FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

BNM 30303 : CASTING TECHNOLOGY

PRACTICAL REPORT : FOUNDRY SAND TESTING

Course Name Casting Technology

Course Code BNM 30303
Section 1
Programme Code BNM
Name Matrix No.
1. AFIFI BIN JASNI AN150055
Group Members 2. AINUL AKMAL BIN JAAFAR AN150250
3. MOHAMAD KHAMIL AMIN BIN MOHAMED TAIB AN150076
4. MUHAMMAD HARITH DZIKRY BIN YAZID AN150025
Lecturer’s Name EN. HAFFIDZUDIN BIN HEHSAN
Introduction /10%
Objectives /5%
Scopes /5%
Safety Precautions /5%
Literature Reviews /15%
Assessment
Methods & Procedures /25%
Product & Data Analysis /20%
Conclusion & Recommendations /10%
References /5%
TOTAL /100%

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1. INTRODUCTION

Sand testing is a process used to determine if the foundry sand has the correct properties
for a certain casting process. The sand is used to make moulds and cores via a pattern. In
a sand casting foundry there are broadly two reasons for rejection of the casting metal and
sand each of which has a large number of internal variables. The defects arising from the
sand can be prevented by using sand testing equipment to measure the various properties
of the sand.

The testing process is divided into four stages: sampling of the bulk material,
sample sand preparation, specimen preparation and testing. It is done at three different
points of the process: upon first arrival from the supplier, transport for processing (usually
on a conveyor), and after processing. In each situation it is important to take a
representative sample by mixing the sand or by taking multiple samples in different
locations. Also, the sample must be stored in an airtight container to keep from spoiling it.

The basic tests measure the following parameters: wet tensile strength, cone jolt,
mould ability, friability, moisture content, permeability, green compression strength,
compatibility, loss on ignition, volatiles content, grain size & distribution, dust (dead
clay) content, and active clay content, impact strength . Each of these tests can lead you to
obtain specific characteristics of sand which can be crucial to the quality of
casting. Advanced testing tests for other parameters, such as splitting strength, shear
strength, and high-temperature compression strength.

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2. OBJECTIVES

 To study the variety of foundry sands used in sand casting industries.

 To identify the specifications and requirements for foundry moulding sand in sand
casting industries.

 To apply testing procedures, equipments and tools in moulding sand testing to verify
the specifications.

 To determine the coefficient of permeability of the sand used in the testing.

 To measure the following properties of moulding sand, green compression strength

and permeability.

3. SCOPES

 Laboratory sand rammer was used to compress the sand and make it a solid
cylindrical block.

 A metre ruler was used to measure the height of sand block.

 A shake shiever was used to measure the finesse of the sand

 Moisture teller apparatus was used to differentiate the dry sand and the wet sand.

4. SAFETY PRECAUTION

 Forever follow the principles and regulation of the factory workshop.

 Handle the instrument with care.
 Wear the appropriate apparel once doing job within the workshop.
 Don’t creating jokes with friends particularly close to the chamber space.
 If there's accident happened, quickly report back to the lecturer or the person
accountable within the workshop.

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5. LITERATURE REVIEW

5.1 Green compression strength

Green compression strength refers to the stress required to rapture the sand specimen
under compressive loading. The sand specimen requires rupture the sand specimen under
compressive loading. The sand specimen is taken out of the specimen tube and is
immediately put on the strength testing machine and force requires to cause the
compression failure is determined. The green strength of sand is generally in the range of
0.03 to 0.16MPa.

Green compression strength increases with moisture until a point is reached where
further increase in moisture leads to decrease in compression strength. Green compression
strength decreases with coarse grains but increases with increase in fineness of sand
grains. Green compression strength increases with increase in clay content of the green
sand mould. As moisture is increased, green compression strength also increases until a
point is reached where further increase leads to decrease in green compression. As
moisture increases coarse grained sand moulds have higher green compression strength
than fine-grained sand moulds. As moisture is increased angular shaped grain sand
moulds lose their green compression strength more than round grained sand moulds.
Green compression strength is very important in the preparation of moulds. One reason is
because it determines the mould ability of a sand mixture. For a sand mixture to be
mouldable it must have a green compression strength value of 1.5 psi (10.34 kPa) and
above. Low green compression strength in green moulds may result in defective and
unsound casting. This is because there will be erosion, collapse, and damage of the mould
wall and this will result in defects like rat tails, sand inclusions, incomplete molten metal
flow, rough surfaces etc

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 5.2 Permeability

Permeability is a property of foundry sand with respect to how well the sand can vent,
like. how well gases pass through the sand. And in other words, permeability is the
property by which we can know the ability of material to transmit fluid/gases. The
permeability is commonly tested to see if it is correct for the casting conditions.

On a prepared mould surface as a sample, permeability can be checked with

use of a mould permeability attachment to permeability meter, readings such obtained
are of relative permeability, and not absolute permeability. The relative permeability
reading on a mould surface is only used to gauge sample-to-sample variation.

On standard specimen as a sample

 For sands that can be compressed, e.g.: bentonite-bonded sand, also known as green
sand, a compressed or rammed sample is used to check permeability.
 For sand that cannot be compressed, e.g.: Resin-coated sands, a freely filled sample is
used. To check such a sample, user may have to use an attachment to the permeability
meter called a core permeability tube.

The absolute permeability number, which has no units, is determined by the rate
of flow of air, under standard pressure, through a rammed cylindrical
specimen. DIN standards define the specimen dimensions to be 50 mm in diameter and
50 mm tall, while the American Foundry Society defines it to be two inches in diameter
and two inches tall rammed cylindrical specimen.

formula is

PN = (VxH)/PxAxT

Where;

 V = volume of air in ml passing through the specimen

 H = Height of the specimen in cm
 A = Cross sectional area of specimen in cm2
 P = Pressure of air in cm of water
 T = Time in minutes

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 5.3 Grain size

Grain size (or particle size) is that the diameter of individual grains of sediment, or the
lithified particles in clastic rocks. The term can also be applied to alternative granular
materials. this can be totally different from the crystallization size, that refers to the
dimensions of one crystal within a particle or grain. one grain may be composed of many
crystals. Granular material will vary from terribly tiny mixture particles, through clay,
silt, sand, gravel, and cobbles, to boulders.

The grain size test is performed to determine the percentage of different grain
sizes contained within a soil. The mechanical or sieve analysis is performed to determine
the distribution of the coarser, larger-sized particles, and the hydrometer method is used
to determine the distribution of the finer particles. The purpose of a grain size test is to
determine the gradation of a soil sample. During the test, sieves are oriented with the
largest sieve located at the top of the stack followed consecutively by the smaller sieves.
Prior to conducting the test the own weight of each sieve is recorded. Once the soil
sample is collected and weighed, it is then placed on the top sieve and covered with the
lid. Throughout the test, the sieve stack is vibrated and the soil particles fall through the
sieve openings until the sieve opening is smaller than the soil particle. Following the test,
each sieve plus the collected soil is weighed and compared to the weight of an empty
sieve. With this data a grain-size distribution plot can be developed. The sieves are made
of woven wires with square openings. As the sieve number increases the size of the
openings decreases. All sieves are designed according to the ASTM specifications. The
diameter of the sieve is eight inches. This test does not provide any information about
particle shapes. The importance of sieve analysis in engineering practice is the ability to
classify a soil based upon the distribution of grain sizes.

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6. METHODS AND PROCEDURE

Start

Materials
Preparation

Green Sand Silica Sand

Permeability Test Strength Test Grain Size

Data Analysis

Discussion

Conclusion

End

Figure 1: Flowchart of sand testing

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 6.1 Permeability test

 The desired green sand needed is weighted by using the digital weighing devices
ranges between 145g to 175g.
 The green sand is filled in a cylindrical steel tube with help of a funnel tube
altogether with stopper at the end of the cylindrical steel tube.
 The cylindrical steel tube is then located below the ramming machine where the
ramming process by turning the machine three times.
 The cylindrical steel tube then carried out from the ramming machine and
correctly placed on the top of the permeability machine. The permeability
machine was turned on and the scale was set to zero scale.
 The permeability number was collected and recorded.
 The sand specimen was removed from the cylindrical tube by using specimen tube
and the height was measured and recorded in the table.
 After that, the specimen was placed to the compress part of the universal sand
strength testing machine. The rammed sand specimen need to achieve the height of
50.8mm ±0.125 mm to ensure specimen broke/ failure within the strength range on
the universals and strength testing machine.
 The initial reading was taken by setting the magnet pieces to the zero reading
 The sand specimen was compressed by using the universal sand strength testing
machine until the sand specimen fails to support the load.
 The reading of the condition where the sand specimen broke/failure was recorded
for analysis purposed.

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 6.2 Strength test

 Place a specimen tube and pedestal cup on the tube filler at the funnel outlet.
 Put the sand through screen as the specimen tube is fully filled to be tested.
 Stir with the wooden strickle.
 Lower the plunger gently onto the sand and ram with three blows.
 Take out the green sand and weight it using the digital weighing balance.
 Record the reading and make sure the size of the sand is 50mm X 50mm using ruler.
 Raise the weight arm slightly and insert an AFS standard 2 inch diameter x 2 inch
height test specimen between the compression.
 See that the magnetic rider is resting against the pusher plate and that there is at least
0.25 inch clearance between the rubber bumper and the lung on the weight arm.
 Push the button and then the specimen will break into pieces. The machine will
reverse and return to zero automatically.
 Record the reading shown on the lower edge of the magnet.

6.3 Grain size test

 Silica sand is weight using digital weighing balance.

 Arrange the grain size in descending order from top to bottom on the sieve shaker.
 Poured the silica sand into the sieve shaker.
 Locked the sieve shaker and turned on the machine and let it operated about 10

minutes.

 Weight the silica sand layer by layer using digital weighing balance.
 Recorded the result obtain.

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7. DATA ANALYSIS

7.1 Permeability test

Number of Weight of green Permeability Height (mm) Result

testing sand used (g)

1 142.50 95 51.00 Failed

2 141.85 97 51.48 Failed

3 139.70 105 50.67 Succeed

By observing the table, it shows 3 trials in which it shows the weight of the green
sand, permeability and the height. In the laboratory work, reproducing ramming
condition are achieved by the use of a standard sand rammer
and specimen tube accessories. The sand is placed in the specimen tube and rammed
by impact with three blows of a standard weight. The height of the specimen
produced should have an exact value of 50.8 mm with the tolerance of 0.125 mm.
From the experiment, our group managed to get 50.67 mm of the specimen height
which is still within the tolerance limit in order to proceed to the next step which
requires determining the strength value.

Based on from this experiment, the sand testing preparation (green sand). We
had to measure
the properties of molding sands,green compression strength and permeability of the sp
ecimen(rammed sand).Based from the observation of the properties of molding sands,
we could see that the sand is in dark green/black colour. The presence of this colour
was due to the addition of coal dust inside the composition of the sand. Not just that,
we found that the strength of the black rammed sand was quite hard compare with the
ordinary rammed sand. This condition is mainly due to the presence of bentonite and
cold dust that functions to increase the strength of the specimen. Meanwhile,
according to the definition of the compression strength in the study of strength
of material, the compressive strength is the capacity of a material or structure to
withstand loads tending to reduce size. For green compression strength, it also can be

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interpret as the capacity of the rammed sand to withstand the molten metal load that
will be applies on the surface of the rammed sand during pouring process. While,
permeability is the property by which we can know the ability of material to transmit
fluid/gases. The permeability is commonly tested in order to see if this material is
suitable for the use of casting conditions. Permeability and green compression
strength are among the important mechanical properties and can be considered as an
important aspect in the sand casting mould preparation. These molding sand
properties play avital role in determining the optimum moisture content for
making green sand casting mould. Green compression strength material normally has
a high melting point. In order to find a good material that will be able to withstand
high temperature cause by the material, the strength of must be larger than it melting
point. Based on the result, only the third trial manages to get an accurate value which
qualifies it to run for the strength test. The value of strength for the height of 50.67
mm is 114.6023kN/m. This value tells us that this green sand specimen can only hold
up to 114.6023kN/m before it start to change characteristic which it has crack on it
surfaces. The strength of the 139.70g may be different from the specimen mass due to
the ratio which is different.

The error may bring lead to the different to the strength values are caused
by parallax error when taken the reading on the Vernier caliper. Unstable reading prod
uced by the strength machine and the angle of the reader may somehow give
difficulties to read the measurement correctly. Permeability of the green sand also
needs to be determined from this experiment. In order to achieve the objective of, the
sand specimen was removed from the specimen tube; the specimen was places on the
adapter of the universal sand strength testing machine. From here the compression
strength can be identified as it value can be read from the scale. The third specimen
gives the reading of 105. Based on the formula provided, the theoretical value of
permeability of the green sand can be calculated and yields value of 157.48. Then
both theoretical and experimental value of permeability was compared and the
percentage of error was calculated.

As we can see, there was a different in the actual and experimental value of
permeability. The value of permeability obtained from the experiment much smaller

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than it supposed to be in the theoretical value. In other words, the percentage of error
had shown a little high in value. These different may be caused by several factors
such as moisture contents in the sample, was drying or affected by the surrounding
temperature. The error that occur also may be influenced by the random error
especially during the experiment was conducted. This may begin from the first steps
which is when the sand is poured into the funnel directly to the test tube. While doing
this, some of the sand may stick at the funnel and the accuracy of mass is totally
reduced. Next, when it is being rammed in the sand rammer machine, the same thing
may happen where a small number of sand will also stick at the head of the rammer.

Again, the mass of the specimen will be reduced. Although, the loss of sand due to
these is very small but it still may affected the whole process especially in the term
of sand volume. Since the volume drops, thus the dimension of the specimen may not
be accurate, and thus the desired height of 50.8 mm and diameter of 0.125 mm might
be hardly to be achieved.

7.2 Strength Test

On this experiment, when the machine is operate, it will push green sand upward,
indicating the force applied to rupture the sand specimen. This will show the
maximum strength of the sand specimen to overcome the stress under compressive
loading. From the result, the value required to cause the compression failure is
determined as 120KPa. Since the value is within range of 30 to 160KPa, the green
sand is acceptable to be used in casting mould.

In addition, the degree of mulling, sand to metal ratio, clay content,

compactibility, range and type of additives have a significant effect on green
compression. The compression reading should be read at comparable compactibility
ranges. Besides, moulding sand at higher or lower compactibility will produce
varying green strength. Green compression in conjuction with moisture can be also
used to determine the vailable bond.

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7.3 Grain Size Test

Total weight of sand = 780g

No. Grain Size ( μm ) Weight of Sand Collected (g)

1 500 165

2 355 186

3 250 272

4 212 87

5 180 25

6 125 25

7 90 16

8 63 4

As in the table of the result obtained, we knew that the grain size will be
directly proportional to the weight of sand collected. The smaller the size of the silica
sand, the minimum weight that can be collected on the shaker. This also shows that
the finest of the silica sand will be affect on the weight of the sand collected.

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8. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the green compression strength and permeability and the properties of
the sample are well measured and observed. Green compression strength and permeability
are important to enhance the properties of the sand while creating good end products.
Theoretically, the strength of the molding sand is 30kN/m until 160kN/m. But
from the experiment, the result obtained is 16.3 Ib/inor more accurate 114.6023kN/m
which is still in the range. But for the permeability value, in theory it is calculated as
157.48 but in experiment, the value managed to achieve is 105. From the value of the
permeability, the percentage error is 49.98 % .It shows that the value of the theoretical
and experimental are different may be due to the defects and environment factors.

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9. REFERENCE

1. M. Y. b. H. M. al-Rangi, Manufacturing Process, Malaysia, 2009.

2. P. L. Jain, Principles of Foundry Technology, Delhi: Tata McGraw- Hill, 2008

3. Serope Kalpakjian, Steven R. Schmid, Manufacturing Engineering Technology,

Singapore: Prentice Hall (2010)
4. A. Abdullah et al., "Testing for Green Compression Strength and Permeability
Properties on the Tailing Sand Samples Gathered from Ex Tin Mines in Perak State,
Malaysia", Advanced Materials Research, Vol. 445, pp. 859-864, 2012
5. ‘A study of the permeability of sand’, Frederic Mavis and Edward Wilsey, University
Iowa City (1936)

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