Foundry

CASTING AND INVESTMENT CASTING PROCESS

Casting

 Casting is a process by which metal is melted in to the molten stage is

poured in the mold and allowed to solidify in the shape of mold.The mold
is then broken from around the solidified part
 Casting is used to create more complex or detailed parts that would be
difficult to manufacture using other methods.
History of casting

 Metal casting has been dated back to the Neolithic period ( 6000 – 1800
B.C).
 In starting stage castings were made in order to create necessary tools
and weapons.
 Today casting technique plays a major role in industries
Classification of Casting process

Casting process can be broadly classified in to two types

 Expendable mold casting
 Permanent mold casting
Expendable casting processes

 Expendable mold casting is a generic classification that includes sand,

shell, plaster, Investment and lost foam moldings.This method of mold
casting involves the use of temporary, non-reusable molds.

Sand Casting
Permanent
pattern casting
Plaster
Casting
Expandable
mold casting
Investment
casting
Temporary
pattern casting
Lost foam
casting
Permanent mold Casting processes

 In this method of casting the mold used for casting is permanent, i.e. mold
can be used repeatedly
 In this method mold can be made of metals,ceramics etc..

Gravity Die
casting

Permanent Centrifugal
mold casting casting

Pressure Die
casting
Sand Casting

 Sand casting also known as sand molded casting, is a metal casting

process characterized by using sand as the mold material
 Over 60% of all metal castings are produced via sand casting process
Steps of sand casting process

 Place a pattern in sand to create a mold

 Incorporate the pattern and sand in a gating system.
 Remove the pattern
 Fill the mold cavity with molten metal
 Allow the metal to solidify
 Break away the mold and remove the casting.
Sand Casting process Flowchart
Plaster mold casting

 Plaster mold casting is a manufacturing process having a similar

technique to sand casting.
 Plaster of paris is used to form the mold for the casting, instead of sand.
 In industry parts such as valves, tooling, gears and lock components may
be manufactured by plaster mold casting.
 It can only be used with Non-ferrous materials.
Gravity Die casting

 Gravity die Casting is a permanent mold casting process, where the

molten metal is poured from the ladle in to mold. The mold cavity fills with
no force other than gravity, filling can be controlled by tilting the die.
Centrifugal casting process

 Centrifugal casting, a permanent mold is rotated continuously at high

speeds (300 to 3000 rpm) as the molten metal is poured
 This method is typically used to cast thin walled cylinders
 In this method there is no need of raiser and gating system because metal
flow by mean of centrifugal force.
Pressure Die Casting Process

 Pressure die casting is a metal casting process that is characterized by

forcing the molten metal under high pressure in to a mold cavity, this
process is similar injection molding process
Investment Casting Process

 Investment casting is the process in which the wax pattern is coated with
refractory ceramic material. Once the ceramic material get hardened its
internal geometry takes the shape of the casting.
 After the wax melted out and the molten metal is poured in to the shell or
mold.
 Investment casting is also known as Lost wax casting.
Why it is called as Investment casting
or Lost wax casting
Steps in Investment Casting

 Pattern injection
 Pattern assembly
 Primary coating
 Backup coating
 Final seal dip
 Dewaxing
 Shell sintering
 Melting
Steps in investment casting

 Pouring
 Knockout
 Runner and gate cutting
 Grinding
 Heat treatment
 Blasting
 Pickling and passivation (Only for stainless steel)
 Inspection
Pattern injection process

WHAT WE NEED FOR PATTERN INJECTION PROCESS?

 Die
 Wax injection tank
 Wax injection press
 Pattern wax
Wax injection press
Die & wax pattern images
Processing steps in pattern injection

 Pattern injection is a process in which pattern wax is injected in to the die

through wax injection press.
 The required pattern wax is melted in wax melting tank and stir it well .
 After melting the pattern wax is transferred to wax injection press.
 Then the pattern wax is injected in to the die. After the dwell time ,wax
pattern to be removed from the die and keep that in a cool place or in
water till get assembled.
Steps to take care of wax pattern

 Maintain proper temperature, because rise in room temperature leads to

dimensional variation in casting.
 Handle pattern with care, because even a small dent or any marks
creates impact in casting.
 Pattern should be free from oil, because if oil persist in pattern that leads
to improper sticking of ceramic coating material in pattern
Pattern Assembly

 Pattern should assembled according to the method, in a runner

 Pattern are assembled in n number and it form a tree assembly
 Pattern are assembled using sticky wax
Runner and pattern Assembly images
SHELLING

THIS IS A SPECIAL PROCESS AND CALLED AS HEART OF INVESTMENT CASTING

Shelling process

 Shelling is a process in which the refractory ceramic material is coated in

the wax pattern tree assemble.
 Shelling process consist of N no. of coatings.
 No. of coats may vary according to shape and size of the component.
1.Primary coat
2.Back-up coat
3.Seal dip
Primary coated shell
Primary Coating

 This is 1st ceramic coating in the pattern tree assembly using refractory
flour and sand.
 The below materials is needed for primary coating process
1. Zircon flour
2. Zircon sand
3. Binder
4. Antifoaming agent
5. Wetting agent
Steps in primary coating

 At 1st liquid slurry is prepared using mixing of zircon flour, binder, anti-
foaming agent, wetting agent.
 After the slurry got ready, pattern tree assembly is dipped in the slurry
 Then the pattern tree assembly coated with zircon sand
 Then the shells should be kept dry for specified drying time.
Back-up Coating Process

 Backup coating is the next process after primary coating.

 In Backup coating refractory ceramic material is different from Primary
ceramic material
 Below materials are required to make backup slurry
1.Sillimanite flour
2.Binder
3. Calcined Kynaite or calcined pyrophilite sand
4.Antifoaming agent
Backup coated shells
Steps in Backup Coating Process

 Before start backup coating ensure that the primary coated shells are
dried properly or not. If not dried keep some more to dry, then move to
next Process
 At 1st liquid slurry is prepared using mixing of Silimanite flour, binder, anti-
foaming agent.
 After the slurry got ready shells are dipped in to the backup slurry.
 Then shells are coated with refractory sand
 Backup coating consist of minimum more than two backup coats
 Each back up coat slurry ceramic flour and sand material are same, but
the mesh size of the sand only vary.
Final coating or Seal Dip

 Final coating is the final step of shelling process in which seal the shell
using refractory ceramic slurry.
 Slurry material is same as Backup coating slurry.
 No refractory sand is used for seal dip
 After seal dip shell should allowed to dry,
Steps to Take care in shelling

 Proper specified room temperature and humidity to be maintained in the

shell room
 Slurry should be free from foreign particles
 Proper drying should be followed
 Shells should be checked and ensure that the shells are thoroughly dried
after every coating process.
Dewaxing
Dewaxing

 Dewaxing is the process in which wax from the ceramic shell is melted out
using autoclave and boiler
 After the shells got dewaxed , wax should be taken out and should be
recycled for use,
Shell sintering process

 Shell sintering is the process in which dewaxed shells are preheated

 While preheating remaining wax, dust are removed.
 Shell sintering process is followed to make the shell strength to withstand
the metal temperature,
 While preheating silica present in the shell transformed to crystal and
became more hard.
Melting

 Melting is the process in which the metal is melted to molten form

 After the metal got metal degassing to be done
 Degassing is nothing but to prevent the metal from atmospheric oxidation.
 After that metal tapped in to the ladle followed by De-oxidation or
degassing in the ladle.
 Then the metal is poured in the red hot shells
Knock-out process

 After the metal get solidified the ceramic materials are knocked out using
vibrator
 Ceramic material cannot be reusable
Runner and Gate Cutting

 Runner and gate are separated by abrasive cutting, gas cutting or by

gouging.
 Runner can be resent for melting
Grinding

 After cutting process, the excess metal is grinded by mean abrasive

grinding
Heat Treatment

 Heat treatment is a series of operation involving the heating and cooling

of metals in the solid state
 Its purpose is to change a mechanical property or combination of
mechanical properties
 By heat treating, a metal can be made harden, stronger and more
resistant to impact, heat treatment can also make a metal softer and
more ductile.
Blasting

 Blasting is the process in which possible to obtain excellent cleaning and

surface preparation for secondary finishing operations.
 The common types of blasting are
1.Shot Blasting
2.Sand Blasting
3.Glass Blasting
Acid pickling and passivation process

 Pickling and passivation process are chemical treatments applied to the

surface of stainless steel to remove contaminants and assist the formation
of a continous chromium oxide.
INSPECTION
Inspection

 Inspection process includes visual inspection, dimensional inspection,

Micro Examination, destructive testing, Non-destructive testing etc..
Defects in investment casting

 Defects due to wax

1.Pattern shift
2.pattern sink
3. Air bubbles
 Defects due to shelling & De-wax
1.Pre-coat lift
2.Ceramic inclusion
3.Scabbing
4.Shell crack
Defects in Investment casting

 Defects due to shell sintering

1.Wax boiling
2.Bulge.
 Common defects in Casting in all casting process
1.Shrinkage
2.Cold shut
3.Cold run
4.Slag inclusion
5.Gas porosity
6.Pin Holes
Lost foam Casting

 Lost foam Casting is a process which is similar to investment casting

 Difference are instead to wax pattern in foam casting foam patterns are
used.
 There is no need for de-waxing. Foam are evaporated during shell
sintering cycle. Foam cannot be reusable.
Lost foam pattern and casting
Queries ?
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