Iron casting skin management in no-bake mould – Effects of magnesium residual level and mould coating

The relative performance of coatings for furan resin sand moulds [P-toluol sulphonic acid(PTSA) as hardener] [FRS-PTSA moulds], was compared by analyzing the surface layer for degenerated graphite in Mg treated iron with 0.020 wt.% to 0.054 wt.% Mgres. It was found that the iron nodularising potential(Mg, Ce, La content) and whether the mould coatings contained S, or were capable of desulphurizing were important factors. These moulds have S in the PTSA binder, which aggravates graphite degeneration in the surface layer, depending strongly on the Mgres with lower Mgres increasing the layer thickness. The application of a mould coating strongly influenced graphite deterioration in the surface layer of castings. It either promoted graphite degeneration to less compact morphologies when using S-bearing coatings, or conversely, limited the surface layer thickness using desulphurization type coatings. Independently of the S-source at the metal – mould interface, the presence of sulphur had an adverse effect on graphite quality at the surface of Mg-treated irons, but its negative effect could also reach the graphite phase within the casting section. If the coatings employed desulphurization materials, such as Mg O, or a mixture(Ca O + Mg O + Talc) or Mgbearing Fe Si, they protected the graphite shape, improving graphite nodularity, at the metal – mould interface, and so decreased the average layer thickness in FRS-PTSA moulds. Fe Si Mg was highly efficient in minimizing the casting skin by improving graphite nodularity. It is presumed that the Mg O or(Mg O + Ca O + Talc) based coatings acted to remove any S released by the mould media. The Mg-Fe Si coatings also reacted with S from the mould but additionally supplemented the Mg nodularising potential prior to solidification. This dual activity is achievable with coatings containing active magnesium derived from fine Mg-Fe Si materials.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloy cast by metal mould and lost foam casting

The microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-10.1Gd-3.74Y-0.25Zr （mass fraction, %） alloy （GW104 alloy） cast by metal mould casting （MMC） and lost foam casting （LFC） were evaluated, respectively. It is revealed that different forming modes do not influence the phase composition of as-cast alloy. In the as-cast specimens, the microstructures are similar and composed of α-Mg solid solution, eutectic compound of α-Mg＋Mg 24 （Gd, Y） 5 and cuboid-shaped Mg 5 （Gd, Y） phase; whereas the average grain size of the alloy produced by metal mould casting is smaller than that by lost foam casting. The eutectic compound of the alloy is completely dissolved after solution treatment at 525 ℃for 6 h, while the Mg 5 （Gd, Y） phase still exists after solution treatment. After peak-ageing, the lost foam cast alloy exhibits the maximum ultimate tensile strength of 285 MPa, and metal mould cast specimen 325 MPa at room temperature, while the tensile yield strengths of them are comparable. It can be concluded that GW104 alloy cast by lost foam casting possesses similar microstructure and evidently lower mechanical strength compared with metal mould cast alloy, due to slow solidification rate and proneness to form shrinkage porosities during lost foam casting process.

Production of carbon anodes by high-temperature mould pressing

Laboratory-scale carbon anodes were produced by a new method of high temperature mould pressing, and their physico-chemical properties were studied. The influence of mould pressing conditions and coal pitch addition on the bulk density, crushing strength, and oxidation resistance was analyzed. The mierostructure of carbon anodes was investigated by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and the mechanism of producing carbon anodes by high-temperature mould pressing was analyzed. The results show that when the anodes are produced by high-temperature mould pressing, coal pitch can expand into the coke particles and fill the pores inside the particles, which is beneficial for improving the quality of prebaked anodes. The bulk density of carbon anodes is 1.64-1.66 g/cm3, which is 0.08-0.12 g/cm3 higher than that of industrial anodes, and the oxidation resistance of carbon anodes is also significantly improved.

Performance of digital patternless freeze-casting sand mould

Digital patternless freeze-casting technology is a new approach for obtaining frozen sand moulds using digital milling technology. The change law of tensile strength and air permeability of frozen sand moulds (100-mesh and 200-mesh silica sand, and zircon sand moulds) under different freezing temperatures and water contents was studied. Results show that with the decrease of freezing temperature and the increase of water contents, the tensile strength and air permeability of the sand moulds are gradually improved. Meanwhile, computed tomography technology was used to characterize the shape and size of the water film between the sand particles mixed with 4wt.% water. The results show that in silica sand moulds, the form of water film is lumpy, and 200-mesh silica sand moulds have more water films and higher proportion of small-sized water films than 100-mesh silica sand moulds, while in zircon sand moulds, the form of water film is membranous. At the same freezing temperature and water content, the tensile strength of zircon sand mould is the highest, and 100-mesh silica sand mould is the lowest. A comparative solidification experiment of A356 aluminum alloy was carried out in frozen sand mould and resin sand mould. The results show that the primary α-Al phase appears in the form of equiaxed and eutectic silicon phase is needle-like in freezing sand mould casting, but the primary α-Al phase grows in the form of dendrites, and the eutectic silicon phase is coarse needle-like in the resin sand mould casting. The difference of microstructure is caused by the different cooling rate. The cooling rate of A356 aluminum alloy in frozen sand mould is higher than that in resin sand mould.

Criteria for an advanced assessment of quality of moulding sands with organic binders and reclamation process products

Reclamation of used moulding and core sands has been defined as a treatment of waste moulding refractory materials, enabling a recovery of at least one of the components having properties similar to those of the fresh component, and reuse for production of casting moulds and cores. However, at present, there is a lack of a reclaimed material assessment index, which could be applied to each type of moulding sand and reclaim. Modern investigation methods and equipment for the estimation of the quality of the moulding sands matrices with organic binders, in their circulation process, are presented in this paper. These methods, utilizing the special equipment combined with the author's investigation methods developed in the Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH - University of Science and Technology, allow the better estimation of the matrix quality both in an aspect of its application as a fresh sand substitute in the preparation of moulding sands, and also with regard to the environmental protection. The most important criteria for the technological assessment of the reclaimed materials and the quality of sands with organic binders are presented in this paper.

Study on Blade Mould CAD/CAM for Hydrodynamic Torque COnverters

Aim To develop blade mould CAD/CAM system of torque converter. Methods The mouldconsisted of four parts and an interactive computer program was developed to design a blade mould of torque converter based on UG at workstation. Results As compar- ed to manual modeling, it is showed in the application that this means not only improves the accuracy of blade shape and manufacture efficiency of converter, but also reduces costs. Conclusion It is proved that this CAD/CAM system is successful, and it opens up widely prospects for design and manufacture of the blade elementsand their moulds.

A Case Study of Heat Transfer from Hot Runner Mould to the Fix Platen of the Injection-moulding Machine

In an injection moulding process, the parallelism b et ween the tie bars of the injection moulding machine is very important as it will affect the mould closing and clamping system. In recent years, more and more ho t runner systems are being applied in the moulding industry to save material and decrease the losses of injection pressure. Heat transfer from hot runner system from the fixed half which is secured in the fix machine platen could transmit s o much heat that it may cause high temperature differential between the machine fix platen and moving platen. This will cause the tie bar to become unparallel. Part quality will be compromised and the wear of the tie bar will be excessive. Overhaul of the tie bar may be necessary after a short period of time which is c ostly. This raises the need to analyze the heat transfer from the hot runner sys tem to the machine fix platen and the methods of isolating or minimizing the hea t transfer. In this case study, a photo lens article mould was used. The mould w as built with a direct hot runner nozzle system. Heat conduction from hot runner and machine screw to machine fix platen were studied based on either using high temperature heat insulating plate put in placed between the mould and the mould ing machine fix platen or drill cooling channels in the front mould clamping pla te. The high temperature insulator is very costly as it is made out of glass re inforced polymer composite material. Experimental results were obtained and anal yzed to find the best method to minimize the unwanted heat transfer using the ch eapest and most effective method.

The Comparison Between Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Results of the Cooling of Injection Moulds with Hot Runner System

In an injection moulding process, the mould cooling s ystem is very important as an efficient and uniform cooling effect can improve b oth the productivity and part quality. Due to the complexity of the process, muc h research on the mould cooling analysis and cooling design optimization has bee n focused on the core and the cavity, excluding other systems of injection mould s. However, the runner system introduces a considerable amount of heat into the mould. In recent years, more and more hot runner systems are being applied in th e moulding industry to save material and decrease losses of injection pressure. This raises the need to include the hot runner system in the cooling analysis. I n this paper, a photo frame part was studied. The mould was built with a hot run ner system. Two thermal sensors were installed: one measures the temperature of lateral surface of hot runner nozzle; the other measures the plastic temperature from the core side. A pressure sensor was also installed to measure the pressur e of the core impression. Cooling analysis was performed using ABAQUS, ananalysi s software based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). The assembly including core , cavity and plastic part was modeled. Heat conduction from hot runner to cavity and from polymer melt to the mould and force convection on the cooling channel surfaces were studied. The natural convection between the ambient air and the ex terior mould surface was ignored. The simulations were adjusted with the experim ental results to find out the heat input from hot runner and its influence on mo uld cooling. Finally, the optimal cooling design and optimal injection condition were obtained.

Seamless Bra Cup Moulding of Fabric-Foam Laminated Materials

Seamless bra cup moulding is an important manufacturing technique for the apparel industry,and in particular,for bra production.Polyurethane(PU)foams and/or fabric-foam laminated sheets are moulded into a desirable cup shape in order to fit the three-dimensional(3D)breast contour.Such foam cups not only provide a wide range of designs combined with different levels of softness and support,but also reduce production costs with minimum cutting and sewing of seams.In this study,two selected PU foam and fabric materials typically used for bra cup moulding were examined.Their respective performance behaviour in relation to different moulding temperatures and time changes were recorded and analyzed.The results reveal that cup heights are greatly affected by the use of foam and/or fabric-foam laminated materials.High moulding temperatures and/or prolonged dwell time could be required when deforming laminated materials and setting large cup sizes.Nevertheless,cup height cannot be taken as the only criteria to determine the optimal moulding conditions,and this is especially the case for large cup sizes.The design of mould heads is a major factor that affects the dimension changes of foam cups.In this respect,to control the foam moulding process,it is suggested that bra manufacturers examine the fabric/foam material properties to determine the optimal moulding condition,and quantify the shape of foam cups to enhance the design and development process of aluminum mould heads.

Solvent de binding of water soluble binder in powder injection moulding

The solvent debinding of water soluble binder in powder injection moulding (MIM) was investigated systematically, including the effects of solvent types, temperature and the thickness of green parts on the solvent debinding rate. After studying the debinding of a green part with a thickness of 4.26 mm, it was found that, the debinding rate of polyethylene glycol(PEG) in water and alcohol was high initially, and then decreased; however, it would increase with temperature increasing. At room temperature, the dissolution rate of PEG in water was higher than that in alcohol, but the latter would be much faster with temperature increasing because the debinding activation energy in alcohol was 51.44 kJ·mol -1 ·K -1 , much higher than 24.23 kJ·mol -1 ·K -1 in water. With a green part thickness larger than 4.26 mm, the debinding was controlled by diffusion; but with that smaller than 2.36 mm, the debinding was controlled by both dissolution and diffusion.

Experimental study on cracking behaviour of moulded gypsum containing two non-parallel overlapping flaws under uniaxial compression

Failure of rock mass that is subjected to compressive loads occurs from initiation, propagation, and linkage of new cracks from preexisting fissures. Our research investigates the cracking behaviour and coalescence process in a brittle material with two non-parallel overlapping flaws using a high-speed camera. The coalescence tensile crack and tensile wing cracks were the first cracks to occur from the preexisting flaws. The initiation stresses of the primary cracks at the two tips of each flaw were simultaneous and decreased with reduced flaw inclination angle. The following types of coalescence cracks were identified between the flaws: primary tensile coalescence crack, tensile crack linkage, shear crack linkage, mixed tensile-shear crack, and indirect crack coalescence. Coalescence through tensile linkage occurred mostly at pre-peak stress. In contrast, coalescence through shear or mixed tensile-shear cracks occurred at higher stress. Overall, this study indicates that the geometry of preexisting flaws affect crack initiation and coalescence behaviour.

Development tendencies of moulding and core sands

Further development of the technology for making moulding and core sands will be strictly limited by tough requirements due to protection of the natural environment. These tendencies are becoming more and more tense, so that we will reach a point when even processes, that from technological point of view fulfill high requirements of the foundry industry, must be replaced by more ecologically-friendly solutions. Hence, technologies using synthetic resins as binding materials will be limited. This paper presents some predictable development tendencies of moulding and core sands. The increasing role of inorganic substances will be noticed, including silicate binders with significantly improved properties, such as improved knock-out property or higher reclamation strength. Other interesting solutions might also be moulding sands bonded by geo-polymers and phosphate binders or salts and also binders based on degradable biopolymers. These tendencies and the usefulness of these binders are put forward in this paper.

Physical Properties and Regulating Mechanism of Fluoride-Free and Harmless B_2O_3-Containing Mould Flux

The flux agents in common mould fluxes were fluoride and sodium oxide, which would do great harm to environments. B2O3 was selected as flux. The physical properties of B2O3-containing mould fluxes were studied. The corresponding physical properties of 37. 91% CAO-43.09% SiO2-5% Al2O3-5% MgO-2% Li20-7% B2O3 mould fluxes were as follows： the melting point was 909℃, the flowing temperature was 1 160℃, the viscosity and surface tension at 1300 ℃ were 0. 4 Pa · s and 0.32 N/m respectively, which could meet the demands for certain kinds of steels for mould fluxes in continuous casting.

Research on the overload protection reliability of moulded case circuit-breakers and its test device

This paper analyzed the reliability and put forward the reliability index of overload protection for moulded case circuit breaker. The success rate was adopted as its reliability index of overload protection. Based on the reliability index and the reli- ability level, the reliability examination plan was analyzed and a test device for the overload protection of moulded case cir- cuit-breaker was developed. In the reliability test of overload protection, two power sources were used, which reduced the time of conversion and regulation between two different test currents in the overload protection test, which made the characteristic test more accurate. The test device was designed on the base of a Windows system, which made its operation simple and friendly.

Effect of Traveling Magnetic Field on Mould-Filling Length of the A357 Melt during Casting Thin Walled Plate

In order to improve the mould filling ability, the method for production of thin-walled castings in the travelingmagnetic field was applied. The relationship between magnetic field density and input voltage as well as distancewas investigated, and the mould filling length of A357 melt has been studied. The electromagnetic forces appliedon the melt were also analyzed. The result shows that the mould-filling length of the melt increase rapidly with theincrease of magnetic flux density. The mould filling lengths in gypsum upper mould and magnetic material uppermould were compared from the standpoint of application. It demonstrated that the steel upper mould is superior togypsum mould.

Semi-solid moulding:Competition to cast and machine from forging in making automotive complex components

The very latest technique for impeller manufacture is called semi-solid moulding(SSM).Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited,together with Aluminum Complex Components Inc,developed SSM compressor wheels as a way of achieving cost and durability performance somewhere between that of cast and machined from solid(MFS) aluminium alloy wheels.Experimental results show SSM material has a superior microstructure and mechanical properties over cast and comparable to MFS materials.Component testing including durability testing,using accelerated speed cycle tests,proves SSM compressor wheels emerge as being significantly more durable than cast equivalents and approaching that of MFS impellers.Further challenges for semi-solid processing in manufacture of other complex components and other materials in automotive industry in terms of both cost and durability are also discussed.

Al_2O_3 PARTICLE REINFORCED COPPER MATRIX COMPOSITE USING FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING MOULD

A kind of Cu base composite reinforced by 0 1μm Al 2O 3 particles were prepared by hot pressing and sintering process for steel continuous casting mould. The microstructure and properties were studied. The results show that the Al 2O 3 particle distribution is uniform, and the particles refine the grain size. The tensile fracture is a mixture of quasi cleavage and dimple due to the moderate interface strength. As a result, the composite has better soft resistance and wear resistance than those of Cu and Cu alloy. With increase in super fine Al 2O 3, the density and electric conductivity of the composite decrease, but hardness and strength increase.

Heat Transfer and Its Effect on Solidification in Combined Mould

The nucleation can be enhanced by decreasing the superheat of molten steel, thus reducing temperature gradient on the solidification front can retard the growth of columnar crystals and enlarge the equiaxed zone in continuous casting strand. The billets with equiaxed zone more than 90% were cast with a combined mould and the heat flux was measured. The heat transfer of the combined mould and traditional mould was compared. The resuits show that under same casting conditions, the temperature gradient on the solidification front in the combined mould is smaller than that in traditional mould at a distance within 0-150 mm from the meniscus.

Experimental seismic behavior of squat shear walls with precast concrete hollow moulds

This study proposes an innovative precast shear wall system, called an EVE precast hollow shear wall structure (EVE-PHSW). Precast panels in EVE-PHSW are simultaneously precast with vertical and horizontal holes. Noncontact lap splices of rebars are used in vertical joints connecting adjacent precast panels for automated prefabrication and easy in situ erection. The seismic behavior of EVE walls was examined through a series of tests on six wall specimens with aspect ratios of 1.0~1.3. Test results showed that EVE wall specimens with inside cast-in situ concrete achieved the desired “strong bending and weak shear” and failed in shear mode. Common main diagonal cracks and brittle shear failure in squat cast-in situ walls were prevented. Inside cast-in situ concrete could signifi cantly improve the shear strength and stiff ness of EVE walls. The details of boundary elements (cast-in situ or prefabricated) and vertical joints (contiguous or spaced) had little eff ect on the global behavior of EVE walls. Noncontact lap splices in vertical joints could enable EVE walls to exhibit stable load-carrying capacity through extensive deformations. Evaluation on design codes revealed that both JGJ 3-2010 and ACI 318-14 provide conservative estimation of shear strength of EVE walls, and EVE walls achieved shear strength reserves comparative to cast-in situ walls. The recommended eff ective stiff ness for cast-in situ walls in ASCE 41-17 appeared to be appropriate for EVE walls.