Casting

by

Dr. Saurabh Yadav

Assistant Professor Sr.
Department of Manufacturing Engineering
VIT Chennai
 Introduction to Manufacturing

What is manufacturing?

Raw material
(steel ingots)

Conversion of raw material into a useful product

 Introduction to Manufacturing

Methods of manufacturing

Manufacturing

Metal Metal Joining Powder

Machining
casting forming processes metallurgy
 Casting
 Casting is a manufacturing
process that involves pouring a
liquid material into a mold and
allowing it to solidify.

 The solidified object is taken out

from the mold either by
breaking or taking the mold
apart.

 The solidified object is called

casting and the process
followed is known as casting
process.

 Steps in casting:
 Melt the metal
 Capabilities and Advantage of Casting
• Casting can be applied to shape any metal that can melt

• Product can be cast as one piece.

• Complex shapes can be manufactured

• Some casting processes are net shape; others are

near net shape

• Can produce very large parts (with weight more than 100
tons), like m/c bed

• Metals difficult to be shaped by other manufacturing

processes may be cast (eg: Cast Iron)
 Disadvantage of Casting

Different disadvantages for different casting processes:

• Casting process is a labour intensive process

• Safety hazards to workers due to hot molten metals

• Limitations on mechanical properties

• Poor dimensional accuracy and surface finish for some

processes; e.g., sand casting
 Casting examples
Big parts
• Engine blocks, machine frames, railway wheels, pipes
etc.

Small parts
• Dental crowns, jewelry, small statues, Etc.
 Sequence in Foundry Operations
In general, the casting process consists of six stages;
(1) Pattern making
(2) Molding making
(3) Melting and Casting
(4) Fettling ( removing of excess material e.g. riser, runner )
(5) Heat treatment and Finishing
(6) Inspection and Testing.
• Flask: A metal or wood frame, without fixed top or bottom, in which the
mold is formed. Depending upon the position of the flask in
the molding structure, it is referred to by various names such as drag –
lower molding flask, cope – upper molding flask.

• Parting line: This is the dividing line between the two molding flasks
that makes up the mold.

• Pattern: It is the replica of the final object to be made. The mold cavity
is made with the help of pattern.

Core: A separate part of the mold,

made of sand and generally baked,
which is used to create openings and
various shaped cavities in the
castings.
• Chaplets: Chaplets are used to support the cores
inside the mold cavity to take care of its own weight
and overcome the metallostatic force.

• Molding sand: Molding sand, also known as foundry

sand, is a sand that when moistened and compressed
or oiled tends to pack well and hold its shape. It is a
mixture of silica sand, clay, and moisture
in appropriate proportions.

• Facing sand: The small amount of carbonaceous

material sprinkled on the inner surface of the mold
cavity to give a better surface finish to the castings.

• Vent: Small opening in the mold to facilitate escape of

• Pouring basin: A small funnel shaped cavity at the top of the mold into
which the molten metal is poured.

• Sprue: Sprue is the vertical passage inside the mold through which
molten metal (from the pouring basin) reaches the runner and
eventually the mold cavity. In many cases it controls the flow of metal
into the mold.

• Runner: The channel through which the molten metal is carried from
the sprue to the gate.

• Gate: A channel through which the molten metal enters the mold
cavity.

Riser: a reservoir of molten metal

added to a mold during casting to
prevent shrinkage-related cavities.
 Pattern
• It is the replica of the object to be made by the casting process, with
some modifications.

Pattern Modification

I. Addition of pattern allowance

II. Provision of core prints

III. Elimination of fine details, which can’t be obtained by casting and

hence are to be obtained by further machining.

• A properly constructed pattern minimizes the overall

cost of the castings
Functions of the 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 may be constructed from the following materials.

• Wood
• Metals and alloys
• Plastic
• Plaster of paris
• Rubbers
• Wax
• Resins
To be suitable for use, the pattern material
should be …
• Easily worked, shaped and joined
• Light in weight
• Strong, hard and durable
• Resistant to wear and abrasion
• Resistant to corrosion, and to chemical reactions
• Dimensionally stable and unaffected by variations
in temperature and humidity
• Available at low cost
 Pattern Allowance
 Pattern allowance is a vital feature as it affects the dimensional
characteristics of the casting.

 The selection of correct allowances greatly helps to reduce machining

costs and avoid rejections. The allowances usually considered on
patterns are as follows:

1. Shrinkage or contraction allowance

2. Draft or taper allowance
3. Machining or finish allowance
4. Distortion or camber allowance: extra amount of material or a pre-
shaped pattern added to a casting to compensate for the warping or
deformation that occurs as the metal cools and solidifies
5. Rapping allowance: a negative allowance applied to a pattern's
dimensions to compensate for the enlargement of a sand mould
cavity when the pattern is "rapped" or shaken to loosen it from the
packed sand before withdrawal
 1. Single piece Pattern
Single piece pattern: are inexpensive simple type pattern, used where job is
simple and no withdrawal problem
• Small scale or prototype production
• Pattern to be kept in drag only
• Flat surface is designed to be in line with parting line

Spur gear to be Pattern for making

made spur gear cavity

Dr. Atul Kumar Sharma, BMEE302L

 2. Cope and Drag Pattern
Difficult shaped castings cannot be made in one piece because of the inherent difficulties
associated with the molding operations e.g. withdrawing the pattern from the mold etc.,
such patterns are, then, made as split or two-piece patterns.

Cope and Drag pattern: is made into two halves, and both are molded in
different boxes.
• After completion of mold two boxes are assembled to make a cavity.
• It is also known as two piece or split pattern.

Dr. Atul Kumar Sharma, BMEE302L

 3. Gated Pattern
Gated patterns: type of pattern used to create multiple identical castings
simultaneously within a single mold

• The sections connecting different patterns serve as runner and gates.

This facilitates filling of the mold with molten metal in a better
manner at the same time eliminates the time and labor otherwise
consumed in cutting runners and gates.
• A gated pattern can manufacture many castings at one time and thus
it is used in mass production systems.
• Gated patterns are employed for producing small castings.
• are usually made of metal which increases their strength and reduces
the tendency to warp.

Dr. Atul Kumar Sharma, BMEE302L

 4. Sweep Pattern
Sweep pattern: The sweep pattern consists of a wooden board having a
shape corresponding to the shape of desired casting. It is arranged to
rotate about a central axis.
• Sweep pattern avoids the necessity of making a full, large circular
and costly three-dimensional pattern.
• Making sweep pattern saves a lot of time and labour as compared
to making a full pattern.
• A sweep preferred for producing large castings of circular sections
and symmetrical shapes.
• The manufacture of large kettles of cast iron requires a sweep
pattern.

Dr. Atul Kumar Sharma, BMEE302L

• Molding

1. Placing the molding

aggregate around
the pattern
2. Withdrawing the
pattern
3. Setting the cores
4. Closing the mold
• Cleaning

1. Removal of sand(burnt
sand), scale, excess
metal (cut off)

2. Weld repair

3. Non destructive
inspection

4. Heat treatment, surface

treatment, machining
A Typical Job, its Pattern and the Mold
Cavity
 Sand Casting

• In sand casting casting part is produced by forming a mold cavity

from a sand mixture and then pouring molten liquid metal into the
mold cavity. The mold is then cooled until the metal has solidified.

• Nearly all alloys can be sand casted, including metals with high
melting temperatures, such as steel, nickel, and titanium.

• Castings range in size from small to very large

• Production quantities from one to millions

 Sand Casting
1. Place a pattern in sand to create a mold. 2. Incorporate the gating
system. 3. Remove the pattern. 4. Fill the mold cavity with molten metal. 5.
Allow the metal to cool. 6. Break away the sand mold and remove the
casting
 Casting Defects
Casting defects: is an undesired irregularity in the casting.

• It can also be defined as conditions in a casting that must be corrected or

removed, or the casting must be rejected.

• Defects in castings occur due to various causes. Casting defects are roughly
broken down into following main categories :

• Gas Defects
• Shrinkage cavities
• Molding Material Defects
• Pouring Metal Defects
• Metallurgical Defects
• Mold shift / Mismatch
 Gas defects: blowholes or open blows
These defects are caused due to lower permeability and moisture left in the
mold.

Remedies
•Control of moisture content in molding sand.
•Provide adequate venting in mold and cores.
•Ramming the mold less harder.
 Shrinkage Cavities
Shrinkage Cavities: Shrinkage occure during solidification of the
casting due to liquid shrinkage .
Causes:
• Insufficient size of the riser.
• Premature freezing of liquid metal in the riser
• Sprues/riser geometry not proper or not placed at correct location.

Remedies:
• Ensure proper directional solidification by modifying gating,
risering & chilling system.
 Molding Material Defects

1. Fusion/Scab: This is caused by the fusion of sand grains with the molten
metal,

Causes:
• Low refractories clay is used in the
molding sand
• Pouring temperature is too high
• Improper ramming of moulding sand

Remedies:
• The choice of an appropriate molding
sand able to solve this defect
 Molding Material Defects
2. Metal penetration: When molten metal enters into the gaps between
the sand grains, rough casting surface results.
Causes:
• Grain size of the sand is too coarse,
• Lack of mold wash,
• Pouring temperature is high
• Soft ramming of sand
• Use of sand of low strength and high
permeability.

Remedies:
• Choosing proper grain size,
• Proper compaction,
• Pouring at appropiate temperature.
 Mold shift /Mismatch
The casting that does not match at the parting line is known as mismatch
or mold shift.
Causes
• Worn out or bent clamping pins.
• Misalignment of two halves of pattern.
• Loose dowels.

Remedies
• Proper alignment of two halves of the
pattern
• Proper clamping of mold box
• Repair or replace dowels & pins causing
mismatch
 Pouring Metal Defect: Misrun & Cold Shuts
When the metal is unable to fill the mold
cavity completely & thus leaves unfilled
cavities, it is called as misrun defect.

When two metal streams meeting in the

mold cavity, do not fuse together properly,
causing discontinuity inside casting, it is
called as cold shuts.
 Misrun & Cold Shuts
Causes :
• Low pouring temperature.
• Faulty gating system design.
• Too thin casting sections.
• Slow and intermitted pouring.
• Improper alloy composition.
• Use of damaged pattern.
• Lack of fluidity in molten metal.

Remedies :
• Smooth pouring with the help of monorail.
• Properly transport mould during pouring.
• Providing appropriate pouring temperature.
• Modifying the gating system design.