CERAMIC MOULD PRESSURE DIE CASTING CENTRIFUGAL CASTING

Introduction:
The manufacturing process of ceramic mold casting is like the process of plaster mold casting
but can cast materials at much higher temperatures. Instead of using plaster to create the mold for
the metal casting, ceramic casting uses refractory ceramics for a mold material. In industry, parts
such as machining cutters, dies for metalworking, metal molds, and impellers may be
manufactured by this process.

The Process
The first step in manufacture by ceramic mold casting is to combine the material for the mold. A
mixture of fine grain zircon (ZrSiO4), aluminum oxide, fused silica, bonding agents, and water,
creates a ceramic slurry . This slurry is poured over the casting pattern and let set. The pattern is
then removed and the mold is left to dry. The mold is then fired.
The firing will burn off any unwanted material and make the mold hardened and rigid. The mold
may also need to be baked in a furnace as well. The firing of the mold produces a network of
microscopic cracks in the mold material. These cracks give the ceramic mold both good
permeability and collapsibility for the metal casting process.

Figure:29

Once prepared, the two halves of the mold are assembled for the pouring of the metal casting.
The two halves,(cope and drag section), may be backed up with fireclay material for additional
mold strength. Often in manufacturing industry, the ceramic mold will be preheated prior to
pouring the molten metal. The metal casting is poured, and let solidify. In ceramic mold casting,
like in other expendable mold processes, the ceramic mold is destroyed in the removal of the
metal casting.
PROPERTIES AND CONSIDERATIONS OF MANUFACTURING BY CERAMIC
MOLD CASTING

Manufacturing by ceramic mold casting is similar to plaster mold casting in

that it can produce parts with thin sections, excellent surface finish, and high
dimensional accuracy. Manufacturing tolerances between .002 and .010 inches
are possible with this process.

 To be able to cast parts with high dimensional accuracy eliminates the need for
machining, and the scrap that would be produced by machining. Therefore
precision metal casting processes like this are efficient to cast precious metals,
or materials that would be difficult to machine.
Unlike the mold material in the plaster metal casting process, the refractory
mold material in ceramic casting can withstand extremely elevated
temperatures. Due to this heat tolerance, the ceramic casting process can be
used to manufacture ferrous and other high melting point metal casting
materials. Stainless steels and tool steels can be cast with this process.
Ceramic mold casting is relatively expensive.
The long preparation time of the mold makes manufacturing production rates
for this process slow.
Unlike in plaster mold casting, the ceramic mold has excellent permeability due
to the microcrazing, (production of microscopic cracks), that occurs in the
firing of the ceramic mold.

PRESSURE DIE CASTINGS

Die casting is a metal casting process that is characterized by forcing molten metal under
high pressure into a mold cavity. The mold cavity is created using two hardened tool
steel dies which have been machined into shape and work similarly to an injection
mold during the process.

Most die castings are made from non-ferrous metals,

specifically zinc, copper, aluminium, magnesium, lead, pewter and tin based alloys.

Depending on the type of metal being cast, a hot- or cold-chamber machine is used.

The casting equipment and the metal dies represent large capital costs and this tends to
limit the process to high volume production. Manufacture of parts using die casting is
relatively simple, involving only four main steps, which keeps the incremental cost per
item low.

It is especially suited for a large quantity of small to medium-sized castings, which is

why die casting produces more castings than any other casting process.

Die castings are characterized by a very good surface finish (by casting standards) and
dimensional consistency.

There are two basic types of die casting machines: hot-chamber machines and coldchamber machines.[10] These are rated by how much clamping force they can apply.
Typical ratings are between 400 and 4,000 st (2,500 and 25,400 kg)
HOT-CHAMBER DIE CASTING
Hot-chamber die casting, also known as gooseneck machines, rely upon a pool of molten
metal to feed the die.

At the beginning of the cycle the plunger of the machine is retracted, which allows the
molten metal to fill the "gooseneck".

The pneumatic or hydraulic powered piston then forces this metal out of the gooseneck
into the die.
The advantages of this system include fast cycle times (approximately 15 cycles a
minute) and the convenience of melting the metal in the casting machine.
The disadvantages of this system are that it is limited to use with low-melting
point metals and that aluminium cannot be used because it picks up some of the iron
while in the molten pool.
Therefore, hot-chamber machines are primarily used with zinc, tin, and lead based alloys.

OLD-CHAMBER DIE CASTING

A schematic of a cold-chamber die casting machine.

These are used when the casting alloy cannot be used in hot-chamber machines; these
include aluminium, zinc alloys with a large composition of aluminium, magnesium and
copper.
The process for these machines start with melting the metal in a separate furnace.
Then a precise amount of molten metal is transported to the cold-chamber machine where
it is fed into an unheated shot chamber (or injection cylinder).
This shot is then driven into the die by a hydraulic or mechanical piston.
The biggest disadvantage of this system is the slower cycle time due to the need to
transfer the molten metal from the furnace to the cold-chamber machine.

CENTRIFUGAL CASTINGS
INTRODUCTION

The essential feature of centrifugal casting is the introduction of molten metal into
a mold which is rotated during solidification of the casting.

The centrifugal force is relied upon for shaping and feeding the molten metal with
the utmost of detail as the liquid metal is thrown by the force of gravity into the
designed crevices and detail of the mold.

The centrifugal casting of railroad car wheels was one of the first applications
involving controlled variations in chemical composition from the outside
periphery of the car wheel as compared to the balance of the casting.

PROCESSES

In centrifugal casting, the mold may spin about a horizontal, inclined or vertical
axis. The outside shape of the casting is determined by the shape of the mold.

The inside contour is determined by the free surface of the liquid metal during
solidification.

The centrifugal force produced by rotation is large compared with normal

hydrostatic forces and is utilized in two ways.

The first of these is seen in pouring, where the force can be used to distrib ute
liquid metal over the outer surfaces of a mold.

This provides a means of forming hollow cylinders and other annular shapes. The
second is the development of high pressure in the casting during freezing.

This, in con junction with directional solidification, assists feeding and

accelerates the separation of nonmetallic inclusions and precipitated gases.

The advantages of the process are therefore twofold: suitability for casting
cylindrical forms and high metallurgical quality of the product,