9/23/23

MSE 3231
Lecture 02

Introduction
2. Casting as a metal forming process
Ref: P. Beeley, Foundry Technology, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001
Ch 01: Introduction

Topics to discuss today ….

1. Metal forming processes

2. Casting as a metal forming processes

1
 9/23/23

1. Metal forming processes

l Metals and their alloys are the most important of all engineering
materials.
o the use of steels as structural materials
o cast irons as pipe fittings
o aluminium and titanium alloys in automotive industries

l The size of a metal object may vary from a few ounces (pin) to
hundreds of tons (bell) and the shape can be a simple block to the most
complicated designs (wrought iron gates or cast iron engine blocks).

l Amongst the manufacturing processes described earlier (Lecture 01)

to produce engineering components, only a few of them are used to
impart shapes to metals and alloys (Fig. 2.1).
3/24

FIGURE 2.1
Major routes in the manufacturing
of engineering components. 4/24

2
 9/23/23

l Most of the methods of shaping finished product shown in the diagram

involved several steps.
o Getting a finished product by deformation processing, for example, requires
first casting an ingot and then give the final shape by hot/cold working.
o Machining involves chipping away from cast or worked material to get the
product shape. Thus machining is a wasteful method of getting final shapes.
o On the other hand, shaping of product by powder method always required
production of powders that is a costly process.

l It is clear from the diagram that a major share of metals and alloys that
are given shape by using many different processes are originated from
a common metal forming process, called the casting.
o So the importance of casting as a valuable metal forming process is understood.

5/24

2. Casting as a Metal Forming Process

l Casting is a process of introducing molten metal into a mould cavity
and allowing it to solidify.

Melt material

Pour into mould

and allow it to solidify

Break up mould
and remove casting

6/24

3
 9/23/23

l Two categories of metal casting processes:

 Expendable mould processes - mould is sacrificed to remove part

Advantage: more complex shapes possible
Disadvantage: production rates often limited by time to make mould rather than casting itself

‚ Permanent mould processes - mould is made of metal and can be used to make
many castings
Advantage: higher production rates
Disadvantage: geometries limited by need to open mould

7/24

l Sand casting, one of the most widely used expendable moulding process,
accounts for a significant majority of total tonnage of metal cast.

o A pattern, an exact replica of the casting,

is required to prepared the mould cavity
in a sand mould.

o The liquid metal is then poured into the

mould cavity and allowed it to solidify to
make the casting.

l The method of casting used by the

primitive people is no different from
the casting process presently used.

l The modern day casting, however,

becomes much complex. FIGURE 2.2 Steps in casting an arrowhead

4
 9/23/23

2.1 A typical modern casting process

1 4
The iron casting to be After the bottom half of the
produced in the mould is filled, it is rolled
subsequent illustrations upright and the top half of the
of moulding pattern and flask are put in
place to complete the mould

2 5
Cross section of the first step Section through the
in making a greensand mould. completed mould with
Bottom half of the pattern is pattern still in place
on the mould board and and the sprue hole
surrounded by the bottom or formed for entrance
drag half of the flask of molten metal
6
3 Cope and drag halves of the
Moulding sand is rammed mould are separated to
around the pattern in remove the pattern. The gate
multiple steps to provide channel is then cut from the
uniform density sprue to the mould cavity.

7
The core is made separately
to form the internal passages
of the casting

8
After placing core in the mould,
the mould is closed and
clamped to resist the pressure
exerted by the molten metal
when it is poured in the mould

10/24

10

5
 9/23/23

2.2 Basic steps involved in making a casting

1. Pattern making
o Required to make mould cavities
o An approximate replica of the exterior of a casting
o Designed and prepared as per the drawing of the casting received from the
planning section and according to the moulding process to be employed
o If the casting is to be hollow, additional patterns, referred to as core boxes,
are prepared

11/24

11

2. Mould making and core making

o The cavity in the sand mould is formed by packing sand around a pattern, then
separating the mould into two halves and removing the pattern
o Adequate gating system and feeding system are required in the mould to direct
the liquid metal into the mould cavity and to feed the solidification shrinkage
o If casting is to have internal surfaces, a core must be included in the mould

FIGURE 2.4 Schematic view of cross section of a sand mould 12/24

12

6
 9/23/23

3. Melting and pouring

o The molten metal of correct composition prepared in a suitable furnace is
referred to as melting
o When molten, it is taken into a ladle and poured into the mould
o The mould is then allowed to cool down so that the liquid metal solidifies
o The castings are finally extracted by breaking the mould. This operation is
known as shake out.

4. Fettling and finishing

o Fettling refers to all operations necessary to the removal of sand and oxide
scale adhered to the casting surface, core and excess metal (fins and other
projections, gating system, feeder) from the casting.
o Finishing of castings is the final stage of cleaning of castings. Typical
finishing operations include polishing and other operations (shot blasting,
etc.) to improve surface finish and appearance of castings and different
surface treatments (painting, electroplating, galvanising, heat treatment,
etc.) given to impart special properties to castings.
13/24

13

5. Inspection and quality control

o Finally, before the casting is dispatched from the foundry, inspection and
testing of the casting is carried out to ensure that it is flawless and conforms to
the desired specifications.
o In case any defects or shortcomings are observed, salvage and rectification
of castings are carried out to save the casting.
o Proper and thorough quality control scheme is followed to analyse and
determine the causes of these defects, so as to prevent their reoccurrence. The
production process then has to be corrected accordingly.

14/24

14

7
 9/23/23

FIGURE 2.3 Steps in the production

sequence in sand casting. 15/24

15

2.3 Advantages of casting process

l Casting is a versatile process capable of being used in mass

production items in very large shaped pieces, with intricate designs
and having properties unobtainable by any other methods.

l The full exploitation of the casting process requires careful study

not only of its advantages but of potential difficulties and limitations.

l Three classes of advantages of casting process and castings:

 Advantages of casting process
‚ Design advantages of castings
ƒ Metallurgical advantages of castings

16/24

16

8
 9/23/23

Advantages of casting process

 Versatile (jobbing/mass production)
‚ Dimensional accuracy (tolerance up to ~0.1 mm, surface finish ~ 5-50 micron)
ƒ One step process (minimizing/eliminating forging, joining, etc. processes)
„ Low cost (the cheapest method of metal shaping)

Design advantages of castings

 Size „ Production of prototypes
‚ Complexity 5 Wide range of properties
ƒ Weight saving 6 Versatility in casting alloys

Metallurgical advantages in castings

 Uniform/isotropic properties
‚ Grain size
ƒ Density
17/24

17

dental implant, 9 gram

cast steel mill house, 198 tonnes

cast steel paper mill stockbreaker cast iron gate assembly

18/24

18

9
 9/23/23

2.4 Disadvantages of casting process

1. Bad surface finish and dimensional accuracy

2. Lack of directional properties

3. Unable to use refractory materials

4. Presence of casting defects

19/24

19

2.5 History and development of metal casting

2250 BC Life size portrait head of cast bronze from Mesopotamia

2000 Discovery of iron
1766-1122 The first foundry centre in China (during Shang dynasty)
600 First iron casting in China
500 AD Cast crucible steel in India
1200 Use of metal bells and ornaments in Greeks and Romans temples
Vannoccio Biringguccio, the father of foundry, wrote a detailed
1480-1539
account of metal founding
1683-1757 Extensive works on cast iron by Reaumur
1709 Smelting of iron ore in coke blast furnace by Abraham Darby
1879 The collapse of Tay Bridge
• Invention of chemical bonded and other new moulding techniques
Middle of
• Better understanding of the casting phenomenon
twentieth
• Start of teaching metal casting in engineering institutes as an
century
independent subject

20

10
 9/23/23

Original Tay Rail Bridge

Date 28 December 1879

Time 7:16 pm
Location Dundee
Country Scotland
Rail line Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
Operator North British Railway
Cause Structural failure

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay_Bridge_disaster 21/24

21

2.6 Foundry establishment

l A foundry is a commercial establishment for founding, or producing castings.

l The modern foundry is a well-organised business, efficiently operated to maintain
quality as well as quantity production of castings at a low cost.

Classes based on type and capacity of production

 Jobbing foundries
‚ Production foundries
ƒ Captive foundries

Classes according to the type of materials melted

 Ferrous foundries ‚ Non-ferrous foundries
(a) Steel foundries (a) Light metal foundries (for Al and Mg)
(b) Grey iron foundries (b) Copper, brass and bronze foundries
(c) Malleable iron foundries (c) Lead, tin and zinc-base foundries
(d) Ductile iron foundries
22/24

22

11
 9/23/23

2.7 Foundry layout

FIGURE 2.5 Typical layout of a grey iron foundry 23/24

23

2.8 Influence of casting to other industrial sectors

l Foundry is a basic industry

Its product, castings, enters into every field in which metals serve man

l Castings are produced almost everywhere that manufacturing occurs

Transportation, communication, construction, agriculture, power generation,
in aerospace, atomic energy applications

l Modern civilisation would not be so far advanced as it is today

if it were not for the foundry and its products

24/24

24

12