EN 7908 - Manufacturing, Control &Environmental Sustainability

PARAMETRIC INVESTIGATION IN METAL CASTING

Dr.C.Subramanian /School of Engineering (Mechanical)

Problems Reference : M.P Grover ,Manufacturing process

 Problem: 1
1. A disk 40 cm in diameter and 5 cm thick is to be cast of pure aluminum in an open mold casting operation. The melting
temperature of aluminum = 660°C, and the pouring temperature will be 800°C. Assume that the amount of aluminum
heated will be 5% more than what is needed to fill the mold cavity. Compute the amount of heat that must be added to the
metal to heat it to the pouring temperature, starting from a room temperature of 25°C. The heat of fusion of aluminum =
389.3 J/g. Specific heat of aluminum is 0.88 J/g-°C and density is 2.70g/cm3. Assume the specific heat has the same value
for solid and molten aluminum.
Answer: 19,082,756 J

Solution: Volume V = πD2h/4= π(40)2(5)/4 = 6283.2 cm3

Volume of aluminum to be heated = 6283.2(1.05) = 6597.3 cm3

Heat required = 2.70(6597.3){0.88(660-25) + 389.3 + 0.88(800-

660)}
= 17,812.71{558.8 + 389.3 + 123.2} = 19,082,756 J
 Problem: 2

Use the same parameters as shown above (problem1) and determine the heat required for casting the aluminum plate in an
open mold with dimensions L =20 inches; W =10 inches and D = 3 inches
 Problem: 3

Molten metal can be poured into the pouring cup of a sand mold at a steady rate of 1000 cm3/s. The molten metal overflows
the pouring cup and flows into the down sprue. The cross section of the sprue is round, with a diameter at the top = 3.4 cm.
If the sprue is 25 cm long, determine the proper diameter at its base so as to maintain the same volume flow rate.

Answer: D = 2.39 cm

Solution: Velocity at base v = (2gh)0.5 = (2 x 981 x 25)0.5 = 221.5 cm/s

Assuming volumetric continuity, area at base A = (1000 cm/s)/(221.5 cm/s) = 4.51 cm2
Area of sprue A = πD2/4; rearranging, D2 = 4A/π = 4(4.51)/π = 5.74 cm2

D = 2.39 cm
 Problem: 4
During pouring into a sand mold, the molten metal can be poured into the down sprue at a constant flow rate during the time it takes to fill
the mold. At the end of pouring the sprue is filled and there is negligible metal in the pouring cup. The down sprue is 6.0 in long. Its cross-
sectional area at the top = 0.8 in2 and at the base = 0.6 in2. The cross-sectional area of the runner leading from the sprue also = 0.6 in2, and it
is 8.0 in long before leading into the mold cavity, whose volume = 65 in3. The volume of the riser located along the runner near the mold
cavity = 25 in3. It takes a total of 3.0 sec to fill the entire mold (including cavity, riser, runner, and sprue. This is more than the theoretical time
required, indicating a loss of velocity due to friction in the sprue and runner. Find (a) the theoretical velocity and flow rate at the base of the
down sprue; (b) the total volume of the mold; (c) the actual velocity and flow rate at the base of the sprue.
Answer: V =68.1 inch/sec; Q =40.8 inch 3/sec
Volume: 99 inch 3
Actual flow rate: Q= 33 inch 3/sec
Actual Velocity v = 55 inch/sec.

Solution: (a) Velocity v = (2 x 32.2 x 12 x 6.0)0.5 = 68.1 in/sec

Flow rate Q = 68.1 x 0.60 = 40.8 in3/sec

(b) Total V = 65.0 + 25.0 + 0.5(0.8 + 0.6)(6.0) + 0.6(8.0) = 99.0 in3
(c) Actual flow rate Q = 99.0/3 = 33.0 in3/sec

Actual velocity v = 33.0/0.6 = 55.0 in/sec

 Problem: 5

A mold cavity has the shape of cube ,100 mm on aside. Determine the dimensions and volume of the final cube after cooling
to room temperature if the cast metal is copper. Assume that the mold is full at the start of solidification and that shrinkage
occurs uniformly in all directions. Assume solidification shrinkage is 4.9%; solid contraction during cooling is 7.5%.

Volume of cavity V = (100)3 = 106 mm3

Volume of casting V = 106 (1-0.049)(1-0.075) = 879,675 mm3

Dimension on each side of cube = (879,675)0.333 = 95.82 mm

 Problem: 6
The cavity of a casting mold has dimensions L= 250mm, W = 125mm, and H =20 mm. Determine the dimensions of the final
casting after cooling to room temperature if the cast metal is aluminum. Assume that the mold is full at the start of
solidification and that shrinkage occurs in all directions.

For aluminum, solidification shrinkage = 6.6%, solid contraction during cooling = 5.6%.

Total volumetric contraction = (1-0.066)(1-0.056) = 0.8817

Linear contraction = (0.8817)0.333 = 0.9589
Final casting dimensions:
L = 250(0.9589) = 239.725 cm
W = 125(0.9589) = 119.863 cm
H = 20(0.9589) = 19.178 cm
 Problem: 7

A steel casting has a cylindrical geometry with 100mm diameter and weighs 10 kg. This casting takes 6.0 min to completely
solidify. Another cylindrical-shaped casting with the same diameter-to-length ratio weighs 5 kg. This casting is made of the
same steel, and the same conditions of mold and pouring were used. Determine: (a) the mold constant in Chvorinov's rule, (b)
the dimensions of the smaller casting , and (c) the total solidification time of the lighter casting. The density of steel = 7800
kg/m3
 Problem: 8

The total solidification times of three casting shapes are to be compared: (1) a sphere with diameter = 10 cm, (2) a cylinder
with diameter and length both = 10 cm, and (3) a cube with each side = 10 cm. The same casting alloy is used in the three
cases. (a) Determine the relative solidification times for each geometry. (b) Based on the results of part (a), which geometric
element would make the best riser? (c) If the mold constant = 3.5 min/cm2 in Chvorinov's rule, compute the total solidification
time for each casting: Answer: 0.02778Cm
 Problem: 9

A cylindrical riser is to be used for a sand-casting mold. For a given cylinder volume, determine the diameter-to-length ratio
that will maximize the time to solidify.
Answer: 1

Solution: To maximize TTS, the V/A ratio must be maximized.

Cylinder volume V = πD2L/4. L = 4V/πD2
Cylinder area A = 2πD2/4 + πDL
Substitute the expression for L from the volume equation in the area equation:
A = πD2/2 + πDL = πD2/2 + πD(4V/πD2) = πD2/2 + 4 V/D
Differentiate the area equation with respect to D:
dA/dD = πD – 4 V/D2 = 0 Rearranging, πD = 4V/D2
D3 = 4 V/π
D = (4 V/π)0.333
From the previous expression for L, substituting in the equation for D that we have developed,
L = 4V/πD2 = 4V/π(4V/π)0.667 = (4V/π)0.333
Thus, optimal values are D = L = (4V/π)0.333, and therefore the optimal D/L ratio = 1.0
 Problem: 10

A riser in the shape of a sphere is to be designed for a sand casting mold. The casting is a rectangular plate, with length = 200
mm, width = 100 mm, and thickness = 18 mm. If the total solidification time of the casting itself is known to be 3.5 min,
determine the diameter of the riser so that it will take 25% longer for the riser to solidify
Answer: D =47.5 mm
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