Casting2 (Gating System)
Casting2 (Gating System)
Gating System
The term gating system refers to all passageways
through which the molten metal passes to enter the
mould cavity.
The gating system is composed of
✓Pouring basin
✓Sprue
✓Sprue base well
✓Runner
✓Runner extension
✓Gate or ingate
✓Risers
Riser
✓ The metal should flow smoothly into the mould without any
turbulence. A turbulence metal flow tends to form dross in the
mould.
Sprue well
• This is a reservoir for metal at the bottom of the sprue to reduce the
momentum of the molten metal.
• The molten metal as it moves down the sprue gains in velocity, some
of which is lost in the sprue base well by which the mould erosion is
reduced.
• It changes the direction of flow of the molten metal to right angle
and passes it to the runner.
Runner
The runner takes the molten metal from sprue to the casting. This
is the final stage where the molten metal moves from the runner
to the mold cavity.
• It is normally trapezoidal in cross section
• Normally for ferrous materials runners are cut in cope and ingates in
the drag.
• It is done to trap slag and dross which are lighter in the upper part of
runners.
• For effective trapping of slag the runners should flow full.
• In order to get a fully filled casting the cross section area of runner
must be larger than cross section area of gate
Runner
It filters the slag when the molten metal moves form the
runner and ingate. It is also placed in the runner.
Gates
Gates
A gate is a channel which connects runner with the mould cavity and
through which molten metal flows to fill the mould cavity.
A small gate is used for a casting which solidifies slowly and vice
versa.
A gate should not have sharp edges as they may break during pouring
and sand pieces thus may be carried with the molten metal in the mould
cavity.
Types
➢ Top gate, Bottom gate, Parting line side gate
Top gate
• A top gate is sometimes also called as Drop gate because the molten
metal just drops on the sand in the bottom of the mould.
• Since the first metal entering the gate reaches the bottom and the
hotter metal is at the top, a favourable temperature gradient towards
the gate is achieve.
• Generation of favourable temperature gradients to enable directional
solidification from the casting towards the gate which serves as a
riser too.
Disadvantages
• All the metal that is used while pouring is not finally ending
up as a casting.
• There maybe some losses in the melting, rejection of casting
due to defects, removal of gating system from casting.
• So, casting yield is the proportion of the actual casting mass,
W, to the mass of metal poured into the mould, w, expressed as
a percentage as follows.
𝑾
Casting yield = × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝒘
The higher the casting yield, the higher is the economics of the
foundry practice.
Utilization of the metal in the foundry
Types of Gating System
Main types of gates are following:
1. Vertical Gating System
2. Bottom Gating System
3. Horizontal Gating System
Types of Gating System
Types of Gating System
Metal flow rate and velocity calculations
P = pressure
ρ = density
V = velocity
h = height above the datum plane
Analysis of Vertical Gating
Analysis of Bottom Gating
Example
CriticalReynold’s number
• Re < 2,000
– viscosity dominated, laminar flow
• Re > 4,000
– inertia dominated, turbulent flow
• W is weight of casting in kg
• K is fluidity factor, calculated by
K = (2.4335 – 0.3953 log W)
Pouring time for gray cast iron casting
➢ Casting weighing less than 450 kg.
𝑇
𝐾 1.41 + 𝑊 seconds
14.59
• W is weight of casting in kg
• T is average section thickness in inches
• K is fluidity factor
Pouring time of light metal alloys
• Unlike steel, Al and Mg alloys are poured at a
slow rate, this is necessary to avoid turbulence,
aspiration and drossing.
Choke Area
Having calculated the optimum pouring time, it is now
required to establish the main control area which meters the
metal flow into the mould cavity so that the mould is
completely filled within the calculated pouring time. This
controlling area is called choke area.
W
CA =
c.dt 2 gH
where
CA , is choke area
W, is the weight of casting
c, is nozzle coefficient
d, is density of liquid metal
t, is pouring time
H, effective liquid metal head (Sprue height)
Effective Sprue Height
Design of Runner and Gates
Gating ratio may be of the order Gating ratio may be of the order of
1.
of 3: 2: 1 1: 3: 2
2. Air aspiration effect is minimum Air aspiration effect is more
Volume flow of liquid from Volume flow of liquid from every
3.
every ingate is almost equal. ingate is different.
They are smaller in volume for a They are larger in volume because
given flow rate of metal. they involve large runners and gates
4.
Therefore the casting yield is as compared to pressurized system
higher. and thus the cast yield is reduced.
Streamlining includes-
• Removing sharp corners or junction by giving a
generous radius.
• Tapering the sprue.
• Providing radius at sprue entrance and exit.
Advantages of streamlining
(a) Open-top riser, (b) Open-top riser plus chill, (c) Small
open-top riser plus chill, (d)Insulated riser, (e) Insulated riser
plus chill
Optimum Riser Design
The role of the methods engineer in designing riser can be stated
simply as making sure that risers will provide the feed metal:
➢ In the right amount
➢ At the right place
➢ At the right time
• In this tiny new phase called nuclei grow in the molten metal. This
nuclei grow into solid by further deposition of atoms.
Progressive Solidification
It may be defined as the growth of practically solid and partially liquid zone
from the outside to the interior of the casting.
Directional Solidification
• When the gating system design is utilized to control this progressive
solidification is such a way that no portion of the casting is isolated from
liquid metal feeding channels during complete solidification cycle, it is
called as directional solidification.
• It may be defined as solidification which is forced to occur in a particular
direction.
Directional Solidification
• Directional solidification in castings starts and progress from the thinnest
section towards the heaviest section.
• Effective directional solidification starts from those parts of the feeder
heads (riser system). It proceeds through casting to the feeder heads. Feeder
heads are designed to solidify last so that liquid metal can be supplied
throughout freezing process.