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MSE 440/540: Processing of Metallic Materials
Instructors: Yuntian ZhuOffice: 308 RBII
Ph: 513-0559
Lecture 3: Casting I,
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Casting process
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USS New York LPD 21
Built from 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center
The steel was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship’s bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, “those big rough steelworks treated it with total reverence”, recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing.
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Our focus here is relatively small parts
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Disadvantages : – Limitations on mechanical properties
– Poor dimensional accuracy and surface finish for some processes; e.g., sand casting
– Safety hazards to workers due to hot molten metals
Advantages:•Can create complex part geometries•Can produce net-shape parts•Cheap
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Open Molds and Closed Molds
1. Expendable mold processes – one time use – Mold materials: sand, plaster, and similar materials, plus binders
2. Permanent mold processes – multiple use– Made of metal (or, less commonly, a ceramic refractory material)
Two Categories of Casting Processes
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Sand Casting Mold
Definition: Cope, Drag, parting line, riser, runner, cavity, core, downsprue
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Cooling Curve for a Pure Metal
• A pure metal solidifies at a constant temperature equal to its freezing point (slightly below melting point)
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Riser Reservoir in the mold which is a source of liquid metal to
compensate for shrinkage of the part during solidification • The riser must be designed to freeze after the main casting in
order to satisfy its function• To minimize waste in the unit operation, it is desirable for the
volume of metal in the riser to be a minimum• Since the shape of the riser is normally designed to maximize
the V/A ratio, this allows riser volume to be reduced to the minimum possible value
Quiz: why do we want to maximize the V/A ratio?
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Solidification of Pure Metals
• Due to chilling action of mold wall, a thin skin of solid metal is formed at the wall surface immediately after pouring
• 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
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M95bhPrDwA0
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Solidification of Alloys
• Most alloys freeze over a temperature range • Phase diagram for a copper‑nickel alloy system and
cooling curve for a 50%Ni‑50%Cu composition
Quiz: any problem with this cooling curve?
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• Characteristic grain structure in an alloy casting, showing segregation of alloying components in center of casting
Solidification of Alloys
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Cellular and Dendritic Solidification
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Constitutional Supercooling:
Cell Structure:
Dendritic structure:
Condition for non-constitutional cooling (Planar):
T
T1
T2
T3
TE
XS
XL
X0
XE
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No Diffusion in Solid, Diffusional Mixing in Liquid
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Fig. 4.22,
D/v = Characteristic width of concentration profile
T
T1
T2
T3
TE
XS
XL
X0
XE
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Solidification Time
• Total solidification time tTS = time required for casting to solidify after pouring
• tTS depends on size and shape of casting by relationship known as Chvorinov's Rule
where V = volume of the casting; A = surface area of casting; n = exponent with typical value = 2; and Cm is mold constant.
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Shrinkage during Solidification and Cooling
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HW Assignment
• Read Chapter 6
• HW: Example 5.2 on page 109
• Problems 5.8, 5.9, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13,5.16
• Quiz for online students: why the columnar structure grow perpendicular to the mold wall? (submit it directly to Dr. Zhu by email: [email protected])
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