materials
these defects tend to be external in the form of surface
depressions. Prabhakara Rao et. al. [4] carried out the
simulation of mould filling. He concluded that the use of
casting simulation software like PROCAST can eliminate
the defects like shrinkage, porosity etc. in the casting. It
also improves yield of the casting, optimize the gating
system design and the mould filling. Ravi B. et. al. [5]
worked on computer-aided casting design and simulation.
This paper describes computer-aided casting design and
simulation gives a much better and faster insight for

optimizing the feeder and gating design of castings.

Rabindra Behera et. al. [6] has suggested that the
application of computer aided methoding, and casting
simulation in foundries can minimize the bottlenecks and
non-value added time in casting development, as it
reduces the number of trial casting required on the shop
floor. From the existing and recent literature citations it is
found that the currently available casting solidification
simulation softwares have not taken all constraints and
conditions required for the realistic simulation process.
This matters more and influences critically on the output
results.Silver surface enrichment of silvercopper alloys: a limitation for the
analysis of ancient silver coins by surface techniques
D. Bachtiar, S.M. Sapuan and M.M. Hamdan
Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of
Engineering,
Universiti Putra Malaysia,

The surface enrichment of archaeological silvercopper alloys has been

recognized for many years. However, the origin of this enrichment is not well
defined and many hypotheses have been put forward to account for this
behaviour: segregation of the components during casting, deliberate thermal
and/or chemical post-treatment, abrasion or corrosion.Among the hypotheses
mentioned above, we have focused our study on the first step of coin
manufacturing.

Replications

of

silvercopper

standards

of

various

compositions ranging from 30% to 80% Ag, reflecting the composition of

silver blanks, have been produced. Metallographic examination, PIXE and
SEMEDS have been used for the characterization of each sample. A model
of the direct enrichment has been established. This model allows us to propose
a relationship between the surface composition and the silver content of the
core. Comparison with data of Roman coins from the Roman site (France) and
from the literature and consequences for the analyses of ancient coins by
surface methods are presented.
2.2 Miravete.A, Castejon. L, Bielsa.J, Bernal.E - Analysis and Prediction of
large copper whitemetal alloy Structures, 1990.Material properties and design
of copper whitemetal alloy structures are reported in many literatures. Very
little information is available in connection with finite element analysis of
material in the literature, than too in 2D analysis of material. At the same time,

the literature available regarding experimental stress analysis more. The

experimental procedures are described in national and international standards.
Recent emphasis on mass reduction and developments in materials synthesis
and processing technology has led to proven production worthy vehicle
equipment.. In the paper, Premature fracture in automobile leaf springs by
J.J.Fuentes , H.J. Aguilar, J.A. Rodr guez , E.J. Herrera

, the origin of

Premature fracture in materials used in Venezuelan buses is studied. To

this end, common failure analysis procedures, including examining the
leaf

spring history,

visual

inspection

of

fractured

characterization of various properties and simulation tests

components, were used. It is

specimens,
on real

concluded that fracture occurred by a

mechanism of mechanic fatigue, initiated at the region of the central

hole, which suffered the highest tensile stress levels. Several factors (poor
design, low quality material and defected fabrication) have combined to
facilitate failure. Preventive measures to lengthen the service life of
materials are suggested .The paper by C.K. Clarke and G.E. Borowski on
Evaluation of a Material Failure gives the determination of the point of
failure during an accident sequence of a rear material in a sport utility vehicle
is presented in terms of fracture surface analysis and residual-strength
estimates. Marks at the scene of the accident pointed to two possibilities for

the point of failure: marks in the roadway at the start of the accident sequence
and a rock strike near the end of the sequence. Evidence from rust and
chemical contamination on the fracture pointed to the spring having been
cracked in half prior to the accident. Extensive woody fracture and secondary
cracking at the mid plane of the spring was evidence for segregation and
weakness in the spring. Stress estimates for the effect of both the weakness
and prior cracking on the residual strength of the spring revealed reductions in
strength of the spring that could produce fracture at the start of the accident
sequence. Mr. V. K. Aher, Mr. P. M. Sonawane / International Journal of
Engineering Research and
Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.comVol. 2, Issue4, JulyAugust 2012, pp.1786-1791The point of failure of the spring was placed at the
start
of the accident sequence .Automobile Compression Copper whitemetal alloy
Elliptic Spring is studied by G. Goudah, E. Mahdi, A.R. Abu Talib, A.S.
Mokhtar and R. Yunus. An automotive suspension system is designed to
provide both safety and comfort for the occupants. When a vehicle encounters
a road surface irregularity, the tire deforms and the suspension displaces. The
result of such disturbance will cause some energy lost which will be dissipated
in the tires and the shock absorber while the remainder of the energy is stored

in the coil spring. In this paper, Finite element models were developed to
optimize the material and geometry of the copper whitemetal alloy elliptical
spring based on the spring rate, log life and shear stress. The influence of
ellipticity ratio on performance of woven roving wrapped copper whitemetal
alloy elliptical springs was investigated both experimentally and numerically,
the study demonstrated that copper whitemetal alloy s elliptical spring can be
used for light and heavy trucks with substantial weight saving. The results
showed that the ellipticity ratio significantly influenced the design parameters.
Copper whitemetal alloy

elliptic spring with ellipticity ratios of a/b= 2

displayed the optimum spring model .Analytical and experimental studies on

Fatigue Life Prediction of steel and copper whitemetal alloy Multi-material
for Light Passenger Vehicles Using Life Data Analysis are carried by
Mouleeswaran Senthil Kumar, Sabapathy Vijayarangan. This paper describes
static and fatigue analysis of steel material and copper whitemetal alloy multi
material made up of glass fibre reinforced polymer using life data analysis.
The dimensions of an existing conventional steel material of a light
commercial vehicle are taken and are verified by design calculations. Static
analysis of 2-D model of conventional material is also performed using
ANSYS 7.1 and compared with experimental results. Same dimensions of
conventional material are used to fabricate a copper whitemetal alloy multi

material using E -glass/Epoxy unidirectional laminates. The load carrying

capacity, stiffness and weight of copper whitemetal alloy

material are

compared with that of steel material analytically and experimentally. The

design constraints are stresses and deflections. Finite element analysis with
full bump load on 3-D model of copper whitemetal alloy multi material is
done using ANSYS 7.1 and the analytical results are compared with
experimental results. Fatigue life of steel material and copper whitemetal alloy
leaf is also predicted. Compared to steel spring, the copper whitemetal alloy
material is found to have 67.35 % lesser stress, 64.95 % higher stiffness and
126.98 % higher natural frequency than that of existing steel material. A
weight reduction of 68.15 % is also achieved by using copper whitemetal
alloy material. It is also concluded that fatigue life of copper whitemetal alloy
is more than that of conventional steel material. Design and Analysis of Fiber
Reinforce Polymer (FRP) Material - A Review paper by Bhushan B.
Deshmukh , Dr. Santosh B. Jaju tells about weight reduction , the main issue
in automobile industries. Weight reduction can be achieved primarily by the
introduction of better material, design optimization and better manufacturing
processes. The introduction of FRP material has made it possible to reduce the
weight of spring without any reduction on load carrying capacity. The
achievement of weight reduction with adequate improvement of mechanical

properties has made copper whitemetal alloy

a very good replacement

material for conventional steel. Selection of material is based on cost and

strength of material. The copper whitemetal alloy materials have more elastic
strain energy storage capacity and high strength to weight ratio as compared
with those of steel, so multi-leaf steel springs are being replaced by mono-leaf
copper whitemetal alloy

springs. The paper gives the brief look on the

suitability of copper whitemetal alloy

material on vehicles and their

advantages. The objective of the present work is design, analysis and

fabrication of mono copper whitemetal alloy material. The design constraints
are stress and deflections. The finite element analysis is done using ANSYS
software. The attempt has been made to fabricate the FRP material
economically than that of conventional material. Fatigue life prediction is
based on knowledge of both the number of cycles the part will
experience at any given stress level during that life cycle and another
influential environmental and use factors. The local strain-life method can
be used pro-actively for a component during early design stage. Fatigue
failure always starts with crack-growth. The crack can initiate from the
surface or at a depth below the surface depending on the materials
processing conditions. Fatigue crack contact under cyclic tensile loading was
observed in Elbers work.

This simple

observation

and

crack-closure

concept began to explain many crack-growth characteristic .Research on

fatigue continue and in 2008, Fuentes et al. did a study which is subjected to
material failure. They make a conclusion, i.e. the premature failure in the
studied leaf springs which showed the fracture failure on a leaf was the
result of mechanical fatigue and it was caused by a combination of
design, metallurgical and manufacturing deficiencies. Fatigue test using
constant amplitude loading is a commonly practiced to predict the
fatigue life properties of materials. Recently, only fatigue test data or/and
fatigue curve under constant amplitude loading have been given in many
handbooks of the fatigue and mechanical properties of metals. To get
more accurate fatigue life prediction, the actual case condition also needs
to be considered. Many models have been developed to predict the
fatigue life of components subjected to variable amplitude loading. The
earliest of these are based on calculations of the yield zone size ahead
of the crack tip and are still widely used.
The major reason for carrying out variable amplitude loading test is the
fact that a prediction of fatigue life under this complex loading is not
possible Mr. V. K. Aher, Mr. P. M. Sonawane / International Journal of
Engineering

Research

and

Applications

(IJERA)

ISSN:

2248-9622

www.ijera.comVol. 2, Issue4, July-August 2012, pp.1786-17911788 by any

cumulative damage

3. PROBLEM DEFINITION

 Conventional riser has high strength to weight ratio.

Self-weight is more
Space increases due to more self-weight
Alloy Casting is a manufacturing process by which a liquid material is usually
poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and
then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which
is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process. Casting materials
are usually metals or various cold setting materials that cure after mixing two
or more components together; examples are epoxy, concrete, plaster and clay.
Casting is most often used for making complex shapes that would be
otherwise difficult or uneconomical to make by other methods

4. EXPERIMENTATION

Literature survey

Material selection

Process
identification
Design

Analysis

Result

Comparison

Implementation

4.1 METHODOLOGY

The formation of hot spot inside the casting is a major

defect in metals like aluminum and steel. Optimum riser
design will ensure removal of hot spot from the casting.
Here, riser having higher value of the modulus has been
design so that it should have higher solidification time
compared to casting. This will ensure that metal will
remain in the molten state inside the riser until
solidification of the casting is completed. Initially, casting
design for aluminum metal has been carried out to obtain
the dimension of runner, riser, ingate etc. Later, the
optimum size and location of the riser was identified
based on ANSYS simulation. Finally, the experimental
trial has been performed based on design calculations and
simulation results which has provided defect free casting.

THEORETICAL STUDY

Caines method, modulus method, etc. Riser has a neck

attached to it at the lower end. Neck facilitates easy

separation of the riser from the casting after the casting is
completed. Hence neck is an important part of the riser.
Initially rectangular plate casting was designed with its
various parts. The size of the plate is 200mm 200mm
40 mm as shown in Fig. 1. Design calculation begins with
calculation for pattern allowances followed by gating
system calculation and finally design of the riser

Calculation for pattern allowances:

For 200 mm: 2.6 mm
For 40 mm: 0.52 mm
Draft allowance = 1.5
Machining allowance = 2 mm on each side
Tolerance = 1 mm
Calculation for solidification time
Total surface area = 120835.92 mm2
Total volume = 1848597.301 mm3
Modulus=15.29 mm.
Solidification time = 14.36 min.

Weight of the casting = 4.4089 kg

For gating system:
Pouring time = 17.363 sec
Choke area = 98.46 mm
Sprue bottom diameter = 12 mm
Sprue top diameter = 15 mm
Sprue height = 42.5 mm
Total area of in gates = 452.38 mm2
The design of riser was done using Caines method.
The height of riser was assumed to be 70 mm and the height of riser neck was
assumed to be 10 mm.
Following formulae were used for finding the dimensions of casting.
Volume of the riser = r2h
Surface area=r2 + 2rh
Freezing ratio(X) = (Ac/Vc)/ (Ar/Vr)
Where,
Ac= Area of casting

Vc= Volume of casting

Ar= surface area of riser
Vr= Volume of riser
Vf = Volume of feeder
For aluminium metal:
a=0.1
b=0.03
c=1 where a, b, c are constant
The riser diameter by Caines method is 55.244 mm. The neck diameter was
calculated by the formula
Dn= Hn+ 0.2 Dr
Neck Diameter, Dn= 21 mm
According to optimum design of riser,
Dn= 0.35 Dr
Riser Diameter, Dr
= 60 mm.
Taking the higher value, we get diameter of riser,

Dr= 60 mm.
Yield of feeder = (Vc) / (Vc+ Vf+ Vn)
= 90.176 %
Yield of casting = (Wc)/(Wg+ Wf)
= 82.18 %
where, Wc = weight of casting
Wg= weight of gating elements
Wf= weight of feeding elements
Thus, it was found that the yield of the feeder was
greater than yield of the casting. Hence the riser designed
is of optimum dimensions and helps to increase the yield.

SIMULATION
Simulation of casting was done to serve two main
purposes. First, it was used to find the location of hot spot.

Second, it was used to find the optimum dimension of

riser so that hot spot shifted into the riser [10]. These
studies were done using both free and mapped mesh. Here
finite element ANSYS 12.0 software has been used for
modelling and simulation. At the end of simulation the
last solidifying region was obtained.
A. Simulation using Linear Elements
Proceedings of the 2013 IEEE IEEM

For this study, PLANE 55 was used as the linear

element. The element has fournodes with a single degree
of freedom, temperature, at each node. The top view was
modeled showing inside portion for casting (labeled as 1)
and surrounding region for sand (labeled as 2). Then, the
material properties were specified for metal and sand
followed by meshing of geometries.

40 mm dia riser analysis

50 mm dia riser analysis

60 mm dia riser analysis

RESULT
. In
one of the methods riser was placed along with a sleeve in

the mould box and sand was rammed. While removal of

pattern, only wooden riser was withdrawn and sleeve was
retained in the cope. In other method only riser was placed
in the cope and ramming was done. It shows defect
free casting with riser diameter 50mm and sleeve of 5mm
thickness

APPLICATIONS
Commercial and industrial applications of copper white metal alloys are so
varied that it is impossible to list them all. The major structural application
areas, which include aircraft, space, automotive, sporting goods, and marine
engineering. A potential for weight saving with copper white metal alloy s
exists in many engineering field.

More suitable for light and medium duty vehicles

These alloys were targeted for applications which included conductive

springs.

These alloy can also be used for making machine elements, contacts

and terminals for electronic, electric and automotive connectors and other
electromechanical components.

CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORK

Simulation of the solidification process enables

visualization of the progressof freezing inside a casting
and identification of the last freezing regions or hot spots.
This facilitated the optimizedplacement and design of

feeders and feeding aids with improvement in yield while

ensuring casting soundness without expensive and timeconsuming trial runs.
Optimum location of riser based on
ANSYS software has helped in minimizing the
solidification related defects,thereby providing a defect
free casting. Majority of small scale foundries are least
concerned about optimizing the casting process.
This study shows that simulation can be of great use
in optimizing the riser dimensions and increasing the
feeding efficiency of the casting. Simulation was carried
out with casting having riser of dimensions 40 mm, 50
mm and 60 mm. Furthermore, a sleeve of thickness 5 mm
was incorporated and simulation was run. Casting with
riser of diameter 50 mm along with sleeve of thickness 5
mm has shown similar result when compared with the
riser of diameter 60mm. Therefore, the optimized riser
dimensions based on simulation Will be validated by

carrying out actual trials in a foundry in the next phase. Using sleeve as a
feed aid helped in reducing riser dimensions form 60 mm
to 50mm and thereby increasing the casting yield.

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[2] Mallick. P. K. (1997) Copper whitemetal alloy Engineering HandBook,
New York, Marcel Dekker.
[3] Shokrieh M., and Rezaei D. (2003) Analysis and optimization of copper
whitemetal alloy material Copper whitemetal alloy Structures.

[4]Watanabe

K.,

Tamura

(2001)Developmentofanew-type

M.,

YamayaK.,

suspension

and

springfor

KunohT.
rallycars.

JournalofMaterials ProcessingTechnology, 111: 132-134.

[5] Al-QuershiHA. (2001) Automobilematerialsfrom copper whitemetal alloy
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[6] SardouA., and PatriciaD. (2000)Lightand low cost copper whitemetal
alloy compression C springs for vehicle suspension. SAE 2000-01-0100.
[7]

De Goncourt L. and Sayers K.H (1980)A copper whitemetal alloy

automobilefront end suspension. Proc. 30thAMPE.

[8]

De Gonocourt L. andSayers K.H (1987) Acopper whitemetal alloy

automobile suspension. International journal of

Vehicle Design, 8(3):335-345
ISSN 1823-1039 2006 FEIIC
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