Data-driven casting defect prediction model for sand casting based on random forest classification algorithm

The complex sand-casting process combined with the interactions between process parameters makes it difficult to control the casting quality,resulting in a high scrap rate.A strategy based on a data-driven model was proposed to reduce casting defects and improve production efficiency,which includes the random forest(RF)classification model,the feature importance analysis,and the process parameters optimization with Monte Carlo simulation.The collected data includes four types of defects and corresponding process parameters were used to construct the RF model.Classification results show a recall rate above 90% for all categories.The Gini Index was used to assess the importance of the process parameters in the formation of various defects in the RF model.Finally,the classification model was applied to different production conditions for quality prediction.In the case of process parameters optimization for gas porosity defects,this model serves as an experimental process in the Monte Carlo method to estimate a better temperature distribution.The prediction model,when applied to the factory,greatly improved the efficiency of defect detection.Results show that the scrap rate decreased from 10.16% to 6.68%.

Optimal Experiment Design for the Identification of the Interfacial Heat Transfer Coefficient in Sand Casting

The interfacial heat transfer coefficient(IHTC)is one of the main input parameters required by casting simulation software.It plays an important role in the accurate modeling of the solidification process.However,its value is not easily identifiable by means of experimental methods requiring temperature measurements during the solidification process itself.For these reasons,an optimal experiment design was performed in this study to determine the optimal position for the temperature measurement and the optimal thickness of the rectangular cast iron part.This parameter was identified using an inverse technique.In particular,two different algorithms were used:Levenberg Marquard(LM)and Monte Carlo(MC).A numerical model of the solidification process was associated with the optimization algorithm.The temperature was measured at different positions from the mould/metal interface at d=0 mm(mould/metal interface),30 mm,60 mm and 90 mm.the thicknesses of the cast part were:L1=40 mm,60 mm and 80 mm.A comparative study on the IHTC identification was then carried out by varying the initial value of the IHTC between 500 Wm^(-2)K^(-1) and 1050 Wm^(-2)K^(-1).Results showed that the MC algorithm used for estimating the IHTC gives the best results,and the optimal position was at d=30 mm,the position closest to the mould/metal interface,for the lowest thickness L1=40 mm.

Effects of moulding sands and wall thickness on microstructure and mechanical properties of Sr-modified A356 aluminum casting alloy

The effects of different cooling conditions on the mechanical properties and microstructures of a Sr-modified A356 （Al-7Si-0.3Mg） aluminum casting alloy were comparatively investigated using three moulding sands including quartz, alumina and chromite into multi-step blocks. The results show that the mechanical properties and microstructures using chromite sand are the best. As the cooling speed increases, the dendrite arm spacing （DAS） decreases significantly and the mechanical properties are improved, and the elongation is more sensitive to the cooling speed as compared with the tensile strength. The increase of the properties is primarily attributed to the decrease of the DAS and the increase of the free strontium atoms in the matrix. In particular, the regression models for predicting both the tensile strength and the elongation for Sr-modified A356 aluminum casting alloy were established based on the experimental data.

Defect elimination in green sand casting using simulation techniques:A case study

The Reynolds number of molten metal flowing mold cavity causes bulk turbulence and is the main cause of defects like shrinkage porosity and sand erosion.Machined housings with shrinkage porosity at critical bearing bores and surface made the casting useless.In old gating casting areas of perimeters 290mm and 264mm of transmission housing,Reynolds numbers were observed as 16307 and 13806,respectively using simulation software.Data were collected from experiments to change casting area perimeters from 785mm and 785mm along with the addition of overlap area.New Reynolds numbers at two locations were observed as 3705 and 3393,respectively.Molten metal pressure,velocity and temperature results were related for final shrinkage results of the components on full production.The purpose of the study is to reduce shrinkage and porosity defects in green sand casting part using MAGMAS simulation software.High outcome was the reduction of casting machining rejection in transmission housing casting from 5.8%0.7%with savings of approximately 0.13 million USD over the period of 14 months.Implications of this work include casting defects study and reduction in different grades and weight range.

Thermal stress analysis method considering geometric effect of risers in sand mold casting process

Solidif ication and f luid f low analysis using computer simulation is a current common practice. There is also a high demand for thermal stress analysis in the casting process because casting engineers want to control the defects related to thermal stresses, such as large deformation and crack generation during casting. The riser system is an essential part of preventing the shrinkage defects in the casting process, and it has a great inf luence on thermal phenomena. The analysis domain is dramatically expanded by attaching the riser system to a casting product due to its large volume, and it makes FEM mesh generation diff icult. However, it is diff icult to study and solve the above proposed problem caused by riser system using traditional analysis methods which use single numerical method such as FEM or FDM. In this paper, some research information is presented on the effects of the riser system on thermal stress analysis using a FDM/FEM hybrid method in the casting process simulation. The results show the optimal conditions for stress analysis of the riser model in order to save computation time and memory resources.

Evaluation of the microstructure, secondary dendrite arm spacing, and mechanical properties of Al–Si alloy castings made in sand and Fe–Cr slag molds

The microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast A356（Al–Si） alloy castings were investigated. A356 alloy was cast into three different molds composed of sand, ferrochrome（Fe–Cr） slag, and a mixture of sand and Fe–Cr. A sodium silicate–CO_2 process was used to make the necessary molds. Cylindrical-shaped castings were prepared. Cast products with no porosity and a good surface finish were achieved in all of the molds. These castings were evaluated for their metallography, secondary dendrite arm spacing（SDAS）, and mechanical properties, including hardness, compression, tensile, and impact properties. Furthermore, the tensile and impact samples were analyzed by fractography. The results show that faster heat transfer in the Fe–Cr slag molds than in either the silica sand or mixed molds led to lower SDAS values with a refined microstructure in the products cast in Fe–Cr slag molds. Consistent and enhanced mechanical properties were observed in the slag mold products than in the castings obtained from either sand or mixed molds. The fracture surface of the slag mold castings shows a dimple fracture morphology with a transgranular fracture nature. However, the fracture surfaces of the sand mold castings display brittle fracture. In conclusion, products cast in Fe–Cr slag molds exhibit an improved surface finish and enhanced mechanical properties compared to those of products cast in sand and mixed molds.

Optimization of Animal-Glue Binders for Casting Applications

In typical metal foundry applications,sand casting is still the most used technology.The related binder plays a very important role as its performances can directly influence the quality of castings.Among many binders,glues of animal origin have attracted much attention in recent years due to their reduced environmental impact.How-ever,they display some drawbacks such as the tendency to coagulate easily at room temperature and a relatively low strength.In this study,a novel gas-hardening casting binder was prepared using an animal glue and anhy-drous potassium carbonate as a hydrolyzing agent to avoid undesired agglomeration.Moreover,sodium pyropho-sphate and furfuryl alcohol were exploited as modifiers to obtain a binder with a high compressive strength.The best modification conditions,determined by means of an orthogonal design matrix approach,were 4 g of Na2CO3,sodium pyrophosphate,furfuryl alcohol and animal glue with a ratio of 4:12:100,at 85°C and with a duration of 115 min,respectively.The viscosity of the mixture obtained under these optimized conditions was 1250 mPa⋅s.The compressive strength of the binder,hardened by CO_(2) gas,was 4.00 MPa.Its gas evolution at 850°C was 15 ml⋅g-1,and its residual strength after 10 min calculation at 800°C was 0.01 MPa,which is high enough to meet the requirement of core-making in foundry.Moreover,after hydrolysis and further modification,animal glue and modifiers displayed a grafting reaction and an esterification reaction,respectively,which made the adhesive network denser and improved its thermal stability.

A new low-cost method of reclaiming mixed foundry waste sand based on wet-thermal composite reclamation

A lot of mixed clay-resin waste sand from large-scale iron foundries is discharged every day; so mixed waste sand reclamation in low cost and high quality has a great realistic significance. In the study to investigate the possibility of reusing two types of waste foundry sands, resin bonded sand and clay bonded sand which came from a Chinese casting factory, a new low-cost reclamation method of the mixed foundry waste sand based on the wet-thermal composite reclamation was proposed. The waste resin bonded sand was first reclaimed by a thermal method and the waste clay bonded sand was reclaimed by a wet method. Then, hot thermal reclaimed sand and the dehydrated wet reclaimed sand were mixed in certain proportions so that the hot thermal reclaimed sand dried the wet reclaimed sand leaving some water. The thermal reclamation efficiency of the waste resin bonded sand was researched at different heat levels. The optimized wet reclamation process of the waste clay bonded sand was achieved by investigating the effects of wet reclamation times, sand-water ratio and pH value on the reclaimed sand characteristics. The composite reclamation cost also was calculated. The research results showed that the properties of the mixed reclaimed sand can satisfy the application requirements of foundries; in which the temperature of the thermal reclamation waste resin bonded sand needs to be about 800 oC, the number of cycles of wet reclamation waste clay bonded sand should reach four to five, the optimal sand-water ratio of wet reclamation is around 1:1.5, and the pH value should be adjusted by adding acid. The mass ratio of hot thermal reclaimed sand to dehydrated wet reclaimed sand is about 1:2.5, and the composite reclaimed sand cost is around 100 yuan RMB per ton.

Design of Mg-Zn-Si-Ca casting magnesium alloy with high thermal conductivity

Magnesium alloys are commonly used to produce lightweight parts.While most magnesium alloys exhibit low thermal conductivities,high thermal conductivities are needed for electronic devices.In this study,we attempted to develop new magnesium casting alloys with high thermal conductivities.The Mg-Zn-Si-Ca alloy compositions were chosen using CALPHAD(CALculation of PHAse Diagrams)calculations,and alloy samples were prepared.The fluidity and hot-tearing resistance were measured.The results indicated that these properties were similar to those of AZ91 alloy.Tensile tests showed that high-pressure die casting could produce Mg-Zn-Si-Ca alloys possessing mechanical properties 1.5-3 times higher than those produced via sand casting.The alloy thermal conductivity was 126 W/mK at room temperature.The corrosion rates of the as-cast samples in NaCl/water solutions were two times higher than that of AZ91.

Effect of heat treatment on corrosion behavior of low pressure sand cast Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloys

The corrosion behaviors of low-pressure sand cast Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr(wt.%)alloys in as-cast,solution treated(T4)and aged(T6)conditions were studied by means of immersion test and electrochemical measurements in 5wt.%NaCl solution saturated with Mg(OH)_(2).It was observed that the corrosion rate in the T4 condition was lower than that of the as-cast and T6 conditions by both sand casting and permanent mold casting with the same order of as-cast>T6>T4;while the corrosion resistance of the permanent mold casting is superior to the sand casting.The morphologies of the corrosion products are similar porous structures consisting of tiny erect flakes perpendicular to the corroded surface of the alloy,irrespective of the heat treatment conditions.Especially,the corrosion film in T4 condition is more compact than that in the other two conditions.In addition,the severer corrosion happening to the as-cast condition is correlated with the galvanic corrosion between the matrix and the eutectic compounds;while improved corrosion resistance for the T4 and T6 conditions is ascribed to the dissolution of the secondary eutectic compounds.The measured corrosion current densities of Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloys in as-cast,T4,and T6 conditions are 36μA·cm^(-2),10μA·cm^(-2),and 33μA·cm^(-2),respectively.The proposed equivalent circuit[Rs(CPE_(1)R_(t)R_(f)CPE_(2))]by Zview software matches well with the tested electrochemical impedance spectra(EIS)data.

Shrinkage Behaviour of Spheroidal Graphite Cast Iron in Green and Dry Sand Molds for the Benchmarking of Solidification Simulation

The effects of metallurgical and processing parameters on the formation of shrinkage cavities and porosities in spheroidal graphite cast iron have been studied, considering the parameters of carbon equivalent, inoculation, casting modulus, mold type (green or dry) and pouring temperature within specific ranges of these variables. Based on the orthogonal experiments, the metallurgical and processing parameters of the minimum casting shrinkage and the maximum casting shrinkage were obtained, and the effects of metallurgical and processing parameters on the formation of shrinkage cavities and porosities in spheroids graphite cast iron castings were discussed. Finally, two regression equations relating these variables to the formation of shrinkage porosity were derived based upon the orthogonal experiments conducted.

Characterization and Prediction of Microporosity Defect in Sand Cast WE54 Alloy Castings

In order to study the effect of Zr modification and riser size on microporosity defect distributions in WE54 alloy sand castings, the microporosity volume percentage in Zr-free and Zr-containing WE54 alloy plate castings was determined by density measurement based on Archimedes＇ principle, and the microstructure of the microporosity defects was observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Then by using Procast software, the Niyama criterion was calculated in order to investigate the validity of Niyama criterion on prediction of microporosity defects in WE54 alloy sand castings. It is found from the density measurement results that Zr addition does not affect the microporosity distributions in WE54 alloy castings. While the distribution area of microporosity defect in the plate castings decreases significantly as the riser size increases. Based on the experimental results, a riser selection principle for production of compact WE54 alloy castings is proposed that the solidification modulus of the riser should be greater than that of the casting by 30%, simply mr ≥ 1.3mc. By comparing the experimental and simulating results, it is found that the predicted microporosity regions by Niyama criterion agrees well with experimental results, and a critical Niyama value of 0.4 ℃0.5 s0.5 mm-1 is suggested for prediction of microporosity formation in WE54 alloy sand castings.

A study on effects of ceramic foam filter on flow aspect through water modeling experiment

Casting defects that are closely related to entrapped air bubbles and metallic oxides occur very frequently in the sand mold casting process. Many researchers have shown that these defects can be reduced by adopting an appropriate gating system design. However, it is difficult for field engineers to identify a specific gating system that is more appropriate for their products. In this study, we tried to draw a comparison between two gating system designs with and without a ceramic foam filter. The ceramic foam filter was added to the horizontal runner just after the down sprue to prevent air bubble generation and reduce turbulence without a change of gating system design. The water modeling experiment was conducted with four different amounts of the initial volumes of water in the reservoir to verify the effects of initial pouring velocity. The results of the experiment applying the filter showed remarkably changed flow characteristics. The use of the filter was found to convert the flow pattern of water in the desired direction. The ceramic foam filter performed well to reduce flow velocity and stabilize the water stream.The flow pattern without a filter can be improved significantly even with the the use of just a 10 PPI irregular filter. Although the study confirmed that use of the filter may change the flow characteristics, it needs to be noted that the use of the ceramic filter alone cannot solve all the problems caused by a poorly designed gating system.

A new production technique for wear resistant ring-hammers

Based on a great number of laboratory experiments, a new technique has been developed for producing wear resistant ring-hammers. In this technology, lost foam casting with iron sand was combined to make mold; a special alloy was used to inoculate the molten steel, and proper heat treatment was used to further improve mechanical properties of wear resistant ring-hammers. The influence of this new production technology on the microstructure and mechanical properties of wear resistant ring-hammers was studied. Results show that iron sand molding, having the inherent characteristic of sand molding, changes the type of metallic compounds, refines crystal grains and increases the fineness of microstructure. Practical experience verified that the properties of the ring-hammers produced with this new technique are as follows: tensile strength (Rm) 720 MPa, impact toughness (ak) > 210 J·cm-2 and hardness > 200 HB. After water quenching from 1,080℃ (holding for 4 h) and tempering at 320℃ for 3 h, the best wear resistance is obtained, and the wear resistance is 1.6 times higher than that of common high manganese ring-hammers.

A novel application of fluidization-Integrating three processes in reclaiming foundry sand

Immersion of automotive parts in a fluidized bed of foundry sand is used to both strip the castings free from moulding sand and to heat-treat the castings at 500℃. The fluid bed is heated by hot gases from a burner directed first into a serpentine heat exchanger located near one side-wall of the rectangular tank, and then into a distributor consisting of horizontal sparger pipes having maintenance standpipes fixed into their upper surfaces.

Hot Tearing of Sand Cast Mg-5 wt.% Y-4 wt.% RE (WE54) Alloy

Hot tearing is a common and severe defect occurring during solidification of castings. The rational understand- ing of hot tearing formation mechanism is beneficial to the foundry process design. In the present research, a new developed instrumented ＂CRC＂ equipment was applied in characterization of hot tearing in sand cast Mg-5 wt.% Y-4 wt.% RE （WE54） alloy with and without Zr addition. Microstructure observation and thermal analysis were carried out to help analyzing the results. The results showed that hot tearing onset occurs at a relatively low solid fraction （fs） in WE54 alloy sand castings, which indicates the participation of remaining liquid during hot tearing formation. Microstructure observation of the hot tearing surface also proves the liquid film existence between solidifying dendrites. The contraction strain caused by casting solidification induces the flowing of remaining liquid between solidifying dendrites and results in formation of interdendritic liquid films. These liquid films are separated by sufficient contraction stress and form hot cracks. The addition of Zr in WE54 alloy significantly refines the alloy microstructure and increases the solid fraction at hot tearing onset, both of which result in increasing of the fracture stress of interdendritic liquid film. Thus the hot tearing susceptibility of WE54 alloy is weakened by Zr addition.