Influence of shrinkage porosity on fatigue performance of iron castings and life estimation method

Shrinkage porosity exists more or less in heavy castings, and it plays an important role in the fatigue behavior of cast materials. In this study, fatigue tests were carried out on the QT400-18 cast iron specimens containing random degrees of shrinkage porosity defect. Experimental results showed that the order of magnitude of life scattered from 103 to 106 cycles when the shrinkage percentage ranged from 0.67% to 5.91%. SEM analyses were carried out on the shrinkage porosity region. The inter-granular discontinuous, micro cracks and inclusions interfered with the fatigue sliding or hindering process. The slip in shrinkage porosity region was not as orderly as the ordinary continuous medium. The shrinkage porosity area on fracture surface(SPAFS) and alternating stress intensity factor(ASIF) were applied to evaluate the tendency of residual life distribution; their relationship was fitted by negative exponent functions. Based on the intermediate variable of ASIF, a fatigue life prediction model of nodular cast iron containing shrinkage porosity defects was established. The modeling prediction was in agreement with the experimental results.

Optimization of investment casting process for K477 superalloy aero-engine turbine nozzle by simulation and experiment

In order to reduce the shrinkage porosity of nickel-based superalloy castings in the investment casting process,the effects of different gating systems on mold filling,solidification process,and prediction of shrinkage porosity of aero-engine turbine nozzle castings were investigated by simulation and experimental methods.Results show that the design of the vertical runner would cause greater turbulence of the melt in the riser during the mold filling process,and the outer runner is not necessary.With the decrease in number of runners,the hot spot moves down towards the casting,and the shrinkage and porosity defects are formed in the casting below the riser.In the original designs,a certain tendency of shrinkage and porosity defect is found in the vanes,inner rings,and outer rings of the castings by both simulation prediction and experiment.Finally,based on the processing optimization,the aero-engine turbine nozzle casting with no shrinkage and porosity defects is obtained.

Effect of Mold Hardness on Microstructure and Contraction Porosity in Ductile Cast Iron

The effect of mold hardness on the microstructure of ductile iron and the contraction porosity was investigated.Molds with different hardnesses（0.41,0.48,0.55,0.62 MPa）and a sand mold prepared by Co2 method were used.The influence of silicon content on the induced expansion pressure owing to the formation of graphite was also investigated.The contraction during solidification can be compensated by an induced expansion owing to the graphite relief when the hardness of mold increases;therefore,the possibility of achieving a sound product without using any riser increases.

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.