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Unit1 - 6 - Solidfication - Cooling

The document discusses the solidification process of castings, including that pure metals solidify at a single temperature while alloys solidify over a temperature range. It covers directional solidification, grain structure, cooling curves, and steps after solidification such as trimming, removing cores, cleaning, inspection, and heat treatment.

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Prajesh Krishna
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14 views

Unit1 - 6 - Solidfication - Cooling

The document discusses the solidification process of castings, including that pure metals solidify at a single temperature while alloys solidify over a temperature range. It covers directional solidification, grain structure, cooling curves, and steps after solidification such as trimming, removing cores, cleaning, inspection, and heat treatment.

Uploaded by

Prajesh Krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Manufacturing Process -I

Solidification of Casting

3/1/2024 1
Last class - Recap
• Melting Furnace
– Importance of furnace - Casting, heat treatment, Change of shape, Change
of properties

– How to select the furnace – Alloy type, metal quality and Demand

– Melting and pouring temperature of different metals and alloys

– Furnaces most commonly used in foundries

 Direct fuel-fired furnaces

 Cupola furnaces

 Crucible furnaces

 Electric-arc furnaces

 Induction furnaces
Solidification of Casting

• Solidification involves the transformation of the molten metal back into the
solid state.

• solidification process differs depending on whether the metal is a pure


element or an alloy

• A pure metal solidifies at a constant temperature equal to its freezing point,


which is the same as its melting point.

• Most alloys freeze over a temperature range rather than at a single


temperature
Cooling curve for a pure metal in casting

A Pure metal solidifies at a constant temperature equal to its freezing


point ( same as melting point)
Solidification of Pure Metals

• Due to chilling action of mold wall, a thin skin of solid metal


is formed at the interface immediately after pouring

• Skin thickness increases to form a shell around the molten


metal as solidification progresses

• Rate of freezing depends on heat transfer into mold, as well as


thermal properties of the metal
Figure shows characteristic grain structure in a casting of a pure metal,
showing randomly oriented grains of small size near the mold wall,
and large columnar grains oriented toward the center of the casting
Cooling curve of Cu-Ni alloy system
(a) Phase diagram for a copper-nickel alloy system
(b) Cooling curve for a 50%Ni-50%Cu alloy during casting

Most alloys freeze over a temperature range rather than at a single


temperature
Figure shows characteristic grain structure in an alloy casting, showing
segregation of alloying components in center of casting
Solidification Time
• Total solidification time TST = time required for casting to
solidify after pouring

• TST depends on size and shape of casting by relationship


known as Chvorinov's Rule

n
V 
TST  Cm  
 A
where TST = total solidification time; V = volume of the casting; A = surface area of
casting; n = exponent usually taken to have a value = 2; and Cm is mold constant
Solidification of castings
• Solidification involves two steps that are NUCLEATION and
GROWTH.
NUCLEATION
It refers to the process in which tiny solid particles, called
‘Nuclei’ are formed when liquid metal cools below its liquidous
temperature.
Two types of Nucleation
(a) Homogenous Nucleation
It occurs without the help of foreign particles
(b) Heterogeneous Nucleation
It Occurs with the help of foreign particles ( such as the mould
material, impurities, and added nucleating materials.)
Grain structure

• At the surface, heterogeneous nucleation


takes place for few layers. These grains are
know as ‘Equiaxed Grains’

• Inside, absence of sand particles leads to


homogeneously nucleated grains. Their
orientation will be form the surface to the
center. These grains are known as the
‘Columnar Grains’
• When a column forms side arms, it is known
as a ‘Dendrite’ and the grain structure is
known as the ‘Dendritic grain structure’

• New nuclei resist the growth of neighboring


nuclei. Hence an equiaxed grain structure is
produced at the center.
• Columnar and dendritic grain structures are coarse and
directional – undesirable in most situations
• This can be changed in practice by adding the nucleating
agents, which produce an equiaxed grain structure in the entire
casting
Nucleating agents for different alloys
Metal Nucleating Agents
Al alloys Ti compounds (TiAl2, TiB2, TiC)
Palin carbon steel Al compounds ( Al2O3)
Stainless steel Ca and Mg cyanides
Mg alloys ZrC, ZrN, Zr oxides
Cast iron Sulfur compounds
Microstructure of casting

(a) Pure metal (b) alloys (c) through


addition of
nucleation agents
Directional Solidification

• Growth of partially solid and partially liquid zone from the


outside to inside is know as ‘Directional Solidification’ or
‘Progressive solidification
Ways to achieve Directional Solidification

• Locate risers away from the section with lower V/A ratios, so
freezing occurs first in these regions

• Use chills at required locations

• Use of blind risers

• Modify the casting design such that it promotes directional


solidification.

• Use exothermic material on the top of riser

• Cover riser with insulation compound/ Pad


Use of chills
 Chills are massive metal inserts of increased heat capacity and thermal
conductivity, which are placed in the mould to induce directional
solidification and help to over come the effect of shrinkage
 Chills are used to speed up the process of cooling of thick sections of the
casting.

(a) External chill to encourage rapid freezing of


the molten metal
(b) The likely results if the chills were not used
Use of Chills

• Presence of porosity
Cavity- without chill

• Absence of porosity
-with chill
Use of exothermic material
• Exothermic compounds are mixtures of metal oxides (oxides
of Ni, Co, Cu, Mn, Fe, etc.) and aluminum.

They are placed on the top of the riser

Typical exothermic compound: Fe2O3 + Aluminum


4Fe2O3 + 8Al = 4Al2O3 + 8 Fe+ Heat (4500deg c)
Covering riser with insulating compound / pad
Use of blind riser
Modification of casting design

• Presence of porosity
Shrinkage defect

• Absence of porosity
Shrinkage defect
Additional Steps After Solidification

• Trimming

• Removing the core

• Surface cleaning

• Inspection

• Repair, if required

• Heat treatment
Trimming

Removal of sprues, runners, risers, parting-line flash, fins,


chaplets, and any other excess metal from the cast part

• For brittle casting alloys and when cross sections are relatively
small, appendages can be broken off

• Otherwise, hammering, shearing, hack-sawing, band-sawing,


abrasive wheel cutting, or various torch cutting methods are
used
Removing the Core

If cores have been used, they must be removed


• Most cores are bonded, and they often fall out of casting as the
binder deteriorates
• In some cases, they are removed by shaking casting, either
manually or mechanically
• In rare cases, cores are removed by chemically dissolving
bonding agent
• Solid cores must be hammered or pressed out
Surface Cleaning

Removal of sand from casting surface and otherwise enhancing appearance of


surface

• Cleaning methods: tumbling, air-blasting with coarse sand grit or metal


shot, wire brushing, buffing, and chemical pickling

• Surface cleaning is most important for sand casting

– In many permanent mold processes, this step can be avoided

• Defects are possible in casting, and inspection is needed to detect their


presence
Heat Treatment

• Castings are often heat treated to enhance properties

• Reasons for heat treating a casting:

– For subsequent processing operations such as machining

– To bring out the desired properties for the application of the


part in service
Casting Quality

• There are numerous opportunities for things to go wrong in a


casting operation, resulting in quality defects in the product

• The defects can be classified as follows:

– General defects common to all casting processes

– Defects related to sand casting process

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