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FOUNDRY ENGINEERING
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Published quarterly as the organ of the Foundry Commission of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Investigation of Shrinkage Defect in Castings

by Quantitative Ishikawa Diagram
B. Chokkalingam a,*, V. Raja a, J. Anburaj b, R. Immanual a, M. Dhineshkumar a
a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India.
b
Department of Metallurgical Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected]

Received 28.11.2016; accepted in revised form 05.01.2017

Abstract
Metal casting process involves processes such as pattern making, moulding and melting etc. Casting defects occur due to combination of
various processes even though efforts are taken to control them. The first step in the defect analysis is to identify the major casting defect
among the many casting defects. Then the analysis is to be made to find the root cause of the particular defect. Moreover it is especially
difficult to identify the root causes of the defect. Therefore, a systematic method is required to identify the root cause of the defect among
possible causes, consequently specific remedial measures have to be implemented to control them. This paper presents a systematic
procedure to identify the root cause of shrinkage defect in an automobile body casting (SG 500/7) and control it by the application of
Pareto chart and Ishikawa diagram. with quantitative Weightage. It was found that the root causes were larger volume section in the cope,
insufficient feeding of riser and insufficient poured metal in the riser. The necessary remedial measures were taken and castings were
reproduced. The shrinkage defect in the castings was completely eliminated.

Keywords: Casting, Shrinkage defect, Pareto chart, Ishikawa diagram

pouring, heat treatment and finishing. In this paper, shrinkage

1. Introduction casting defect in an automobile body casting (SG 500/7) is
discussed.
Casting defects occur while manufacturing casting due to the
The shrinkage defect in SG iron casting can be avoided by an
involvement of processes like pattern making, core box making,
external feeding to the casting along with graphitization
moulding, core making, core setting, mould closing, melting,
expansion. These two factors compensate volumetric shrinkage of
metal pouring, heat treatment, and fettling. Generally, variations
the spheroidal graphite iron (SG) casting. In general riser feeding
found in these processes make the task especially difficult to
was adopted as the main method in foundries to avoid shrinkage in
control the defects even in a more controlled process. The initial
SG iron castings. Even though failures are found in riser feeding
step in the defect analysis is to identify the major casting defect
method, causes of failures can be found by proper analysis to
among the many defects. Then the analysis is to be made to find
reduce the shrinkage defect in castings.
the root cause of the particular defect. Proper care is to be taken to
This paper identifies and analyzes the major shrinkage casting
identify the actual root cause among many probable causes in the
defect in an automobile body SG Iron body casting (SG 500/7)
tools as well as manufacturing processes. In order to minimize the
using the flowchart [1-2] as shown in the Figure 1.
casting defects, It is essential to identify the root causes for each
casting defect. Generally casting defects occur in the production
areas such as pattern, sand, mould, core, mould closing, melting,

174 ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 17, Issue 1/2017, 174-178

 3. Results and discussion
Shrinkage associated casting defects occur in the heaviest
section of the casting that solidify later and do not have liquid
metal flow either from the riser or adjoining sections after mould
was completely filled. The first step in the defect analysis is to
identify the possible key variables that cause the defect. The
simple method used to determine the cause is the use of Ishikawa
diagram. The strength of this technique is that the collective
information related to the tools and processes used to manufacture
the casting are available in graphical form. The identified possible
main causes for the shrinkage defect for this casting are casting
design, pattern, gating, Risering, melting, pouring and moulding.
[6-8]. The most effective remedial measures have to be taken only
after analyzing the probable sub causes of the defect. Generally,
Ishikawa diagram may not have quantitative data for the further
Fig. 1. Defect Investigation Flow Chart analysis [5]. Weights for the each cause in the diagram were added
and percentages of influence of each cause for the defect were
identified. This cause and effect diagram with Weightage used to
2. Methodology find the major influencing causes that lead to the occurrence of the
defect. The data for the shrinkage defect was collected and used to
The production and rejection details for automobile body make the matrix diagram of the shrinkage defect. Initially the main
casting for 4 months period were collected. All the major defects causes for the shrinkage defect were identified (abbreviations are
represented in brackets) and are given in the Table 1. Subsequently
occurred in the casting were studied and is shown as bar chart [3-
the sub-causes were determined using comparison matrix and are
5] in Fig. 2 (Abbreviations: WT- Wall Thickness Variation, BH-
Blow Holes, SH- Shrinkage Defect, SI- Sand Inclusion, MD- given in Table 2 [6-17].
Mould Damage).
Table1.
Relative weights of main causes
Factor 1 Σn
Casting Design (CD) 1.75 0.1186
Pattern (PN) 3.0 0.2033
Gating and Risering (GR) 3.5 0.2373
Melting (ME) 2.5 0.1695
Pouring (PG) 2.5 0.1695
Moulding (MO) 1.5 0.1017
Total 14.75 ≈1
n- Relative weight
Fig. 2. Bar chart of casting defects
Table 2.
A Pareto chart was drawn for all the defects occurred and the Sub-Causes leading to the defect
shrinkage defect was found as the major defect among the all the Sub-Causes 1 Σn
defects as shown in Fig.3. Isolated heavy section 0.25 0.143
Casting

Change in section size 0.5 0.286

Design

Too small fillets 0.5 0.286

Lesser area for feeding 0.5 0.286
Total 1.75 ≈1
Larger volume section in cope 1.75 0.583
Pattern

Use of lesser height cope 1.0 0.333

Insufficient area of core prints 0.25 0.083
Total 3.0 ≈1
Smaller diameter/height riser 0.25 0.071
Gating and

Improper design of neck 0.25 0.071

Risering

No funnel pipe formed in riser 1.25 0.357

Improper location of riser 0.5 0.143
Insufficient feeding 1.25 0.357
Total 3.5 ≈1
Fig. 3. Pareto chart of casting defects

ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 17, Issue 1/2017, 174 -178 175
 The main causes as well as their sub-causes were assigned
Excessive nodule count 0.75 0.3
their weight. The weights for each cause were calculated using a
Melting

Minimum silicon content 1.0 0.4 pair of comparison method. In this method if one of the factors is
Tapping cold metal 0.25 0.1 the most important than the other it is given as grade 1. whereas
Too high tapping temperature 0.5 0.2 the other factors get the grade 0. If the contributions of both the
Total 2.5 ≈1 factors are equal they are given 0.5 each. To precisely evaluate the
Pouring cold metal 0.5 0.2 causes. the rating scale can use the values 0. 0.25. 0.5. 0.75 and 1.
Pouring

Too high pouring temperature 0.75 0.3 The values from Table 1 and Table 2 are used to draw the
Insufficient metal poured 1.25 0.5 Ishikawa diagram.
Total 2.5 ≈1
Mould dilation/enlarge 0.25 0.166
Moulding

Weak soft moulds 0.25 0.166

Low green compressive strength 1.0 0.666
Total 1.5 ≈1

Fig. 4. Ishikawa diagram for shrinkage defect

3.1. Ishikawa diagram 3.2 Major causes of shrinkage defect

The diagram consists of contribution of main causes and their Gating and Risering as well as pattern were the major factors
sub-causes which includes their weights for the occurrence of the causing the shrinkage defect. Consequently the sub causes were
shrinkage defect. The standardized weights of the major factors are identified and anaysed for these major causes. The sub causes for
placed in Ishikawa diagram as shown in Fig.4 in circles under the the shrinkage defect are shown in the Pareto chart Figure.6.
titles casting design, Pattern, Gating and Risering, Melting, Finally the sub causes causing the shrinkage defect are identified
Pouring and Moulding. The upper value in the circle indicates the as Larger volume section in cope. No funnel pipe formed in riser.
relative weight referred to a given factor. whereas the lower value Insufficient feeding, Insufficient metal poured. Low green
indicates the absolute weight referred to the whole group. A compressive strength, Use of lesser height copes and Improper
comparison matrix was used to determine the sub-causes of the composition.
main causes. Their relative weight and absolute weight are
indicated in the circles positioned in the Ishikawa diagram. The
major causes and their sub-causes contributing to the shrinkage
defect in castings with their percentage are given in Table 3.
The major causes of the shrinkage defect identified from the
Ishikawa diagram are shown in Fig 5.

176 ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 17, Issue 1/2017, 174 -178
 Total 100 -
Pouring cold metal 20 3.4
Too high pouring

Pouring
30 5.1
temperature
Insufficient metal
50 8.5
poured
Total 100 -
Mould dilation/enlarge 16.7 1.7

Moulding
Weak soft moulds 16.7 1.7
Low green
66.6 6.8
compressive strength
Total 100 ≈100
Fig. 5. Major causes of shrinkage defect
The shrinkage defect in the castings can be reduced by
implementing the corrective actions. Interchanging of cope and
3.3 Percentage contribution of major drag patterns were made in the match plates so that larger volume
section of the casting was kept in the drag. Subsequently the riser
and sub causes was redesigned and a tall tapered riser was used because no funnel
pipe formed in the riser indicates insufficient feeding.
Table 3.
Percentage contribution of major and sub causes
Subgroup
Subgroup
(%) in a
Subgroup (%) in a
Group

given
given fault
group
Isolated heavy section 14.2 1.7
Casting

Change in section size 28.6 3.4

Design

Too small fillets 28.6 3.4

Lesser area for feeding 28.6 3.4
Total 100 -
Larger volume section
58.3 11.8
in cope
Fig. 6. Sub-causes of shrinkage defect
Use of lesser height
Pattern

33.3 6.7
cope
Metal is to be poured to the full height of the riser as a result of
Insufficient area of
8.4 1.7 variations of the riser height indicated that insufficient metal was
core prints
poured in the moulds. The cope and drag pattern with these
Total 100 - changes made are shown in Fig 7a and 7b respectively.
Excessive nodule count 30 5.1
Minimum silicon
40 6.7
content
Melting

Tapping cold metal 10 1.7

Too high tapping
20 3.4
temperature
Total 100 -
Fig. 7a. Drag pattern. 7b. Cope pattern
Smaller
7.1 1.7
diameter/height riser
Gating and Risering

The components of gating and feeding systems indicated in fig

Improper design of 7a(larger volume), 7b (smaller volume) and fig 8 (poured casting)
7.1 1.7
neck are,
No funnel pipe formed 1. Pattern (Cope)
35.7 8.5
in riser 2. Riser
Improper location of 3. Runner
14.4 3.4
riser 4. Well
Insufficient feeding 35.7 8.5 5. Pattern (Drag)
6. Funnel pipe formation
7. Casting

ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 17, Issue 1/2017, 174 -178 177
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