Université Française d'Égypte

Engineering Faculty

Forming Report

Casting

Names:
Maria Sarwat

Supervisor: Dr. Mohamed Abdelaziz

Eng. Sara Soliman

Contents
➢ Introduction to Casting: ................................................................................................................. 3
❖ A simple history: ......................................................................................................................... 3
❖ What is a casting process? .......................................................................................................... 3
❖ Basic steps of any casting process: ............................................................................................. 3
➢ Casting types: ................................................................................................................................. 4
1. Sand Casting: ............................................................................................................................... 4
2. Gravity Casting: ........................................................................................................................... 4
3. Pressure-Die Casting: .................................................................................................................. 4
4. Centrifugal Casting: ..................................................................................................................... 5
5. Continuous Casting: .................................................................................................................... 5
6. Shell Melding: ............................................................................................................................. 5
7. Vacuum Casting: ......................................................................................................................... 5
8. Electroslag Casting: ..................................................................................................................... 6
9. Lost Foam Casting: ...................................................................................................................... 6
10. Squeezing Casting: ...................................................................................................................... 6
11. Plaster casting ............................................................................................................................. 7
12. Investment casting ...................................................................................................................... 7
➢ Sand casting: ................................................................................................................................... 8
❖ Advantages:................................................................................................................................. 8
❖ Disadvantages: ............................................................................................................................ 8
➢ Casting defects: ............................................................................................................................ 10
❖ Factors of the defects: .............................................................................................................. 10
❖ Types of casting defects: ........................................................................................................... 10
➢ Introduction to Casting:
❖ A simple history:
➢ Casting is one of the oldest and most
important manufacturing processes in
forming science. It has been used for
centuries to create a wide variety of
objects, from simple tools and weapons to
complex works of art and engineering
masterpieces.
➢ The earliest evidence of casting dates to
the Bronze Age, around 3000 BC. During
this time, casting was used to produce a variety of bronze tools and weapons, including
axes, swords, and spears. Casting was also used to create ceremonial objects, such as
statues and figurines.
➢ Over the centuries,’ casting technology has evolved and improved. Today, casting is
used to produce a wide variety of objects, from simple machine parts to complex
aerospace components. Casting is also used to create a variety of artistic objects, such
as sculptures and jewellery.

❖ What is a casting process?

➢ A casting process refers to a manufacturing method that involves pouring or injecting a
molten material, typically a metal or an alloy, into a Mold cavity to obtain a desired
shape. The molten material solidifies within the Mold and takes the form of the Mold
cavity, resulting in a solid object known as a casting.
➢ Casting processes are widely used in various industries to produce complex and
intricate parts with specific geometries that may be difficult or costly to achieve using
other manufacturing methods. The casting process allows for the creation of parts with
a wide range of sizes, shapes, and material properties.
➢ The casting process encompasses several stages, including Mold preparation, pattern or
Mold creation, molten material pouring, solidification, and post-processing such as
finishing, heat treatment, and machining. Different casting processes can be employed
depending on factors such as the material being cast, the desired part characteristics,
production volume, and cost considerations.
➢ Casting processes offer advantages such as the ability to produce large and complex
parts, good material utilization, and the ability to work with a wide range of materials
and alloys. However, they can also be susceptible to defects such as porosity, shrinkage,
inclusions, and surface imperfections. Proper Mold design, process control, and quality
assurance techniques are employed to minimize these defects and ensure the production
of high-quality castings.

❖ Basic steps of any casting process:

1. Pattern making: A pattern is a replica of the desired shape of the casting. It is
typically made of wood, metal, or plastic.
2. Mold making: A Mold is a cavity that is shaped like the desired casting. It is
typically made of sand, plaster, or metal. The pattern is placed in the Mold cavity,
and the Mold is then closed and filled with the molten casting material.
3. Melting and pouring: The casting material is melted in a furnace or crucible. Once
the material is molten, it is poured into the Mold cavity.
 4. Cooling and solidification: The molten casting material is allowed to cool and
solidify in the Mold cavity.
5. Shakeout: Once the casting material has solidified, the Mold is broken open and the
casting is removed.
➢ Additional steps may be required, depending on the specific casting process being used.
For example, some casting processes require the use of cores to create internal cavities
in the casting. Cores are typically made of sand and are placed in the Mold cavity before
the molten casting material is poured.

➢ Casting types:
1. Sand Casting:
➢ Sand casting is one of the oldest and
most widely used casting processes. It
involves creating a Mold from a mixture
of sand and a binder material. The Mold
is then filled with molten metal, which
solidifies and takes the shape of the
Mold cavity. Sand casting is versatile
and suitable for producing large,
complex, and irregularly shaped metal
parts.

2. Gravity Casting:
➢ It is a manufacturing process in which molten metal is
poured into a Mold under the force of gravity. It is one of
the oldest and simplest casting processes, and it is still
widely used today to produce a wide variety of parts.
➢ Gravity casting is typically used for casting parts that are
large and simple in design. It is also used for casting parts
that have thin sections or complex internal cavities.

3. Pressure-Die Casting:
➢ Die casting involves injecting molten metal under
high pressure into a reusable metal Mold, called a
die. The metal rapidly solidifies within the die,
taking its shape. Die casting is commonly used for
mass production of small to medium-sized parts
with high dimensional accuracy and surface finish.
It is widely used in industries such as automotive,
aerospace, and electronics.
 4. Centrifugal Casting:
➢ Centrifugal casting utilizes centrifugal
force to distribute molten metal within
a rotating Mold. As the Mold spins, the
metal is forced against the Mold walls,
resulting in a dense, cylindrical cast
part. This process is often employed for
cylindrical or tubular shapes, such as pipes, rings, and cylinders, and it offers enhanced
mechanical properties due to the controlled solidification.

5. Continuous Casting:
➢ Continuous casting is a method used to produce long,
continuous metal shapes, such as bars, rods, and strips.
Molten metal is continuously poured into a water-
cooled Mold, where it solidifies and is continuously
withdrawn to form a continuous length. Continuous
casting allows for efficient production rates and
consistent product quality.

6. Shell Melding:
➢ Shell melding is a casting process that
combines elements of sand casting and
investment casting. It involves creating a
shell Mold using a mixture of resin-
coated sand and a catalyst. The Mold is
then heated to harden the shell, and
molten metal is poured into the Mold
cavity. Shell molding offers good
dimensional accuracy and surface finish
while being more cost-effective than
investment casting.

7. Vacuum Casting:
➢ Vacuum casting, also known as vacuum-assisted casting,
is a process that utilizes a vacuum to draw molten metal
into a Mold cavity. The Mold is typically placed in a
vacuum chamber, and the air is removed to create a low-
pressure environment. As the pressure decreases, the
molten metal is pulled into the Mold by the vacuum,
ensuring better Mold filling and reducing the likelihood
of defects such as porosity. Vacuum casting is
particularly useful for casting intricate and thin-walled
parts with high surface finish requirements.
 8. Electroslag Casting:
➢ Electroslag casting is a specialized
casting process used for producing
large, solid metal parts, such as ingots,
rolls, and heavy machinery
components. The process involves
placing a consumable electrode,
usually made of a metal alloy, into a
preheated Mold cavity. As an electric
current passes through the electrode, it melts, and the molten metal is gradually solidified
from the bottom up. Electroslag casting offers advantages such as excellent material quality,
low segregation, and the ability to produce near-net-shape parts.

9. Lost Foam Casting:

➢ Lost foam casting, also known as evaporative
pattern casting, is a process where a foam pattern
is used to create the Mold cavity. The foam pattern
is coated with a refractory material and then
embedded in sand. When molten metal is poured
into the Mold, the foam pattern vaporizes due to
the heat, leaving behind the metal part. Lost foam
casting allows to produce complex shapes with
intricate details and tight tolerances. It is
commonly used in industries such as automotive,
aerospace, and art foundries.

10. Squeezing Casting:

➢ Liquid forging, also known as squeeze
casting, is a hybrid metal forming process
that combines permanent Mold casting
and die forging into one step. In this
process, a specific amount of molten metal
alloy is injected into a die, and pressure is
applied to shape it. The metal part is then
heated above its melting temperature and extracted from the die.
➢ Squeeze casting is a particularly promising casting process for safety-critical parts in
automotive systems, such as space frame joints, aluminium front steering knuckles, chassis
frames, brackets, and nodes.
 11. Plaster casting
➢ It is a manufacturing process in which a Mold
is made of an object and then filled with
plaster of Paris to create a copy of the object.
Plaster casting is a versatile and inexpensive
process that can be used to create a wide
variety of objects, from simple shapes to
complex sculptures.

➢ Plaster casting is often used to create Molds

for other casting processes, such as metal casting and ceramic casting. It is also used to
create casts for medical purposes, such as orthopaedic casts and dental casts.

12. Investment casting

➢ It is also known as lost-wax casting, and it is a manufacturing process in which a wax
pattern is used to create a disposable
ceramic Mold. The wax pattern is melted
out of the Mold, and molten metal is poured
into the Mold to create the casting.
➢ Investment casting is a very precise casting
process, and it can be used to produce
castings with overly complex shapes and
tight tolerances. It is also a very versatile
process, and it can be used to cast a wide
variety of metals and alloys.
 ➢ Sand casting:
➢ Sand casting is a manufacturing process in which molten metal is poured into a
Mold made of sand. The sand Mold is typically made by packing sand around a
pattern, which is a replica of the desired shape of the
casting. Once the sand Mold is made, the pattern is
removed, and the molten metal is poured into the Mold
cavity. The molten metal is allowed to cool and solidify
in the Mold, and then the Mold is broken open to remove
the casting.
➢ Sand casting is one of the oldest and most versatile
casting processes. It can be used to produce a wide variety
of shapes and sizes of castings, from simple to complex.
Sand casting is also relatively inexpensive, making it a
desirable choice for low-volume production runs.

❖ Advantages:
• Versatility: Sand casting can be used to produce a wide variety of shapes and sizes
of castings.
• Cost-effectiveness: Sand casting is an inexpensive casting process.
• Wide range of materials: Sand casting can be used to cast a wide variety of metals
and alloys.
• Recycling ability

❖ Disadvantages:
• Dimensional accuracy: Sand casting is not as dimensionally accurate as some other
casting processes, such as investment casting or die casting.
• Surface finish: Sand castings typically have a rough surface finish, which may
require additional machining or finishing operations.
• Porosity: Sand castings can be prone to porosity, which is a condition in which there
are small holes or voids in the metal.
• Difficult to use this method for products with pre-determined size and weight
specifications.
➢ Sand casting is used in a wide variety of
industries, including automotive,
aerospace, construction, and consumer
goods. Here are some examples of products
that are commonly made using sand
casting:
-Engine blocks -Cylinder heads
-Pistons -Crankshafts
-Propellers -Turbines
-Gears -Valves
-Electrical components -Art objects
➢ Casting defects:
➢ Casting defects are imperfections or irregularities that occur in castings during the
casting process.

❖ Factors of the defects:

• Improper Mold design or construction
• Incorrect casting parameters, such as temperature, pouring rate, or cooling
rate.
• Mediocre quality casting material
• Contamination of the casting material
• Gas entrapment
• Shrinkage
➢ Casting defects can have a significant impact on the quality and performance of
castings. In some cases, casting defects can render castings unusable.

❖ Types of casting defects:

➢ Some of the most common casting defects include:
• Porosity: Porosity is a condition in which there are small holes or voids in the
metal. Porosity can be caused by a variety of factors, including gas entrapment,
shrinkage, and contamination.
• Shrinkage defects: Shrinkage defects occur when the metal casting shrinks as it
cools and solidifies. This can cause a variety of defects, such as shrinkage cavities,
hot tears, and cold shuts.
• Misruns: Misruns occur when the molten metal does not completely fill the Mold
cavity. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as insufficient pouring
pressure, incorrect casting temperature, or improper Mold design.
• Inclusions: Inclusions are non-metallic materials that are trapped in the metal
casting. Inclusions can cause a variety of defects, such as porosity, weakness, and
reduced ductility.
• Casting defects can be prevented by carefully controlling the casting process and
by using high-quality casting materials. It is also important to inspect castings
carefully for defects before they are used.

➢ If casting defects are found, they may be able to be repaired. However, in some cases,
castings with defects must be scrapped.
➢ Casting defects are a grave concern for all foundries. By understanding the causes of
casting defects and by taking steps to prevent them, foundries can produce high-
quality castings that are free from defects.