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FUNDAMENTALS OF
CASTING
 Fundamentals of Casting
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Casting
 Process in which molten metal flows by gravity or other force into
a mold where it solidifies in the shape of the mold cavity

 The term casting also applies to the part made in the process

 Steps in casting seem simple:

 Melt the metal
 Pour it into a mold
 Let it freeze
 Fundamentals of Casting
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 Casting includes both the casting of ingots and casting of
shapes.
 The term ingot is usually associated with the primary metal
industries; it describes a large casting that is simple in shape and
intended for subsequent reshaping by processes such as rolling
or forging.
 Shape casting involves the production of more complex
geometries that are much closer to the final desired shape of the
part or product. A variety of shape casting methods are
available, thus making it one of the most versatile of all
manufacturing processes.
 Capabilities and Advantages of Casting
 Can create complex part geometries
 Can create both external and internal shapes
 Some casting processes are net shape; others are near net shape
 Can produce very large parts (even 100 tons!)
 Can be performed on any metal that can be heated to the liquid state
 Some casting methods are suited to mass production

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 Fundamentals of Metal Casting

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 Disadvantages of Casting

• Limitations on mechanical properties

• porosity
• Poor dimensional accuracy and surface finish for
some processes; e.g., sand casting

• Safety hazards to workers due to hot molten metals

• Environmental problems

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 Parts Made by Casting

 All varieties of metals can be cast,

ferrous and nonferrous
 Big parts
 Engine blocks and heads for

automotive vehicles, wood

burning stoves, machine frames,
railway wheels, pipes, church
bells, big statues, pump housings
 Small parts
 Dental crowns, jewelry, small
statues, frying pans

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 Fundamentals of Casting
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Overview of Casting Technology

As a production process, casting is usually carried out in a
foundry.
A foundry is a factory equipped for making molds, melting

and handling metal in molten form, performing the casting

process and cleaning the finished casting.
The workers who perform the casting operations in these

factories are called foundrymen.

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 Discussion of casting logically begins with the mold.

 The mold contains a cavity whose geometry determines the shape of the
cast part.
 The actual size and shape of the cavity must be slightly oversized to allow
for shrinkage that occurs in the metal during solidification and cooling.
 Different metals undergo different amounts of shrinkage, so the mold cavity
must be designed for the particular metal to be cast if dimensional accuracy
is critical.
 Molds are made of a variety of materials, including sand, plaster, ceramic,
and metal.
 The various casting processes are often classified according to these
different types of molds.
 Open Molds and
Closed Molds

Figure 10.2 Two forms of mold: (a) open mold, simply a container in the
shape of the desired part; and (b) closed mold, in which the mold geometry is
more complex and requires a gating system (passageway) leading into the
cavity.
 Fundamentals of Casting
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 To accomplish a casting operation, the metal is first heated to a

temperature high enough to completely transform it into a liquid
state.
 It is then poured, or otherwise directed, into the cavity of the mold.
 In an open mold, Figure 10.2(a), the liquid metal is simply poured
until it fills the open cavity.
 In a closed mold, Figure 10.2(b), a passageway, called the gating
system, is provided to permit the molten metal to flow from outside
the mold into the cavity.
 The closed mold is by far the more important category in production
casting operations.
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 As soon as the molten metal is in the mold, it begins to cool.

 When the temperature drops sufficiently (e.g., to the freezing point
for a pure metal), solidification begins.
 Solidification involves a change of phase of the metal.
 Time is required to complete the phase change, and considerable
heat is given up in the process.
 It is during this step in the process that the metal assumes the solid
shape of the mold cavity and many of the properties and
characteristics of the casting are established.
 Once the casting has cooled sufficiently, it is removed from the
mold.
 Fundamentals of Casting
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 Depending on the casting method and metal used, further

processing may be required.
 This may include trimming any excess metal from the actual
cast part, cleaning the surface, inspecting the product, and
heat treatment to enhance properties.
 In addition, machining may be required to achieve closer
tolerances on certain part features and to remove the cast
surface.
 Categories of Casting Processes
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Expendable mold processes - mold is destroyed to remove part

 Mold materials: sand, plaster, and similar materials, plus binders
 Example: Sand casting
•Advantage: more complex shapes possible
•Disadvantage: production rates often limited by time to make mold rather than

casting itself

Permanent mold processes - mold is made of metal and can be used to make many
castings
 Made of metal (or, less commonly, a ceramic refractory material)
 Example: Die casting
•Advantage: higher production rates
•Disadvantage: geometries limited by need to open mold
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 An expendable mold means that the mold in which the molten

metal solidifies must be destroyed in order to remove the casting.
 These molds are made from sand, plaster, or similar materials,
whose form is maintained by using binders of various kinds.
 Sand casting is the most prominent example of the expendable
mold processes.
 In sand casting, the liquid metal is poured into a mold made of
sand.
 After the metal hardens, the mold must be sacrificed in order to
recover the casting.
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 A permanent mold is one that can be used over and over to

produce many castings.
 It is made of metal (or, less commonly, a ceramic refractory
material) that can withstand the high temperatures of the
casting operation.
 In permanent mold casting, the mold consists of two (or
more) sections that can be opened to permit removal of the
finished part.
 Die casting is the most familiar process in this group.
 Advantages and Disadvantages
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Expendable Permanent
mold process mold process

 After the metal • Part shapes in

hardens, the mold permanent mold
must be scarified in processes are limited
order to recover the
casting by the need to open
the mold
 More complicated
geometries are • Permanent mold
possible with processes are more
expendable mold economic in high
processes
production operations
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INVESTMENT CASTING
Investment Casting (Lost Wax
Process)
 A pattern made of wax is coated with a refractory
material to make mold, after which wax is melted
away prior to pouring molten metal
 "Investment" comes from one of the less familiar
definitions of "invest" - "to cover completely,"
which refers to coating of refractory material
around wax pattern
 It is a precision casting process - capable of
castings of high accuracy and intricate detail
Figure 11.8 ‑ Steps in investment casting:
(1) wax patterns are produced
(2) several patterns are attached to a sprue to form a pattern tree
Figure 11.8 ‑ Steps in investment casting:
(3) the pattern tree is coated with a thin layer of refractory material
(4) the full mold is formed by covering the coated tree with sufficient
refractory material to make it rigid
Figure 11.8 ‑ Steps in investment casting:
(5) the mold is held in an inverted position and heated to melt the wax and
permit it to drip out of the cavity
Figure 11.8 ‑ Steps in investment
casting:
(6) the mold is preheated to a high
temperature, which ensures that
all contaminants are eliminated
from the mold; it also permits the
liquid metal to flow more easily
into the detailed cavity; the
molten metal is poured; it
solidifies
Figure 11.8 ‑ Steps in investment casting:
(7) the mold is broken away from the finished casting -
parts are separated from the sprue
Advantages and Disadvantages of Investment Casting

 Advantages:
 Parts of great complexity and intricacy can be cast
 Close dimensional control and good surface finish
 Wax can usually be recovered for reuse
 Additional machining is not normally required ‑ this is
a net shape process
 Disadvantages
 Many processing steps are required
 Relatively expensive process
Investment Casting
(Lost Wax Process)
Investment Casting
(Lost Wax Process)
Figure 11.9 ‑ A one‑piece compressor stator with 108 separate airfoils made
by investment casting (courtesy Howmet Corp )