Foundry Report
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mcdonald jumaFoundry Report
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mcdonald juma- Executive Summary: Summarizes the objectives and expectations of the industrial visit conducted by the Metallurgical Engineering Department.
- Industrial Visit Description: Details the safety measures and routes within the industrial facility, including specific process shops observed during the visit.
- Process Flow Diagram: Illustrates the sequential industrial process steps from order to packaging, as used by Nimr and Chaplain.
- Detailed Process Descriptions: Provides detailed explanations of each step in the manufacturing process, including casting, melting, and cleaning.
- Conclusion: Concludes by summarizing the findings and quality maintenance observed during the industrial visit.
Name: Mcdonald Kudakwashe Juma
Student Number: N0163337C
Course Code: EMR 3205
Course Name: Practical Metallurgy
Lab Report 3
Submitted by Mcdonald Juma
Date submitted May 28. 2019
Executive Summary
Metallurgical Engineering Department of Gwanda State University arranged an industrial
visit to Nimr and Chaplain Manufacturing Private Limited on 15th May 2019 with 8 students
of 3rd year Metallurgy Engineering. The purpose of the visit was to enhance industrial
exposure of the students, get practical knowledge of manufacturing procedures and various
casting techniques. The students were to observe what happens from the creation of patterns
to the final production of the cast, follow the production line. As metallurgical students this
industrial visit was needed to bridge the gap between the concepts of the course studied to
their practical application in the industry.
Objectives of the visit
The visit had an objective to see and understand the following processes:
The type of patterns made and pattern making techniques and technologies employed.
To follow the flow process in the casting making and to understand the steps and
processes involved.
The type of molding process adopted.
The composition of sand and other chemicals used.
The type of automation in the process.
The process used to test the molding sand prepared.
The type of core making machines and processes.
The melting furnaces used and their capacity.
The type of pouring used in the foundry.
The method of cooling adopted.
Machining processes present in the foundry
Fettling
Inspection systems.
To see and appreciate the duties of an metallurgical engineer at a foundry plant
Aim of industrial visit
Industrial visit is considered as one of the tactical methods of teaching. The main reason
behind this- it lets student to know things practically through interaction, working methods
and employment practices. Moreover, it gives exposure from academic point of view. Main
aim industrial visit is to provide an exposure to students about practical working environment
.They also provide students a good opportunity to gain full awareness about industrial
practices. Through industrial visit students get awareness about new technologies.
Technology development is a main factor, about which a students should have a good
knowledge. Visiting different companies actually help students to build a good relationship
with those companies. We know building relationship with companies always will always
help to gain a good job in future. After visiting an industry students can gain a combined
knowledge about both theory and practical. Students will be more concerned about earning a
job after having an industrial visit.
Safety precautions
Everyone was given helmets and was asked to wear safety shoes for the purpose of safety
because most of the working area in a foundry workshop is a hard-hat area. The instructions
about how to walk inside the factory were given by the company’s advisors.
Introduction
Metal castings is the process of melting the metals of different specification and alloys and
pouring in cavities (Moulds) to give desired shapes of the final component as per required
application. These components are ready to use either as it is or after machining as the case
maybe. Castings are made in various metallurgies such as grey iron, ductile iron, steel,
aluminium and its alloys, zinc, magnesium and copper alloys etc. and then heat treated and
machined as required as peruse and application of the component
Description of the industrial visit
At Nimr and Chaplain, Mr ……. the production manager guided the students during plant
visit, he explained in detail the process flow, set up available within the foundry, technical
specification of the machines and use & applications of the resources.
The route we took during the tour around the plant is illustrated in fig.1
pattern making
storage unit foundry shop
shop
metallurgist manufacturing
assembly point
lab shop
Figure 1
Mr …. elaborated the different steps involved in casting process, such as how to prepare
sand mixture i.e. green mould sand, how to prepare pattern, by using pattern how to make
mould cavity in cope and drag, what is the importance of Core Prints, core, Procedure in
preparation of the core, technical specification of the electric furnaces used at Nimr and
Chaplain , solidification time calculations, after solidification how to remove casting from the
mould, how to cut risers and unwanted projections from the cast part, further processed
involved, different machining operations after casting processes
Nimr and Chaplain Process Flow
ORDER
PRODUCTION PLAN
PATTERN MAKING
CORE MAKING
MOULDING
SCRAP
MELTING
SCOPE ANALYSIS
POURING
COOLING
CLEANING
HEAT TREATMENT
INSPECTION
PAINTING
PACKAGING
1. Order.
For a casting to be produced there have to be ready buyers and the buyers give and
order and the specs(dimensions ) of the casting that they want this accounts for the
size, shape, the desired hardness and the weight of the casting.
2. Production Plan.
The production plan is drafted in-order to determine an economic and fast also
reliable way in which the casting can be produced. Here they determine the kind of
cooling method to be used, the type of moulding to be used and the quality and
composition of the steel to be used in the production of the cast.
3. Pattern making.
Replica of the part to be cast and is used to prepare the mould cavity. It is the physical
model of the casting used to make the mould. Made of either wood or metal. -The
mould is made by packing some readily formed aggregate material, such as moulding
sand, surrounding the pattern. When the pattern is withdrawn, its imprint provides the
mould cavity. This cavity is filled with metal to become the casting. - If the casting is
to be hollow, additional patterns called ‘cores’ are used to form these cavities
4. Core Making
Core making Cores are placed into a mould cavity to form the interior surfaces of
castings. Thus the void space is filled with molten metal and eventually becomes the
casting.
5. Moulding
Moulding is nothing but the mould preparation activities for receiving molten metal.
Moulding usually involves: (i) preparing the consolidated sand mould around a
pattern held within a supporting metal frame, (ii) removing the pattern to leave the
mould cavity with cores. At Nimr chaplain they use sand casting as the method of
casting, tempered sand is packed into wood or metal pattern halves, removed from the
pattern, and assembled with or without cores, and metal is poured into resultant
cavities. Various core materials can be used. Specialized binders now in use can
improve tolerances and surface finish. Mould cavity is the primary cavity. The
mould cavity contains the liquid metal and it acts as a negative of the desired product.
The mould also contains secondary cavities for pouring and channelling the liquid
material in to the primary cavity and will act a reservoir, if required. Moulds are
broken to remove castings.
i) Sand test
ii) Sand arrangement
iii) Core making
6. Scrap
Metal used for the casting is mainly derived from scrap metal and wrought or pig iron.
Scrap metals is collected and it is ……… according to type and composition of the
metal
7. Melting
At Nimr and Chaplain the melting of scrap metals and wrought iron is carried out in
an electric furnace. The heat used for the melting is produced by arcing.
8. Scoping and analysis of molten iron
As the metal iron melts part of the molten metal is scooped into a small refractory
lined bowl and sent to the metallurgical laboratory for analysis. The results from the
analysis are recorded for future reference
9. Pouring
After the ingredient analysis if the metal fulfils the required contents. Shake out the
molten metal is transferred to the pouring area where the moulds are filled the pouring
is done by press pour method. The metal is collected in an 8 ton capacity ladle and is
poured into the automated pouring unit. The pouring unit uses pressure pouring
principle to avoid the defects of manual pouring. The power required is 500 kW.10
tonnes per hour can be poured. The casting is then sent for cooling.
10. Cooling
Air cooling is practiced to give better surface finish.
The cooling time is a minimum of 2 hours and may vary with size of casting.
11. Cleaning
Cleaning involves removal of sand, scale, and excess metal from the casting. Burned-
on sand and scale are removed to improve the surface appearance of the casting.
Excess metal, in the form of fins, wires, parting line fins, and gates, is removed.
Inspection of the casting for defects and general quality is performed.
Blasting • Burning • Flame washing / Chipping • Grinding • Inspection (MPI, G-Ray,
UT) • Weld repair / Grinding • Heat Treatment
12. Heat treatment
After the castings are cleaned they are loaded onto a transportation bay and conveyed
to a furnace where there undergo heat treatment. The castings are treated according to
the desired characteristics of the final product. At Nimr and Chaplain the types of
furnaces used are………….
13. Analysis and inspection
14. Assembly
15. Painting
16. Packaging
Conclusion
Thus this foundry is heavily mechanized to avoid any type of errors and thus it maintains the
quality of the requirement. This makes Nimr and Chaplain Private limited one of the best
foundries in Zimbabwe. The objectives of the industrial visit were met and a clear
understanding of various concepts was seen
