Module No.

1: INTRODUCTION

Lecture No-4

Description and Taxonomy of the Manufacturing Processes

Metal Casting (Net Shape Processes)

Metal Casting is one of the oldest known method for shaping the materials. It involves
pouring molten metal into a mold having the required shaped cavity and then allowing it
to solidify. When solidified, the desired metal object is taken out from the mold either by
breaking it or taking the mold apart. The solidified object is called the casting. In this
process, intricate parts can be given strength and rigidity which is frequently not
obtainable by any other manufacturing process. The major metal casting processes are:

 Sand casting
 Permanent mold casting
 Continuous casting
 Die casting
 Slush casting
 Centrifugal casting
 Evaporative-pattern casting
 Lost wax casting
 Shell molding
 Vacuum sealed molding

Molding (Net Shape Processes)

Molding is generally used in plastics. A hollowed-out block in which liquid, plastic,

molten glass or some ceramic material is filled is called a mold. The filled in material
hardens and gets set inside the mold, replicating its shape. In order to remove the
hardened substance, a release agent is used. There are about eight major processes in
molding.
  Hot compression molding
 Transfer molding
 Injection molding
 Extrusion molding
 Laminating
 Vacuum forming
 Expandable bead molding
 Blow Moulding

Metal Forming (Net Shape Processes)

Metal forming is a process which involves the shaping of materials in a solid form. It can
be defined as a bulk deformation process that induces change in shape under the applied
force. Metal forming is of two basic types; namely hot forming and cold forming. Hot
forming is performed by heating the metal above the re-crystalline temperature. Hot
forming reduces its yield stress, so that its shape can be easily changed / formed by
applying the force. Cold forming is performed by heating the metal below its re-
crystalline temperature. The major metal forming processes are as given below:

 Smith Forging
 Drop Forge
 Press, Extrusion
 Cold and Hot Rolling
 Sheet Metal
 Embossing
 Blanking, Shearing
 Notching
 Perforating, Nibbling
 Electroforming
 Explosive Forming
Material Removal Processes / Machining (Subtractive Processes)

Metal removal processes in which we remove the excess material to give the final shape
to the product, are often termed as secondary or machining processes. They are also
termed as finishing processes; which are done to give the required finish or tolerance to
the end product. This means that in both the cases i.e. either removal of material or
finishing of part, the product to be cut or finished is made by one of the other processes
described above. At instances, the product geometry is very complex, to be produced by
other processes. In such cases the basic shape of the product is produced using other
processes and the final shape is created by using some machining process. The major
metal removal / machining processes are as given below:

 Milling, Turning, Drilling

 Broaching, Shaping, Planning
 Honing, Etching, Grinding
 Finishing Processes
 Abrasive Flow Machining
 Abrasive Jet Machining
 Water Jet Machining
 Electro Discharge Machining (EDM)
 Wire Cut EDM
 Electro Chemical Machining (ECM)
 Ultrasonic Machining/Drilling (USM / USD)
 Electron Beam Machining (EBM)
 Laser Beam Machining (LBM)
 Electro Chemical Grinding (ECG)
 Hybrid Processes
Joining (Additive Processes)

There are three basic methods of joining material together:

1. Joining using fasteners (rivets, screws, bolts and nuts etc.)

2. Joining by adding gluing material in-between the two components
(brazing, soldering)
3. Joining by fusing the material together with an aim to have the joint which
have same metallic properties of the parts to be joined (welding)

Out of the above three, the most popular method (though applications may bind us to use
other methods too) is welding. Welding is defined as the process of joining two similar or
dissimilar metallic/ material components through the application of heat. Filler metal can
be used and pressure may also be applied as per the necessity.

 ARC welding,
 GAS welding
 Thermit welding
 Soldering, Brazing
 Submerged ARC welding
 Plasma ARC welding
 Plasma-MIG welding
 Projection welding
 Seam welding
 Solid State; Ultrasonic,
 Explosive welding: Friction welding
 Electron beam welding
 Laser welding
 Rapid Manufacturing (Additive Processes)

Rapid manufacturing is an emerging additive fabrication technique. It is made use in

manufacturing mainly the solid objects. Using an additive approach by sequential
delivery of energy and/or materials, layer by layer the RM machines fabricate plastic,
wood, ceramic and metal powders to form physical objects. In-order to control the
process, computerized programs through mathematical modeling are made used in
manufacturing.

The major rapid manufacturing processes are as given below:

 Stereo-lithography
 Selective laser sintering
 Fused deposition modeling
 Three dimensional printing
 Laminated object manufacturing
 Laser engineered net shaping

Taxonomy of the Manufacturing Processes

The classification of the manufacturing processes descried above is summarized in Fig.

1.4.1. The processes which are relatively new and advanced have been shown below in a
different color/ shade. These processes and their details will be discussed in the following
lectures.
Fig. 1.4.1 Taxonomy of the Manufacturing Processes (Click here)