Melting Practices: -
Fabrication processes are used to shape, machine and join metals. The
metal which is operated is in the form of an ingot obtained by reducing or
refining the metal ore.
The fabrication processes are basically : - Casting, forging, metal machining,
metal joining and finishing.
Fabrication of parts with other methods is time consuming. Casting is a fast
way to produce the desired shape.
Three steps are involved in a casting process:
1) Heating metal till it becomes molten
2) Pouring molten metal into a mould
3) Allowing the metal to cool and solidify in the shape of the mould.
Castings are used in:- Transportation, aerospace, defense, mining, construction, maritime,
fluid power, & domestic household. Some cast components include: engine blocks,
suspension parts for automobiles & fluid flow components like valves, pumps, pipes, and
fittings.
To cut the emissions there is a need to improve the fuel efficiency and make the vehicle
lighter in weight.
Aluminium castings are more expensive than ferrous based castings. The greater use of
aluminum can decrease vehicle weight, improve its performance and reduce fuel costs.
Melting Details: - Melting consists of
• A crucible filled with metal charge is placed in a furnace and the metal
is allowed to melt.
• The molten metal is removed from the furnace and poured into a
preheated mould.
• Sand mould or metallic mould can be used for collecting the molten
metal.
Furnaces: - Direct or indirect fuel fired furnaces or in electrically heated
furnaces like - crucible furnaces, reverberatory furnaces, pot furnaces,
induction furnaces.
There are various types of industrial furnaces: Oil - Fired, Gas fired and
electric. The furnaces can be stationary or tilting type.
A crucible (A crucible should withstand the high temperatures of melting
and the crucible material must have a higher melting point than that of the
metal being melted) is like a vessel which is used to hold the molten metal
in a furnace.
The crucible used is of clay graphite or silicon carbide. Silicon carbide
crucible is more popular in industry because of its higher strength and
higher heat conductivity.
Clay graphite crucible is cheaper than silicon carbide crucible and is used in
small foundries and educational institutes.
Al/Al-alloy Casting processes (Practices): -
1) Al/Al-alloy Sand Casting: -
Sand casting is an important process for
casting molten aluminum alloys. It can
be used to prepare castings of any
shape and size.
The pattern resembles the real casting
part. The upper part of sand mould box
is called cope and lower part is called
drag. The pattern is made slightly
oversize to allow for the metal
contraction as it cools down.
The sand cavity is formed by using a
wooden pattern.
Molten metal is poured into a mould cavity formed
out of sand (natural or synthetic). The liquid flows into
the gap between the two parts, called the mold
cavity.
The riser is a reservoir of liquid metal to supply a
contracting, cooling casting with make-up metal. It is
used to prevent internal or external voids due to
shrinkage.
Sand castings have a rough surface and are machined
later. The metal from the sprue and risers is cut from
the rough casting.
2) Al/Al-alloy Casting in metal moulds: -
This uses a metal mould instead of sand. The moulds
are made of steel or cast iron. The mould can be of
solid type or split type. In the split type mould
casting removal is easy.
The moulds are coated with ceramic based coating
agent. The mould is dried and preheated before
molten metal is poured. The crucible is removed
from the furnace and the dross is removed.
The melt temperature is taken and the melt
is poured in the mould cavity.
After solidification the casting is removed
(Fig. (D).
Shrinkage happens because during solidification there is a volume
contraction in open mold castings. The shrinkage area is machined
away by cutting on a power saw and the rest of the casting can be
used.
But in Diecasting molten metal is injected into the mould under high pressure resulting in a
better part with good dimensional accuracy.
3) Centrifugal casting: -
In this process molten aluminium is poured into a rotating mould. Molten metal is poured
into the rotating mold and the metal is held against the wall of the mold by centrifugal
force.
The mould may be made of cast iron or steel, copper, graphite, ceramic, or dry sand. This
process is suitable for the production of hollow parts, such as pipes, bearings, bushings,
etc. Most metals like steel, copper/alloys, aluminum/alloys, etc can be used successfully
in centrifugal casting.
The impurities which segregate can be machined off. The casting is relatively free from
defects. There is less loss of metal in tundish compared to that in gating and risers as in
conventional sand casting.
The process can be used to manufacture bimetallic pipes. Bimetallic pipe is composed of
two different metal layers. Bimetal pipes are important in applications which demand outer
layer to be wear resistant or inner layer to have lubricating properties. This process can be
used to prepare a functionally graded metal matrix composite material.
The tundish is a vessel to collect the molten metal
from the crucible or ladle. The tundish has a long
nose which fits into the centre hole of mould
flange.
The tundish transfers the molten metal into the
rotating mould. The tundish can be made of
graphite or lined with basic lining material.
Centrifugal Casting Pipes: - Bimetal Pipes: -
5) Investment casting : -
Investment casting or the lost wax process has
been known since ancient times.
Wax replica of the desired casting is prepared.
This is called the pattern.
The pattern is attached to a sprue and then dipped
in liquid ceramic slurry many times. After the
ceramic becomes dry the wax is melted out.
Molten metal is poured and after the metal cools,
the part, gate, sprue and pouring cup become one
full solid casting.
The outer ceramic is broken. The gating etc is
machined away from the casting and the final
casting is obtained.
Casting Defects: -
Shrinkage – Al/alloys shrink by 4–6% during solidification (depending on alloy type) Gas
porosity- Molten aluminium picks up hydrogen which is expelled during solidification giving
rise to porosity.
Molten aluminium picks up hydrogen from the atmosphere or from refractories. The
solubility of hydrogen in solid aluminium is low and it is high with molten aluminium.
To obtain good castings melts are degassed. Hydrogen has a high solubility in molten
aluminium which increases with melt temperature.
Hydrogen comes from water vapour in the atmosphere/from burner fuels, refractories,
moist fluxes, oily/dirty scrap/foundry tools. To reduce hydrogen pickup, refractories,
crucibles, tools and oily scrap should be thoroughly preheated.
Oxide inclusions- Molten aluminium exposed to air oxidizes forming a oxide which may
be entrained into the casting.
The other casting defects are cold shuts, hot tears, etc.
