A New Technique For Measurement of The Strength of Ceramic Shells in The Precision Casting Process

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A. Chennakesava Reddy,1 V.S.R. Murti,2 and P.M.

Jebaraj3

A New Technique for Measurement of the


Strength of Ceramic Shells in the Precision
Casting Process

REFERENCE: Chennakesava Reddy, A., Murti, V.S.R., Jeba- casting temperatures [5]. The bending strength of the shell is
raj, P. M., “A new Technique for Measurement of the Strength of measured on a universal sand-strength testing machine (of hy-
Ceramic Shells in the Precision Casting Process,” Journal of test- draulic type).
ing and Evaluation, JTEVA, Vol. 28, No.3, May, 2000, pp.224- This paper discusses the development of a new technique for
226. measuring the strength of ceramic shells. In this technique, com-
pressed air is passed into the ceramic shells and the bursting pres-
ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the development of a new sure is measured using a diaphragm pressure gage. The hoop
technique for measuring the strength of ceramic shells. In this stresses are calculated.
technique, compressed air was passed into the ceramic shells and
the bursting pressure was measured using a diaphragm pressure Experimental Procedure
gage. The hoop stresses were calculated. The results of the new
technique realistically match the actual failure rate of shells in the Raw materials used:
precision casting process.
Refractory filler Zirconia flour, alumina flour and
KEYWORDS: ceramic shells, bending strength, permeability, fused silica flour
bursting strength, failure rates. Binder Silox-30
Stuccoing sand For prime coats (average particle
size = 0.18 mm)
In the manufacture of ceramic shell molds by the precision For backup coats (average particle
casting process, a multi-layered ceramic shell is built up by re- size = 0.32 mm)
peatedly dipping a wax pattern cluster in a dip-coating slurry, Pattern Bees wax
draining, and sprinkling with a coarse stucco sand. Each individ-
ual coat is hardened prior applying the next coat [1]. Manufacturing of Ceramic Shells
The ceramic shell molds are poured with liquid metal to pro-
duce precision castings. The ceramic shells, which are thin- Ceramic shells were made by applying a series of ceramic
walled molds, are generally subjected to metallostatic pressures coatings to the wax patterns. The pattern was first dipped into the
and gas pressures. Metallostatic pressures vary due to the evalua- dip-coating slurry. The dip-coating slurry was a mixture of re-
tion of gases during the solidification and the lack of permeability fractory filler and liquid binder. The wet layer was immediately
of the shells [2]. stuccoed with silica sand. Each coating was allowed to dry open
The strength of the shell under casting conditions relates to air. The operations of coating, stuccoing, and drying were re-
the ability of the shell system to retain the molten metal and peated six times. The seventh coat was left unstoccoed to avoid
maintain the dimensional integrity of the cast part. As casting the occurrence of loose particles on the shell surface. The first
temperatures, shell materials become plastic and flex or deform two coats were stuccoed with a sand of 0.18 mm average particle
without failing, creating a thicker dimension in the casting than size and the next four coats were with a sand of 0.32 mm average
required. If the shell is not permeable enough, the resulting cast- particle size. The shells were air dewaxed and sintered to 800oC.
ing will have no fill where air was trapped in the casting [3, 4]. Measurements of the bending strength and permeability of ce-
The present status of testing of ceramic shells is the measure- ramic shells were conducted on a universal sand-strength machine
ment of their bending strength either at room temperature or at and standard permeability meter, respectively. The dimensions of
specimens used for bending tests are 25 by 32 by 5 mm. the bend-
\Manuscript received 09/20/99; accepted for publication 2/11/00. ing test consists in determining the bending stress in N/mm2 to
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, M. J. College of Engineer-
cause rupture in the ceramic shell specimen. The dimensions of the
ing and Technology, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034, India.
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osmania University, Hyde- permeability specimen are 38-mm internal diameter and 5-mm
rabad 500 007, India. thickness. The specimen was connected with a hose pipe to the
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Ambedkar Institute of
Technology, Bangalore, India.  2000 by the American Society for testing and Materials

224
CHENNAKESAVA REDDY ET AL. ON STRENGTH OF
F CERAMIC SHELLS 225

standard permeability meter. Permeability was de determined by mea- ability. The variation of permeability is due to the particle shape of
suring the time necessary for 2000 cm3 of air to pass through the refractory flour. Zirconia flour particles
les are round, alumina flour
specimen under a pressure of 10 g/cm3. particles are angular, and fused silica par
articles are sunagular.
Specimens with dimensions equal to to those se of the permeabili-
ty specimens were employed to measure the bur ursting pressures of
the shells. The experimental arrangement is show wn in Fig.1. Strength of Ceramic Shells
A digital pressure gage was used to measure re the bursting pres-
sure of the shells. The specimen was connectedd to an air compres- The bending strengths and hoop stres esses of ceramic shells are
sor with a hose pipe. The compressed air was allallowed into the spe- shown in Fig.3. the bending strength of zirconia shell is low, whe-
cimen. The pressure at which the shell burst wasas noted as the burst- reas it is high for alumina shells. This is because zirconia shells
ing pressure. The induced hoop stress were compputed assuming the
ceramic shell to be a thin-walled spherical shell.
ll. The formula used
to determine the hoop stress in kgf/cm2 [6] is give
iven below:

.
Hoop stress =
.

where
p = bursting pressure, kgf/cm2
d = internal diameter of spherical shell, cm
= 3.8 cm
T = thickness of shell, cm
= 0.6 cm
[note 1 kgf = 9.8 N].

Results and Discussion


The experimental mean values and standard ddeviations of bend-
FIG.2-Permeability value
lues of shells.
ing strength, permeability, and hoop stress of thee shells are given in
Table 1.

The permeability values of ceramic shells madee of different refrac-


tory filler materials are illustrated in Fig.2. Th
The permeability of
zirconia shells is high, whereas alumina shells po
possess low perme-

1. Air compressor, 2. Pressure gage, 3. D Display unit, 4. Ce-


ramic shell, 5. Table, 6. Hose pipe, and
nd 7. T-connector
FIG.3-Bending strengths and hoo
oop stresses of shells.
FIG. 1-Experimental setup
up.
226 JOURNAL OF TESTING AND EVALU
UATION

exhibit high permeability and alumina shells hav ave low permeabili- 3. The higher the permeability of o the shell, the greater the
ty. The increase of permeability in shells is direc
ectly proportional to shell bursting strength.
the increase of voids in the shells. Voids in thee sshells decrease the 4. The bursting strength value of o the shell gives the actual
strength of the shells. shell failure rate in the precisio
sion casting process.
The bursting strength (hoop stress) of zirconia sh
shells is greater than
that of alumina shells. This is due the fact thatt tthe compressed air References
leaks out from high permeability shells and cons nsequently a greater
pressure is needed to burst the ceramic shells. G Gases and air result
[1] Chennakesava Reddy, A., Babu u, K. M., Jebaraj, P.M., and
in the shells due to:
Chowdaiah, M. P., “Accelerato tor for Faster Investment
Moulds,” Indian Foundry Journal, l, Vol.41, No.10, 1995, pp.3-
• Gases evolved due to the burning of the chemical binder 8.
• Air trapped during the pouring of the li
liquid metal [2] Chennakesava Reddy, A., Nirnanajan, H.B., and Murti, A. R.
• Gases released during the solidification
on fo the metal V., “optimization of investment Shell
S Mold Using Colloidal
Silica Binder,” Indian Journal off Engineering and materials
If these gases accumulate, the shells fail even en at low bending Sciences, Vol.3, No.5, 1996, pp. 180-184.
18
strength values, which are sufficient to withstand nd only metallostatic [3] Chennakesava Reddy, A., Mu urti, V. S. R., and Sundara
pressure. Rajan, S., “Characterization of Dip-Coating
D Slurries from
The failure rates of the ceramic shells are givenn in Table 2. Twen- Coal-Flyash for Investment Casti sting Process,” international
ty-five ceramic shells of each type were tested.. The failure rate of Journal of Colloids and Surfaces,, 1999,
1 accepted for publica-
the ceramic shells with hoop stress criteria appr proaches closely the tion.
failure rate of the shells when steel was actual ally cast into them. [4] Rusher, R. L., “Strength Factors
F of ceramic Shell
Hence, the results of the new technique realistic tically match the ac- Moulds,” Cast Metal Research Journal, December 1974,
tual failure of the shells in the precision casting pprocess. pp.149-154.
[5] Dolman, J., “Standardization ofo Methods of Determining
Conclusions Permeability and Strength of Ceram
amic Shells,” Foundry Trade
Journal, Vol. 121, 1966, pp.724-727
27.
1. The permeability of zirconia shells iss ggreater than that of [6] Chennakesava Reddy, A., “In Investment Casting Process
silica and alumina shells. Using Silox-30 as Binder,” M.E.. thesis, Department of Me-
2. The lower the permeability of the sh shell, the higher the chanical Engineering, Bangalore University,
Un India, 1993.
shell bending strength.

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