Principles of Engineering Production II Unit Three Sand Casting
Unit Three Sand Casting
Sand casting, also known as sand molded casting, is a metal casting process
characterized by using sand as the mold material. It is relatively cheap and
sufficiently refractory even for steel foundry use. A suitable bonding agent (usually
clay) is mixed or occurs with the sand. The mixture is moistened with water to
develop strength and plasticity of the clay and to make the aggregate suitable for
molding. The term "sand casting" can also refer to a casting produced via the sand-
casting process. Sand castings are produced in specialized factories called foundries.
Over 70% of all metal castings are produced via a sand-casting process.
BASIC STEPS IN MAKING SAND CASTINGS
1. Patterns are required to make molds. The mold is made by packing molding
sand around the pattern. The mold is usually made in two parts so that the
pattern can be withdrawn.
2. If the casting is to be hollow, additional patterns, referred to as core boxes, are
needed to shape the sand forms, or cores, that are placed in the mold cavity to
form the interior surfaces and sometimes the external surfaces as well of the
casting.
3. Molding is the operation necessary to prepare a mold for receiving the metal.
It consists of ramming sand around the pattern placed in support, or flask,
removing the pattern, setting cores in place, and creating the gating/feeding
system to direct the metal into the mold cavity created by the pattern, either
by cutting it into the mold by hand or by including it on the pattern, which is
most used.
4. Melting and pouring are the processes of preparing molten metal of the
proper composition and temperature and pouring this into the mold from
transfer ladles.
5. Cleaning includes all the operations required to remove the gates and risers
that constitute the gating/feeding system and to remove the adhering sand,
scale, parting fins, and other foreign material that must be removed before the
casting is ready for shipment or other processing.
Dr. Raheem Al-Sabur
Basrah University – Engineering College
1
Principles of Engineering Production II Unit Three Sand Casting
KINDS OF MOULDING SAND
1) Green sand
Green sand is also known as tempered or natural sand which is a just prepared
mixture of silica sand with 18 to 30 percent clay, having moisture content from 6 to
8%. The clay and water furnish the bond for green sand. This sand is easily available,
and it possesses low cost.
2) Dry sand
Green sand that has been dried or baked in suitable oven after the making mold and
cores, is called dry sand. It is mainly suitable for larger castings.
3) Loam sand
Loam is mixture of sand and clay with water to a thin plastic paste. Loam sand
possesses high clay as much as 30-50% and 18% water. This is particularly
employed for loam molding used for large grey iron castings.
4) Facing sand
Facing sand is just prepared and forms the face of the mold, gives surface finish to
casting. It is directly next to the surface of the pattern, and it comes into contact
molten metal when the mold is poured. It is made of silica sand and clay, without
the use of used sand.
5) Backing sand
Backing sand or floor sand is used to back up the facing sand and is used to fill the
whole volume of the molding flask. Used molding sand is mainly employed for this
purpose. The backing sand is sometimes called black sand.
6) Core sand
Core sand is used for making cores and it is sometimes also known as oil sand. This
is highly rich silica sand mixed with oil binders.
Dr. Raheem Al-Sabur
Basrah University – Engineering College
2
Principles of Engineering Production II Unit Three Sand Casting
PATTERN
The pattern is the principal tool during the casting process. It is the replica of the
object to be made by the casting process, with some modifications. The main
modifications are the addition of pattern allowances, and the provision of core prints.
If the casting is to be hollow, additional patterns called cores are used to create these
cavities in the finished product.
Types of Patterns
Solid pattern - A solid pattern is a model of the part as a single
piece. It is the easiest to fabricate but can cause some difficulties
in making the mold. Solid patterns are typically used for
geometrically simple parts that are produced in low quantities.
Split pattern - split pattern models the part as two separate
pieces that meet along the parting line of the mold. Split patterns
are typically used for parts that are geometrically complex and
are produced in moderate quantities.
Match-plate pattern - A match-plate pattern is similar to a split
pattern, except that each half of the pattern is attached to opposite
sides of a single plate.
Cope and drag pattern - It is similar to a match plate pattern, except
that each half of the pattern is attached to a separate plate. Cope and
drag patterns are often desirable for larger castings.
Dr. Raheem Al-Sabur
Basrah University – Engineering College
3
Principles of Engineering Production II Unit Three Sand Casting
CLASSIFICATION OF MOLDING PROCESSES
Molding processes can be classified in several ways. Broadly they are classified
either based on the method used or based on the mold material used.
a) Sand molding: Molding processes where a sand aggregate is used to make the
mold produce by far the largest quantity of castings. Whatever the metal
poured into sand molds, the product may be called a sand casting.
b) Plaster molding: The mold material in plaster molding is gypsum or plaster of
paris, additives like talc, fibers, asbestos, silica flour etc. are added to control
the contraction characteristics of the mold as well as the settling time. The
pattern is usually made of brass, and it is generally in the form of half portion
of job to be cast and is attached firmly on a match plate which forms the
bottom of the molding flask. Wood patterns are not used because the water in
the plaster raises the grains on them and makes them difficult to be withdrawn.
c) Metallic molding: Metallic mold is also known as permanent mold because of
their long life. The metallic mold can be reused many times before it is
discarded or rebuilt. Permanent molds are made of dense, fine grained, heat
resistant cast iron, steel, bronze, anodized aluminum, graphite, or another
suitable refractoriness. The mold is made in two halves to facilitate the
removal of casting from the mold. Usually, the metallic mold is called as dies
and the metal is introduced in it under gravity.
Dr. Raheem Al-Sabur
Basrah University – Engineering College
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