casting

Shival Dubey
Doctoral Research Fellow
Mechanical Engineering

Casting Process 1
 introduction
 Melting the metal
 Pouring it into a previously made mould
 Cooling and Solidification
 Removal of component and treatment for further
process if desired

 Solidified piece of metal which is taken out of the mould, is

called as casting.
 A plant where the castings are made is called a Foundry.

Casting Process
Casting Process
 Advantages of casting process
 Parts of intricate shape can
be produced
 All metals and alloys and
some plastics can be cast
 Good mechanical and service
properties
 Low scrap
 Quick Process
 Better surface finish

Casting Process
 applications
 Automobile engine blocks
 Cylinder blocks
 Airplane engines
 Pistons and piston rings

Casting Process
 Terms related to casting
 POURING CUP: This is where the metal is poured into the
mold.
 SPRUE: The vertical channel from the top of the mold to the
gating and riser system. Also, a generic term used to cover all
gates, runners and risers.
 RUNNER: The portion of the gate assembly that connects the
sprue to the casting in gate or riser.
 GATE: The end of the runner in a mold where molten metal
enters the mold cavity.
 RISER: A reservoir of molten metal provided to compensate
for the contraction of the metal as it solidifies.

Casting Process
 Contd..
 MOLD CAVITY: The impression in a mold produced by the
removal of the pattern. When filled with molten metal it forms
a casting.
 COPE: Upper or top most section of a flask, mold or pattern.
 PARTING LINE: A line on a pattern or casting corresponding
to the separation between the parts of a mold.
 DRAG: Lower or bottom section of a flask, mold or pattern.

Casting Process
 Steps involved in casting

Casting Process
CASTING PROCESS OVERVIEW
Preparation of sand mould

SAND CASTING
Before any casting can take place a wooden pattern is
made precisely. This is called pattern making and in
industry this is a very skilful job. Any inaccuracy at this
stage will result in the final cast being wrong or even
failing.

Drag is placed inverted on

the mould floor and pattern
is placed at the center of the
box
Preparation of sand mould

Special casting sand will

soon be packed around the
pattern for easy removal of
pattern from
parting powder is sprinkled
over and around it. It stops
the casting sand sticking to
the pattern and pulling away
with it when the pattern is
Castingfinally
sand removed from the
is then shaken through a
sand. riddled sand) so that only
sieve (called
fine particles fall around the pattern.
This is called facing sand and it must be
fine so that detail on the pattern shows
up on the final casting.
Preparation of sand mould

The drag is then packed with more

casting sand and then ram it down
firmly using a ramming tool. The tool
has two ends, one is cylindrical and is
used for general packing down of the
sand. The other end is quite pointed
and this can be used for packing sand
close up to the pattern.

When the drag is packed fully it

is levelled off (called ‘strickled
off’) using a straight steel bar.
Preparation of sand mould

The entire drag and its contents are then turned over
so that the base of the pattern can be seen

A top box called a ‘cope’ is then placed on top of the

drag and locating pins are put in position so that the
casting boxes cannot move sideways.
Preparation of sand mould

Sprue pins are positioned. One

usually on the back of the pattern
and the other to the side. These will
eventually provide an entrance and
exit for the molten aluminium when
it is poured into the sand.

The sand is packed/rammed into the cope in the same

way as the drag.

Casting Process
Preparation of sand mould

The top box (the cope) is then removed and if all is well
the cope with the sand inside should lift off the drag
(bottom box) without the sand falling out. A small ‘gate’
is cut below the position of one of the sprue pins. This
will help the molten metal to flow into the cavity left
by the pattern. Small tools are available or can easily be
made to dig a variety of shapes in the casting sand. They
are similar to small trowels
Preparation of sand mould

The pattern is removed using a

‘spike’. Before removing the
pattern it is a good idea to gently
tap the spike so that it loosens the
pattern from the sand. It can then
be lifted away from the casting box
The cope (top casting
(drag). box) is placed back on top
of the drag and the locating pins put in position. Before
this is done vents can be created using a thin piece of
welding rod, pushing it through the sand . This allows
gases to escape once the molten metal is poured.
Preparation of sand mould

The molten metal is poured with great care. The molten

metal is poured down the hole left by the first sprue pin
(now called the ‘runner’). As it runs down the runner it
flows through the ‘gate’ cut by the trowel, into the cavity
left by the pattern and up the riser (the hole left by the
second sprue pin).

When removed
The casting should be left for at least
froman hour
the before
sand, the
removal from the sand runner and riser are
cut away and the
casting is ready for
machining
 Pattern
 Model or replica of desired casting which when
moulded in sand forms an impression called mould.

Casting Process
 Functions of pattern
 A pattern prepares a mold cavity for
the purpose of making a casting.
 A pattern may contain projections
known as core prints if the casting
requires a core and need to be made
hollow.
 Runner, gates, and risers used for
feeding molten metal in the mold
cavity may form a part of the pattern.
 Patterns properly made and having
finished and smooth surfaces reduce
casting defects.
 A properly constructed pattern
minimizes the overall cost of the
castings.

Casting Process
 Pattern material

 Wood
 Metal
 Plastic
 Plaster
 Wax

Casting Process
 wood
Limitations:
 Mosty used material. • Are susceptible to shrinkage
Used when small number and swelling
casting is required. • Posses poor wear resistance
• Abraded easily by sand
action
• Absorb moisture

Advantages: Pine, deodar, teak,

• Cheap and light shisham and mahogany
• Easily worked and shaped as are commonly used wood
desired
• Cut and fabricated into numerous
forms

Casting Process
 metal
 When large number of castings are required.

Advantages:
 More durable, have longer life and produces moulds to a close
dimensional accuracy.

Limitations:
 Are not easily get repaired
 Expensive
 Ferrous patterns get rusted
 Cannot be machined easily

• Cast Iron
• Brass
• Aluminium and its alloys
Casting Process
  Cast Iron: Cheap, easy to file and fit. Gives good smooth
surface and resistant to abrasion action of the sand. Heavy
and can easily broken.
 Brass: Strong, tough, rust proof and have better surface
finish. Can withstand wear of the moulding sand.
 Aluminium and its alloy: Widely used for production.
Corrosion resistant, light weight and good machining
characteristics.

Casting Process
 plastics
 Thermo setting resins, usually phenolic resin plastic
are now used
 Light in weight, high strength, wear resistance, high
corrosive resistance, Low solid shrinkage, Smooth
surface finish

Casting Process
Continue on Part II

Casting Process