CASTING DEFECTS ANALYSIS

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF METALS CHANDIGARH CHAPTER

MATERIAL SCIENCE AND METALLURGY PEC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY TALK DELIVERED BY DR. V.P. GUPTA

SIMPLE OR NO PROBLEM DESI FOUNDRY TECHNOLOGY

VERY COMPLEX TO ANALYSE AND CONTROL FOUNDRY DEFECTS

SIMPLE OR NO PROBLEM DESI FOUNDRY TECHNOLOGY

No analysis is required and any defect is called SHORI or at most blow holes . All completely formed castings either DEGI (CI) or SILVER (Al) or STEEL are saleable without shot blasting or fettling user is totally responsible for making it usable . Manual methods of cleaning , defects filled or welded and finished before painting . Defects after machining are filled with M-seal or iron cement and or camouflaged .

These are used in DESI equipments like machine tools ( Batala , Jalandher , Ludhiana ),diesel engines ( Rajkot and Agra ) , rolling mill components ( Mandi Gobindgarh) , man hole covers , water pumps , auto spares , jute textile spares( Howrah) , sugar mills and grinding industry ( steel castings ) . Thin walled small castings are also made in malleable iron now being replaced with S.G iron , which means it should bend rather break on hammering .

VERY COMPLEX TO ANALYSE AND CONTROL FOUNDRY DEFECTSImportance of controlling defects with the use of modern technology . Team effort .

Availability of expertise in house or consultant .

Process of uncertainty multifactor dependence , multidisciplinary and affected by environment .

CHARACTERIZATION AND UNIVERSAL DESCRIPTION OF CASING DEFECTS Different name for same defects in different places . AFS analysis of casting defects 1966 lists 30 defects with possible technological causes and parameters and suggestive remedies . International Atlas of Casting Defects was published in 1974 by AFS in consultation with International committee. Seven categories of defects were characterized . 1. METALLIC PROJECTIONS 2. CAVITIES 3. DISCONTINUTIES 4. DEFECTIVE SURFACE 5. INCOMPLETE CASTINGS 6. INCORRECT DIMENSIONS 7. INCLUSIONS AND/OR STRUCTURAL ANAMOLIES These 7 categories were further subdivided into 111 casting defects with 283 photographs and 137 drawings . These nomenclatures are normally used but not universally .

AFS Subclassification of Defects

METALLIC PROJECTIONS :- parting line fins , veining , cracked and broken mould slight
metal penetration , fins around core prints .

CAVITIES :- blow holes and pin holes , exposed shrinkage cavities , smooth depressions or
draw , corner shrinkage , centerline shrinkage , sand drops , exposed after shot blasting and slag cavities .

DISCONTINUTIES :- cold laps , cold shuts and miss-runs , hot cracking and hot tearing . DEFECTIVE SURFACE :- cracks/ hot tears , metal penetration , surface folds/ gas-run and sink
marks , draw/sucking , slag or dirt inclusions , sand crush and drop , broken molds , scabs/rat tails .

CONTD.
INCOMPLETE CASTING:- short poured and leaked , holes due to cold metal . INCORRECT DIMENSIONS AND SIZE :- local swelling , warpage , mismatch(cross
joints),overall oversized castings .
INCLUSIONS AND INTERNAL DEFECTS :- blow holes , shrinkage ( micro porosity ) pinholes , sand inclusions , slag/ dirt inclusions , hard spots , defective microstructure , open grain .

DEFCTIVE MICROSTRUCTURE :CI graphite type , size , ferrite / cementite , eutectic cell size , steadite network. SG IRON poor nodularity , vermicular graphite , chunky graphite , explosive graphite , flaky graphite , nodule count . ALUMINIUM coarse grain , coarse hyper eutectoid Silicon ,large number of dendrites , coarse eutectic and Chinese script .

NON FERROUS excessive coring , coarse grains , phase segregation etc .

OTHER CHARACTERISATIONS
Some other descriptions have been developed by different casting technologies such as die castings , investment castings , dental and jewellery castings etc. (by World Gold Council) . Even large companies datasheets do not follow the international characterizations. Technical papers refer to defects in their own technology .

DATA COLLECTION FOR ANALYSIS CAUSE AND EFFECT DIAGRAMS

Historical data collection . Trace-ability before and after machining .

Data collections should be such that it can take into account casting name , casting defect primary (black) and final (shot blasted and fettled ) , heat number and heat code in rejection data .
Monthly , weekly tabulation and calculation of % defective defect wise . Customer rejections ( self inspection and/ or comparison with customer reports ) . Date of cast / heat wise customer rejections recording should be kept open till most of the castings are included . All process and equipment changes for rejection control or otherwise should be recorded . Noting down the location of defects in casting is an excellent indication in the cause effect relation analysis

DATA ANALYSIS

Cause effect relationships are established keeping the working practices in mind through pareto analysis , six sigma techniques and fishbone diagrams including man , machine , material , method etc.

Statistical analysis is very helpful

1. 2. 3. 4.

Average ,standard deviation and 3 sigma limits . Tests of significance . Factorial design of experiments . Taguchi methods of design and analysis .

General cause of casting defects ( CI & SG CASTINGS)

1. METAL COMPOSITION hardness and tensile strength , shrinkage and draw , micro porosity. 2. METAL CLEANLINESS AND POST TREATMENT slag reaction , blow holes and pin holes , slag cavities , slag inclusions , defective cold scabs microstructure (inoculation for CI and Mg treatment and post inoculation). 3. POURING TEMPRATURE blow holes ,shrinkage , cold laps , cold shuts and miss-runs , surface folds and gas runs . 4. MOLDING SAND QUALITY veining in mold surface , cracked /broken mold , blow holes and pin holes , sand drops , metal penetration , mold scabs and rat tails ,sand crush and drop .

5. MOLD QUALITY( hardness , surface roughness , defective closing and core setting ) parting line fins , veining , cracked and broken molds , sand drops , fins around core prints and oversized castings , incomplete castings due to broken core and mold leaks .
6. GATING SYSTEM AND POURING TECHNIQUES all defects .

MODERN TECHNIQUES OF DATA ANALYSIS

Advanced techniques are being developed and used o study and analyze foundry defects some of these are -

Generic logarithm and artificial neural networks and computer assisted classifications .

Simulation software like Magmasoft and Procast are being used to study and control foundry defects but their use is less extensive. Finally Prof. Cambell from Australia has explained all defects except dimensional defects due to pattern equipment by turbulence in pouring due to defective gating system and pouring practice . As a result , various bottom or inclined pouring systems are being developed for defect free castings .