The article presents investigation results of the effect of sand fluidization on the structure and mechanical properties of AlSi9 aluminum alloy. Castings were made by lost foam casting process with sand fluidization in mold at the stages of their solidification and cooling. Sand fluidization was achieved by blowing sand bed with compressed air in a foundry container. The metallographic study was carrying out on samples cut from different sections of the castings. Mechanical properties were determined on specimens made from cast samples. Microstructural analysis showed that sand fluidization increases the cooling rate, as a result, the main microstructural components of the alloy – SDAS, eutectic silicon and needles of the rich-iron phase – decrease. Moreover, in different sections of the casting structure is more uniform. With an increasing the air flow rate, a greater refinement of the structure is observed. Through the use of sand fluidization, the mechanical properties of LFC aluminum alloys increase to the level of gravity die castings.
In this work, the influence of microwave drying parameters such as irradiation time and microwave power level on the properties of synthetic moulding sands is presented. Determination of compressive strength Rc s, shear strength Rt s and permeability Ps of synthetic moulding sands with the addition of two different bentonites, after drying process with variable microwave parameters were made. The research works were carried out using the microwave oven with regulated power range of the electromagnetic field. From the results obtained, the significant influence of both drying time and microwave power level on the selected properties of moulding sands was observed. In comparison to the conventional drying method, microwave drying allows to obtain higher compressive strength of the synthetic moulding sand. The influence of application microwave irradiation on permeability was not observed. Higher strength characteristics and shorter drying time are major advantages of application of the electromagnetic irradiation for drying of the synthetic moulding sand with regard to conventional drying method.
Within the research, selected multilayer technological systems created as combinations of water-glass containing moulding sand with
foundry tooling, were characterised on the grounds of their electrical properties. By measuring resonance frequency and quality factor of a
waveguide resonance cavity, real component of permittivity εr′ and loss tangent tgδ were determined for multilayer foundry systems with
various qualitative and quantitative compositions. It was demonstrated that combination of a sandmix and foundry tooling with known
dielectric properties results in a system with different physico-chemical properties, whose relation to the parameters of individual
components of the system is undefined at this research stage. On the grounds of measurement results, theoretical value of microwave
heating power, dissipated in unit volume of the selected multilayer foundry system, was determined. Knowledge of theoretical heating
power and evaluation of physical, chemical and structural changes occurring in moulding sands exposed to microwaves in such a
technological system makes a ground for empirical modelling of the process of microwave heating of foundry moulds and cores.
The paper presents the results of the crystallization process of silumin by the TDA thermographic method and the results of the cast
microstructure obtained in the sampler TDA-10, that was cooling down in ambient air. The study was conducted for silumin AlSi11
unmodified. The work demonstrated that the use of thermal imaging camera allows for the measurement and recording the solidification
process of silumin. Thermal curve was registered with the infrared camera and derivative curve that was calculated on the base of thermal
curve have both a very similar shape to adequate them TDA curves obtained from measurements using a thermocouple. Test results by
TDA thermographic method enable quantitative analysis of the kinetics of the cooling and solidification process of neareutectic silumin.
The last decade has seen growing interest in professional public about applications of porous metallic materials. Porous metals represent a new type of materials with low densities, large specific surface, and novel physical and mechanical properties, characterized by low density and large specific surface. They are very suitable for specific applications due to good combination of physical and mechanical properties such as high specific strength and high energy absorption capability. Since the discovery of metal foams have been developed many methods and techniques of production in liquid, solid and gas phases. Condition for the use of metal foams - advanced materials with unique usability features, are inexpensive ways to manage their production. Mastering of production of metallic foams with defined structure and properties using gravity casting into sand or metallic foundry moulds will contribute to an expansion of the assortment produced in foundries by completely new type of material, which has unique service properties thanks to its structure, and which fulfils the current demanding ecological requirements. The aim of research conducted at the department of metallurgy and foundry of VSB-Technical University Ostrava is to verify the possibilities of production of metallic foams by conventional foundry processes, to study the process conditions and physical and mechanical properties of metal foam produced. Two procedures are used to create porous metal structures: Infiltration of liquid metal into the mold cavity filled with precursors or preforms and two stage investment casting.
This article presents the preparation of composite casts made using the technology of precise casting by the method of melted models. The composite was reinforced with the ceramic sinter from Al2O3 particle shaped in a printed polystyrene female mould, which was fired together with precured ceramics. The resulting ceramic preform, after being saturated with paraffin and after the filling system is installed, was filled with liquid moulding sand and fired together with the mould. The reinforcement was saturated by means of the counter-pressure exerting action on the metal column, being a resultant of pressures inside and outside the chamber. The preliminary assessment showed no apparent defects in the shape of the cast. The casting was measured and the figures were compared with the dimensions of the matrix in which the reinforcing preform was made, the preform after firing and after saturation with paraffin. The results were presented in a table and dimensional deviations were determined. The composite casting was subjected to metallographic tests, which excluded any porous defects or damage to the reinforcement. It can therefore be said that, according to the predictions resulting from the previous calculations, the pressure values used allowed for complete filling of the reinforcement capillaries. The proposed method is therefore suitable for the preparation of precision composite castings with complex shapes.
The constant growth of foundry modernization, mechanization and automation is followed with growing requirements for the quality and parameters of both moulding and core sands. Due to this changes it is necessary to widen the requirements for the parameters used for their quality evaluation by widening the testing of the moulding and core sands with the measurement of their resistance to mechanical deformation (further called elasticity). Following article covers measurements of this parameter in chosen moulding and core sands with different types of binders. It focuses on the differences in elasticity, bending strength and type of bond destruction (adhesive/cohesive) between different mixtures, and its connection to the applied bonding agent. Moulding and cores sands on which the most focus is placed on are primarily the self-hardening moulding sands with organic and inorganic binders, belonging to the group of universal applications (used as both moulding and core sands) and mixtures used in cold-box technology.
This paper focuses on mechanical properties of self hardening moulding sands with furfuryl and alkyd binders. Elasticity as a new
parameter of moulding sands is investigated. With the use of presented testing equipment, it is possible to determine force kinetics and
deformation of moulding sand in real time. The need for this kind of study comes from the modern casting industry. New foundries can be
characterized with high intensity of production which is correlated with high level of mechanization and automatization of foundry
processes. The increasingly common use of manipulators in production of moulds and cores can lead to generation of new types of flaws,
caused by breakage in moulds and cores which could occur during mould assembly. Hence it is required that moulds and cores have high
resistance to those kinds of factors, attributing it with the phenomenon of elasticity. The article describes the theoretical basis of this
property, presents methods of measuring and continues earlier research.
Presented are results of a preliminary research on determining a possibility to use microwave radiation for drying casting protective
coatings applied on patterns used in the lost foam technology. Taken were measurements of permittivity εr and loss factor tgδ at 2.45 GHz,
as well as attempts were made of microwave drying of a protective coating based on aluminium silicates, applied on shapes of foamed
polystyrene and rigid polymeric foam. Time and results of microwave drying were compared with the results obtained by drying at 50 °C
by the traditional method commonly used for removing water from protective coatings. Analysis of the obtained drying kinetics curves
demonstrated that selection of proper operation parameters of microwave equipment permits the drying time to be significantly shortened.
Depending on kind of the pattern material, drying process of a protective coating runs in a different way, resulting in obtaining different
quality of the dried coating.
The microstructure of Al-Si alloy has coarse silicon and this structure is known dangerous for mechanical properties due to its crack effect. Sr addition is preferred to modify the coarse silica during solidification. Additionally, bifilms (oxide structure) are known as a more dangerous defect which is frequently seen in light alloys. It is aimed at that negative effect of bifilms on the properties of the alloys tried to be removed by the degassing process and to regulate the microstructure of the alloy. In this study, the effect of degassing and Sr modification on the mechanical properties of AlSi12Fe alloy was investigated, extensively. Four different parameters (as-received, as-received + degassing, Sr addition, Sr addition + degassing) were studied under the same conditions environmentally. The microstructural analyses and mechanical tests were done on cast parts. All data obtained from the experimental study were analyzed statistically by using statistical analysis software. It was concluded from the results that Sr addition is very dangerous for AlSi12Fe alloy. It can be suggested that to reach high mechanical properties and low casting defects, the degassing process must be applied to all castings whereas Sr addition should not be preferred.
Recently, some major changes have occurred in the structure of the European foundry industry, such as a rapid development in the production of castings from compacted graphite iron and light alloys at the expense of limiting the production of steel castings. This created a significant gap in the production of heavy steel castings (exceeding the weight of 30 Mg) for the metallurgical, cement and energy industries. The problem is proper moulding technology for such heavy castings, whose solidification and cooling time may take even several days, exposing the moulding material to a long-term thermal and mechanical load. Owing to their technological properties, sands with organic binders (synthetic resins) are the compositions used most often in industrial practice. Their main advantages include high strength, good collapsibility and knocking out properties, as well as easy mechanical reclamation. The main disadvantage of these sands is their harmful effect on the environment, manifesting itself at various stages of the casting process, especially during mould pouring. This is why new solutions are sought for sands based on organic binders to ensure their high technological properties but at the same time less harmfulness for the environment. This paper discusses the possibility of reducing the harmful effect of sands with furfuryl binders owing to the use of resins with reduced content of free furfuryl alcohol and hardeners with reduced sulphur content. The use of alkyd binder as an alternative to furfuryl binder has also been proposed and possible application of phenol-formaldehyde resins was considered.
The paper deals with the effect of heating of various prepared batch materials into semisolid state with subsequent solidification of the cast under pressure. The investigated material was a subeutectic aluminium alloy AlSi7Mg0.3. The heating temperature to the semisolid was chosen at 50% liquid phase. The used material was prepared in a variety of ways: heat treatment, inoculation and by squeeze casting. Also the influence of the initial state of material on inheritance of mechanical properties and microstructure was observed. The pressure was 100 MPa. Effect on the resulting casting structure, alpha phase distribution and eutectic silicon was observed. By using semisolid squeeze casting process the mechanical properties and microstructures of the casts has changed. The final microstructure of the casts is very similar to the microstructure that can be reached by technology of thixocasting. The mechanical properties by using semisolid squeeze casting has been increased except the heat treated material.
The dimensional accuracy of a final casting of Inconel 738 LC alloy is affected by many aspects. One of them is the choice of method and time of cooling the wax model for precision investment casting. The main objective of this work was to study the initial deformation of the complex shape of a rotor blades casting. Various approaches have been tested for cooling a wax pattern. When wax models are air cooled and without clamping in the jig for cooling, deviations from the ideal shape of the casting are very noticeable (up to 8 mm) and most are in extreme positions of the model. When the blade is cooled in the fixing jig in a water environment, the resulting deviations compared to those of air cooling are significantly larger, sometimes up to 10 mm. This itself does not mean that the final shape of the casting is dimensionally more accurate with the usage of wax models, which have smaller deviations from the ideal position. Another deformation occurs when the shell mould is produced around the wax pattern and further deformations emerge while cooling the blade casting. This paper demonstrates the first steps in describing the complex process of deformations occurring in Inconel alloy blades produced with investment casting technology by comparing results of thermal imagery, simulations in foundry simulation software ProCAST 2010, and measurements from a CNC scanning system using a Carl Zeiss MC 850. Conclusions are so far not groundbreaking, but it seems that deformations of the wax pattern and deformations of the castings do in some cases cancel each other by having opposite directions. Describing the whole process of deformations will help increase the precision of blade castings so that the models at the beginning and the blades in the end are the same.
The essence of ablation casting technology consists in pouring castings in single-use moulds made from the mixture of sand and a watersoluble binder. After pouring the mould with liquid metal, while the casting is still solidifying, the mould destruction (washing out, erosion) takes place using a stream of cooling medium, which in this case is water. This paper focuses on the selection of moulding sands with hydrated sodium silicate for moulds used in the ablation casting. The research is based on the use of Cordis binder produced by the Hüttenes-Albertus Company. It is a new-generation inorganic binder based on hydrated sodium silicate. Its hardening takes place under the effect of high temperature. As part of the research, loose moulding mixtures based on the silica sand with different content of Cordis binder and special Anorgit additive were prepared. The reference material was sand mixture without the additive. The review of literature data and the results of own studies have shown that moulding sand with hydrated sodium silicate hardened by dehydration is characterized by sufficient strength properties to be used in the ablation casting process. Additionally, at the Foundry Research Institute in Krakow, preliminary semi-industrial tests were carried out on the use of Cordis sand technology in the manufacture of moulds for ablation casting. The possibility to use these sand mixtures has been confirmed in terms of both casting surface quality and sand reclamation.
Examples of cast grates whose construction was based on previously used "old" patterns of the technological equipment for heat treatment furnaces (TEq) are presented. Manufacturers of this type of castings have at their disposal numerous earlier designs of the applied TEq. Their adaptation for the needs of a new order, i.e. the creation of a new design or modification of the already existing one, significantly reduces both cost and time of the implementation. It also allows making new grate constructions of various shapes and sizes, reducing in this way the number of patterns stored by the manufacturer of castings. The examples of cast grates shown and discussed in this study document the variety of ways that can be used when making them from the already existing patterns or castings. The presented grates were made using master patterns, entire castings or their fragments, and modular segments.