INTRODUCTION TO CASTING PROCESSES

Background
Casting is one of oldest and one of the most popular processes of converting materials into final useful
shapes. Casting process is primarily used for shaping metallic materials; although it can be adopted for
shaping other materials such as ceramic, polymeric and glassy materials. In casting, a solid is melted,
treated to proper temperature and then poured into a cavity called mold, which contains it in proper
shape during solidification. Simple or complex shapes can be made from any metal that can be melted.
The resulting product can have virtually any configuration the designer desires.

Casting product range in size from a fraction of centimetre and fraction of kilogram to over 10 meters
and many tons. Moreover, casting has marked advantages in production of complex shapes, of parts
having hollow sections or internal cavities, of parts that contain irregular curved surfaces and of parts
made from metals which are difficult to machine.

Several casting processes have been developed to suit economic production of cast products with
desired mechanical properties, dimensional accuracy, surface finish etc. The various processes differ
primarily in mold material (whether sand, metal or other material) and pouring method (gravity,
pressure or vacuum). All the processes share the requirement that the material solidify in a manner that
would avoid potential defects such as shrinkage voids, gas porosity and trapped inclusions. Any casting
process involves three basic steps, i.e. mold making, melting and pouring of metals into the mold
cavity, and removal and finishing of casting after complete solidification. One of the major
classification of casting is done based on whether the mold is used again or it is prepared fresh every
time. Sand casting is an example of expendable mold process or where the mold is broken after every
casting to remove the component. In this lab, students will go practice this particular process by making
the mold and then pouring the liquid metal into the mold to form a final component.

SAND CASTING PROCESSES

Sand is one of the cheaper, fairly refractory materials and hence commonly used for making mold
cavities. Sand basically, contains grains of silica (SiO2) and some impurities. For mold making
purposes sand is mixed with a binder material such as clay, molasses, oil, resin etc.

Green Sand Molding

In green sand molding process, clay (a silicate material) along with water (to activate clay) is used as
binder. The mold making essentially consists of preparing a cavity having the same shape as the part to
be cast. There are many ways to obtain such a cavity or mold, and in this demonstration you will learn
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A pattern is a reusable form having approximately the same shape and size as the part to be cast. A
pattern can be made out of wood, metal or plastic; wood being the most common material. Green sand
refers to an intimate mixture of sand (usually river sand), bentonite clay (3-7 percent by weight of sand,

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to provide bonding or adhesion between sand grains), and water (3-6 percent by weight of sand,
necessary to activate the bonding action of the clay). Mixing the above ingredients in a sand4 muller
best provides the intimate mixing action. In practice, a major part of this sand mixture consists of

removed from the mold. Molding flasks are rectangular frames with open ends, which serve as
containers in which the mold is prepared. Normally a pair of flasks is used; the upper flask is referred
cope drag e. Riddling the green sand
helps in breaking the lump and aerates the sand.

Sometimes the casting itself must have a hole or cavity in or on it. In that case the liquid metal must be
o block-off portions of the mold from
being filled by the liquid metal. A core is normally made using sand with a suitable binder like molasses.
Core is prepared by filling the core-box with core sand to get the desired shape and the baking this sand core

provided. The gating system is the network of channels used to deliver the molten metal from outside the
mold into the mold cavity. The various components of the gating system are pouring cup, sprue, runners and
gates. Riser or feeder head is a small cavity attached to the casting cavity and the liquid metal of the riser
serves to compensate the shrinkage in the casting during solidification. Fig. 1 below shows the various parts
of a typical sand mold. Several hand tools, such as rammer, trowel, sprue pin, draw spike, slick, vent wire,
gate cutter, strike off bar etc. are used as aids in making a mold.

Melting and Pouring of Metals

The next important step in the making of casting is the melting of metal. A melting process must be
capable of providing molten metal not only at the proper temperature but also in the desired quantity,
with an acceptable quality, and within a reasonable cost. In order to transfer the metal from the furnace
into the molds, some type of pouring device, or ladle, must be used. The primary considerations are to
maintain the metal at the proper temperature for pouring and to ensure that only quality metal will get
into the molds. The operations involved in melting of metal in oil fired furnace/induction furnace and
pouring of liquid metal into the mold cavity will be shown during the demonstration.

Removal and Finishing of Castings

After complete solidification, the castings are removed from the mold. Most castings require some
cleaning and finishing operations, such as removal of cores, removal of gates and risers, removal of
fins and flash, cleaning of surfaces, etc.

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Fig. 1: Cross section of a typical two-part sand mold, indicating various mold components and
terminology.

Fig. 2: Schematic illustration of the sequence of operations for sand casting.

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 EXERCISE-1
MOLD MAKING & CASTING
Objective
1. To prepare a pattern for given object for lost form casting.
2. To prepare a Green sand mold from the prepared pattern.
3. To melt and pour Aluminum metal into the mold.

Equipment and Materials

Pattern, core box, molding flasks, molding tools, sand muller, riddle, sand, bentonite, core baking oven,
thermocole, melting furnace, fluxes, pouring ladle, pyrometer, hacksaw, file.

Procedure
Pattern for lost form casting

Fig. 3: Foam pattern and the corresponding cast object.

Mold Making

(i) Place the drag part of the molding flask and riddle molding green sand to a depth of 2 cm in
the drag.
(ii) Place the pattern at the centre of the drag (flask)
(iii) Pack the sand carefully around the pattern as shown in figure 4. Heap more molding sand in
the drag and ram with rammer carefully
(iv) Place the core half of the pattern over the drag pattern matching the guide pins and also place
the gating system with sprue and riser in proper positions.
(v) Complete the cope half by repeating steps 3. Remove the extra sprue and riser pins and make
a pouring basin.

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 Fig. 4: Equipment for sand mixing and a prepared mold.

Melting and Pouring

(i) Melt the metal in the furnace. Use appropriate fluxes at proper stages and measure metal
temperature from time to time.
(ii) Pour the molten metal into the pouring ladle at a higher temperature (say 100oC higher) than
the pouring temperature. As soon as the desired pouring temperature is reached, pour the
liquid metal into the mold in a steady stream with ladle close to the pouring basin of the
mold. Do not allow any dross or slag to go in.
(iii) Allow sufficient time for the metal to solidify in the mold. Break the mold carefully and
remove the casting.
(iv) Cut-off the riser and gating system from the casting and clean it for any sand etc.
(v) Inspect the casting visually and record any surface and dimensional defects observe.

Fig. 5: Furnace for melting metal for pouring into mold.

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