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    Module No. 9: Advanced Metal Casting Processes

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    sachinlomte8614
    The Evaporative Pattern Casting (EPC) process involves embedding an expandable polystyrene foam pattern in unbonded sand. As molten metal is poured, the heat causes the foam pattern to evaporate, leaving a cavity in the shape of the pattern. This produces complex metal castings with close tolerances in a single pour without the need for cores. The EPC process provides advantages such as no cores, binders, or additives needed and complete sand reclamation, but it has limitations including the need for a new pattern for each casting and quality depending on pattern quality.

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    Module No. 9: Advanced Metal Casting Processes

    Uploaded by

    sachinlomte8614
    30 views3 pages
    The Evaporative Pattern Casting (EPC) process involves embedding an expandable polystyrene foam pattern in unbonded sand. As molten metal is poured, the heat causes the foam pattern to evaporate, leaving a cavity in the shape of the pattern. This produces complex metal castings with close tolerances in a single pour without the need for cores. The EPC process provides advantages such as no cores, binders, or additives needed and complete sand reclamation, but it has limitations including the need for a new pattern for each casting and quality depending on pattern quality.

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    Advanced Casting methods

    Original Title

    Lecture1 ACM

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    The Evaporative Pattern Casting (EPC) process involves embedding an expandable polystyrene foam pattern in unbonded sand. As molten metal is poured, the heat causes the foam pattern to evaporate, leaving a cavity in the shape of the pattern. This produces complex metal castings with close tolerances in a single pour without the need for cores. The EPC process provides advantages such as no cores, binders, or additives needed and complete sand reclamation, but it has limitations including the need for a new pattern for each casting and quality depending on pattern quality.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    30 views3 pages

    Module No. 9: Advanced Metal Casting Processes

    Uploaded by

    sachinlomte8614
    The Evaporative Pattern Casting (EPC) process involves embedding an expandable polystyrene foam pattern in unbonded sand. As molten metal is poured, the heat causes the foam pattern to evaporate, leaving a cavity in the shape of the pattern. This produces complex metal castings with close tolerances in a single pour without the need for cores. The EPC process provides advantages such as no cores, binders, or additives needed and complete sand reclamation, but it has limitations including the need for a new pattern for each casting and quality depending on pattern quality.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    Module No.

    9 : ADVANCED METAL CASTING PROCESSES

    Lecture No-1

    Evaporative Pattern Casting process (EPC)

    The Evaporative Pattern Casting Process is also known by several other names such as
    Full Mold Process, Lost Foam Process etc.

    H.F. Shroyer patented the foam patterns for metal casting on April 15, 1958. In this
    patent, expanded polystyrene (EPS) block was used by him to machine the pattern and
    during pouring, it was supported by bonded sand. This process is called as full mold
    process. In the full mold process, the pattern is usually machined from an EPS block and
    is used to make large one-of-a kind castings primarily. Originally this process was also
    known as ‘lost foam process’.

    M.C. Flemming in 1964, used unbounded sand with the process. This is known today
    as lost foam casting (LFC). With LFC, the foam pattern is molded from polystyrene
    beads. LFC is differentiated from full mold with the use of unbounded sand (LFC) as
    opposed to bonded sand (full mold process).

    The Evaporative pattern casting process (EPC) process is a binder less process and no
    physical bonding is required to bind the sand aggregates. Foam casting techniques have
    been known by a variety of generic and proprietary names such as lost foam casting,
    evaporative pattern casting, cavity less casting, full mold casting and evaporative foam
    casting. In this method, expanded polystyrene is used to prepare the complete pattern
    including the gates and risers. This pattern is further embedded in a sand of no bake type.
    The molten metal is poured through the sprue, while the pattern is still inside the mold.
    The heat of the molten metal is sufficient enough to gasify the pattern and the pattern
    progressively gets displaced by it.
    Using unbounded sand and expandable polystyrene pattern, the EPC process is a very
    economical method in producing complex, close-tolerance castings. The expandable
    polystyrene can be molded into numerous complex and rigid shapes and it is basically a
    thermoplastic material. In the EPC process, expandable polystyrene patterns are attached
    to an expandable polystyrene gating system and a refractory coating is applied to the
    entire assembly. Once the coating gets dried, the entire foam pattern assembly is kept on
    loose dry sand in a vented flask. The flask is vibrated and additional sand is added to it
    until the pattern assembly gets completely embedded in sand. Molten metal is then
    poured into the sprue which further vaporizes the foam polystyrene and reproduces
    perfectly the used pattern to get the required casting.

    In this process, a pattern used refers to an expandable polystyrene or foamed polystyrene


    part which gets vaporized by the molten metal. For every casting process, a new pattern
    is required.

    Advantages of EPC Process

     In the EPC process, no cores are required making it the most advantageous.
     No requirement for binders or other additives, as it is a binder less process
     Complete sand reclamation is possible using very simple and inexpensive
    techniques
     Sand shake out is easy as the sand is unbounded
     Since the pattern used in EPC process is one piece, hence no parting line and
    since cores are eliminated, hence no core prints. Also, no mismatch, core shift
    because of the mentioned reasons
     Improved casting quality. Close tolerances are possible
     The EPC is an environmentally favorable process
     As it is a binder less process, the efforts on cleaning the molded sand are virtually
    nil. Therefore, the EPC process is viewed as a value-added process rather than a
    substitute for sand casting.
    Disadvantages / Limitations of EPC Process

     Since every casting requires a new pattern, it is a costly process


     There is a limitations on the minimum section thickness of the pattern
     Quality of the casting fully depends upon the quality of the pattern
     As the sand is unbounded, during pouring, due of the difference in the
    evaporation rates of the pattern material and the flow rate of the metal, the sand
    falls down in the generated cavity generated, thereby leading to a defective
    casting.

    Application of EPC Process

     It is used for making automotive components (cylinder heads, engine blocks, inlet
    manifolds, heat exchanger ,crank shaft)
     It is used in marine, aerospace and construction industries

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