ME206/SE322 Lab # 2

Sand Casting

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Sand Casting

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 Shaping Process: Metal Casting

Casting
– Involves the introduction of molten metal into a
mold cavity;
– upon solidification, the metal takes the shape
of the cavity.

Capable of producing intricate shapes in a

single piece; very large, very small, and
hollow parts can be produced economically.

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Typical examples: engine block, cylinder
head, transmission housing, pistons, turbine
disc, railroad and automobile wheels, and
ornamental artifacts.

Almost all metals can be cast in ( or nearly

in) the final shape desired.

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 Fundamentals of Casting
Six basic factors involved in the casting
process:

 Mold cavity
 Melting process
 Pouring technique
 Solidification process
 Part removal process
 Post processing

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 Major components of Sand Molds
The mold is housed in a flask, which consists of
two parts. The upper part of the flask is called
the cope. The lower part is called the drag If the
pattern is too high, an intermediate section,
called the cheek (not shown) may be inserted
between the cope and the drag. In the normal
position the flask is placed so that the drag rests
on a bottom board.

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 Sand Mold

Figure: Schematic illustration of a sand mold,

showing various features.
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A pouring basin or pouring cup, into which
the molten metal is poured.

A sprue, through which the molten metal

flows downward.

A gate, which is located at the base of the

sprue.

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Gates are constructed to minimize turbulence
in the molten metal and control flow so that
metal is supplied at a rate to adequately
supply the critical section thickness of the
casting.
Molds typically contain a system of gates.
Gating systems often include passageways
called runners
Risers, which supply additional metal to the
casting as it shrinks during solidification.
Figure shows two different types of risers: a
blind riser and an open riser

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Cores, which are inserts made from
sand. They are placed in the mold to
form hollow regions

Vents, which are placed in molds to

carry off gases produced when the
molten metal comes into contact with
the sand in the molds and core.

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 Patterns
Patterns are used for making mold cavity
– made of wood, plastic or metal
– material depends on size, shape, accuracy,
quantity and molding process

Patterns are usually coated with a parting

agent to facilitate their removal from the
molds

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Modifications Incorporated into a Pattern
(Allowances):

– Finish allowance
– Shrinkage allowances
– Draft or taper
– Parting line or surface

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 Pattern Types

(A) One-piece pattern: simpler shape, low

quantity, Figure (a).
(B) Split patterns: two piece, complicated
shapes, Figure (b) & (c).

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C) Follow-board patterns
These are boards made to support thin
patterns while the drag is being filled with
sand and rammed, a procedure which might
collapse the pattern.

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D) Match‑plate patterns: (Shown in Fig. 3)

Match-plate: two piece on opposite sides of a

plate, large production rate.

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E) Cope‑and‑drag pattern:

Cope and drag halves are attached to

separate plates

The gates, risers, etc. are included on the

respective plates so that the entire
operation is completed as one

When the two halves of the mold are

closed, a complete cavity results

This method is used when the molds are so

large that they cannot be handled easily

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F) Loose‑piece pattern: (Shown in Fig. 4)
Object has protruding sections such that
neither a one‑piece pattern nor one split
along a single parting plane can be removed
from the molding

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G) Sweep pattern: (Shown in Fig.)

– Forms used to sweep the desired shape into the

sand mold
– These eliminate the need for costly 3D patterns.
– They may be used on green or dry sand

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 SAND

Sand used in molding is silica and

following are factors which controls
its properties:
1. Grain size
2. Clay content
3. Moisture content
4. Cereals or organic material content

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 SAND PROPERTIES

The sand should meet four

requirements:

1. Refractoriness
2. Cohesiveness
3. Collapsibility
4. Permeability

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 SAND PROPERTIES

1. Refractoriness
The ability to withstand high temperature.
This is provided by basic nature of sand.
2. Cohesiveness
The ability to retain a given shape when
packed in a mold. This is obtained by
coating the sand grains with clays that
become cohesive when moistured.

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3. Collapsibility
The ability to permit the metal to shrink after it
solidifies. This is obtained by adding cereals or other
organic materials that burn out when exposed to the
hot metal, thereby reducing the volume of solid bulk
and decreasing the strength of restraining sand.
4. Permeability
The ability to permit air, gases, fumes etc. to escape
through it. This is obtained by proper size of sand
particles, the amount and types of clay or other
bonding agent and the moisture content.

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 1.GREEN SAND MOULDING

most popular and widely used process in

the foundry industry.
Green sand contains from 2‑8% of
moisture (water).

Advantages:

This versatile process is applicable to

both ferrous and non‑ferrous materials

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Can be used to produce intricate molds
since it provides for rapid collapsibility

Most economical of all the molding

processes. This is particularly true when
only a few castings are to be made

Sand is reusable with only slight

additions

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 LIMITATIONS

Not economical on high production rate

Green sand is porous and tends to crush
and shift under the weight of heavy
section
Particularly weak in thin sections likes,
fins of heat exchanger

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Very hard to withdraw patterns from
the mold if the mold shape is complex
or with thin section

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 Dry Sand Molding

After the mold has been made from green

sand then the moistures are driven out by
heating or by letting the mold stand for a long
period of time or by baking at 350 ‑400°F until
the sand is completely dry. Once the molds
are dried they are closed and the molten
metal poured into the mold.

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 Advantages Dry Sand Molding

This kind of mold gives a smoother cast surface.

This kind of mold is used for heavy weight casting.
Have more strength and resist erosion.
Good for thin sections and intricate parts.
Since the mold is hard when the pattern is taken out
less draft is necessary.
Since the mold is not easily broken up can be used for
more casting.

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 Skin Dried Sand Molding

Sometimes only the surface in contact with

the molten metal is dried. This skin drying is
done with a torch or may sometimes be
accomplished by applying special quick
drying materials to the cavity surfaces.

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 Molding Tools
The face board. This is a flat,
rectangular board used when
the molding operation is
begun. When using a split
pattern, the drag half of the
pattern is placed face down
on the face board to permit
ramming the molding sand
into the drag.
The bottom board. When made from wood, the
bottom board is similar in appearance to the
face board except that its surface is rough. If
made from metal, its surface is perforated. The
purpose of the roughness or perforations is to
prevent the sand mold from slipping during the
molding operation. 31
The riddle. This is a round
sieve made from wood with a
wire‑mesh bottom See Fig.
3.5(c). As the sand is being
sifted into the flask, lumps of
sand, metal, and other
foreign materials are trapped
by the riddle.
The trowel. Shown in Fig.
3.5(d), the trowel is a long,
flat metal plate fitted with an
offset handle. It is usually 6
in. long by 2 in. wide and is
used to flatten and smooth
the sand during the molding
operation.
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The slick. Used to make
or repair corners in a
mold, it is made in various
shapes and sizes each to
suit some particular need.
The most common shape
is that of a spoon which
has been flattened. See
Fig. 3.5(e).
The lifter. This is a flat bar
about I in. wide by 15 in.
long, Fig. 3.5(f) About 2 in.
from the end the bar is
bent into a 903 angle. It is
used to scoop sand from
deep in the mold.
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The bellows. The common
fireplace variety of bellows,
Fig. 3.5(g), is used to blow
excess sand or dusting
compound from the mold.
The gentle action of the air
stream keeps the mold
from being damaged.
The gate cutter. Used to
cut gates into the mold, it
is usually made from flat
copper or brass bent into a
120° angle and tapered
toward the end See Fig.
3.5(h). It may also be used
to shape the gate basin
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The gate pin. This cylindrical
wooden pin has a head at one
end. The pin is placed in the
desired location in a vertical
position before the cope is
rammed with sand to form the
downgate, or sprue.
Rammers. These are wooden
handles fitted with large
cylindrical wooden heads at one
end and blunt chisel‑shaped
sections at the other end Fig.
3.5(j). They are used for tamping
the sand around the pattern and
over the mold.
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Swabs. These are rubber
bulbs with strands of
camel hair inserted into
the bulb opening The soft
hair is used to swab the
edges of the mold cavity
with small amounts of
water before the pattern
is drawn This prevents
the edges from breaking
off during the drawing
operation. Swabs are also
made from hemp in the
form of long, soft brushes.

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Draw spikes and screws.
Shown in Fig. 3.5(1), these are
used to lift the pattern out of
the mold cavity. The draw
spike is driven into the cavity
with care. The spike is fitted
with an "eye" to permit
gripping. Lifting screws are
screwed into the surface to
provide a means of drawing
the pattern.

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Vent wires. Wires 1/16 of an inch in diameter
are used to punch holes into the mold to
facilitate the escape of gases during the
pouring operation.

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Bench Molding Experiment
(Demo and Practice)

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Procedure

Check all tools and equipment. Report missing materials

to the Instructor.

Check green sand for temper.

Examine the pattern for condition, draft, cores, loose

pieces, etc.

Determine the location of the pattern in the mold for

sprue, runner, ingates and risers.
Start the drag first
Make the Drag
Make the Cope
Finish the Mold.

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When the mold is finished and ready to close, call for an
evaluation.
When the evaluation is complete, close the mold and make
it ready for pouring.
Clean up the work area, check and return the tools
and pat­terns to the storage area for a check.

Pour the molten aluminum in the mold and let it

solidify and cool.

Open the mold and remove casting.

After the casting cools to room temperature inspect

it to determine whether any defects are observed on
it.

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Report
Objective: The objective or the purpose of the
experiment (ONE Mark)
Background Theory: Brief background about the
experiment with figures and sketches. (3 Marks)
Equipment: A list of all equipment, tools and
materials used (ONE Mark)
Procedure: Step-by-step on how the experiment was
conducted in past tense. (3 Marks)
Results and Conclusions: This is the most important
part of the report. In your written report discuss
1. What you learnt from this experiment.
2. Also describe the quality of your casting and
discuss the reasons for obtaining the observed
quality of the mold. (2Marks)

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