Casting Defects

Metal casters try to produce perfect castings.

A few castings, however, are completely free of

defects.

Modern foundries have sophisticated inspection

equipment which can detect small differences in size
and a wide variety of external and even internal
defects.
For example, slight shrinkage on the back of a
decorative wall plaque is acceptable whereas similar
shrinkage on a position cannot be tolerated.

No matter what the intended use, however, the goal of

modern foundries is zero defects in all castings
 Scrap castings cause much concern.

In industry, scrap results in smaller profits for the company and

ultimately affects individual wages.

Scrap meetings are held daily. Managers of all the major departments
attend these meetings. They gather castings that have been identified as
scrap by inspector. The defect is circled with chalk. An effort is made to
analyze the cause of the defect, and the manager whose department was
responsible for it is directed to take corrective action to eliminate that
specific defect in future castings.

There are so many variables in the production of a metal casting

that the cause is often a combination of several factors rather than
a single one.

All pertinent data related to the production of the casting (sand

and core properties, pouring temperature) must be known in order
to identify the defect correctly.

After the defect is identified attempt should be to eliminate the

defect by taking appropriate corrective action.
 CASTING DEFECTS
SURFACE SUBSURFACE
METALLIC PROJECTION SUBSURFACE CAVITY-
Swell, Crush, Mould Drop, Fillet Vein
Blow Holes, Pin Holes, Shrinkage
DEFECTIVE SURFACE
Porosity, Internal Shrinkage,
Erosion Scab, Fusion, Expansion Scab, Rat tails,
Severe
Buckle, Seams, Gas Runs, Fillet Scab, Rough
Surface, Slag Inclusion, Elephant Skin Roughness
CHANGE IN DIMENSION-
Warped casting INCLUSIONS-
INCOMPLETE CASTING- Gas Inclusions, Slag, Blow Holes
Misrun, Run out
CAVITY- DISCONTINUITY-
Blow Holes, Shrinkage cavity, Pinholes Cold Shuts
DISCONTINUITY-
Hot Cracking, Cold Shut, Cold Cracking

NITC
Repairability
FINS OR FLASH ON CASTINGS -AsMetallic Projections

Joint flash or fins. Flat projection of irregular thickness,

often with lacy edges, perpendicular to one of the faces
of the casting. It occurs along the joint or parting line of
the mold, at a core print, or wherever two elements of
the mold intersect.
Possible Causes
Clearance between two elements of the mold or between
mold and core;
Poorly fit mold joint.
Remedies
Care in pattern making, molding and core making;
Control of their dimensions;
Care in core setting and mold assembly;
Sealing of joints where possible.
 Flask was disturbed while investment was setting.
Base was removed too soon.
Flask was allowed to partially dry before dewaxing.
Incorrect dewaxing or a furnace malfunction.
Flask burned out and allowed to cool below (260oC) before
casting reheating, flask allowed to cool between dewax and
placement in preheated oven.
Flask was improperly handled or dropped.
Speed was set too high on centrifugal casting machine.
Patterns were placed on one plane. The should be staggered
on top rack.
Incorrect water powder ratio was used.
Not enough investment was placed over the patterns.
Flask was placed too close to heat source in burnout oven.
Flasks were not held at low burnout temperature long
enough.
DEFECTS IN CASTINGS- CAN BE ELIMINATED/MINIMISED
BY PROPER DESIGN, MOLD PREPARATION, PROPER
POURING.
NITC
 DEFECTS IN CASTINGS- AS HOT TEARS - DUE TO
CONSTRAINTS IN LOCATIONS, CASTINGS CANNOT
SHRINK FREELY

NITC
Cavities

Blowholes, pinholes. Smooth-walled cavities,

essentially spherical, often not contacting the
external casting surface (blowholes). The largest
cavities are most often isolated; the smallest
(pinholes) appear in groups of varying
dimensions.
The interior walls of blowholes and pinholes can
be shiny, more or less oxidized or, in the case of
cast iron, can be covered with a thin layer of
graphite. The defect can appear in all regions of
the casting.
 Possible Causes

Because of gas entrapped in the metal during the course of

solidification:
Excessive gas content in metal bath (charge materials, melting
method, atmosphere, etc.); Dissolved gases are released during
solidification.

In steel and cast irons: formation of carbon monoxide by the

reaction of carbon and oxygen, presents as a gas or in oxide form.
Blowholes from carbon monoxide may increase in size by diffusion
of hydrogen or, less often, nitrogen.

Excessive moisture in molds or cores.

Core binders which liberate large amounts of gas.
Excessive amounts of additives containing hydrocarbons.
Blacking and washes which tend to liberate too much gas.
Insufficient evacuation of air and gas from the mold cavity;
-insufficient mold and core permeability.
Entrainment of air due to turbulence in the runner system.
 Remedies
Make adequate provision for evacuation of air
and gas from the mold cavity
Increase permeability of mold and cores
Avoid improper gating systems
Assure adequate baking of dry sand molds
Control moisture levels in green sand molding

Reduce amounts of binders and additives used

or change to other types; -use blackings and
washes, which provide a reducing atmosphere;
-keep the spree filled and reduce pouring height

Increase static pressure by enlarging runner

height.
Discontinuities

Hot cracking. A crack often scarcely visible because the casting in

general has not separated into fragments. The fracture surfaces
may be discolored because of oxidation. The design of the casting is
such that the crack would not be expected to result from constraints
during cooling.

Possible Causes
Damage to the casting while hot due to rough handling or excessive
temperature at shakeout.

Remedies
Care in shakeout and in handling the casting while it is still hot;
Sufficient cooling of the casting in the mold;
For metallic molds; delay knockout, assure mold alignment, use
ejector pins
Defective Surface

Flow marks. On the surfaces of otherwise sound castings,

the defect appears as lines which trace the flow of the
streams of liquid metal.

Possible Causes
Oxide films which lodge at the surface, partially marking the
paths of metal flow through the mold.

Remedies
Increase mold temperature;
Lower the pouring temperature;
Modify gate size and location (for permanent molding by
gravity or low pressure);
Tilt the mold during pouring;
In die casting: vapor blast or sand blast mold surfaces which
are perpendicular, or nearly perpendicular, to the mold
parting line.
Incomplete Casting

Poured short. The upper portion of the casting is missing.

The edges adjacent to the missing section are slightly
rounded, all other contours conform to the pattern. The
spree, risers and lateral vents are filled only to the same
height above the parting line, as is the casting (contrary to
what is observed in the case of defect).

Possible Causes
Insufficient quantity of liquid metal in the ladle;
Premature interruption of pouring due to workmans error.

Remedies
Have sufficient metal in the ladle to fill the mold;
Check the gating system;
Instruct pouring crew and supervise pouring practice.
Incorrect Dimensions or Shape
Distorted casting. Inadequate thickness, extending over
large areas of the cope or drag surfaces at the time the
mold is rammed.

Possible Causes
Rigidity of the pattern or pattern plate is not sufficient to
withstand the ramming pressure applied to the sand. The
result is an elastic deformation of the pattern and a
corresponding, permanent deformation of the mold
cavity. In diagnosing the condition, the compare the
surfaces of the pattern with those of the mold itself.

Remedy
Assure adequate rigidity of patterns and pattern plates,
especially when squeeze pressures are being increased.
Inclusions or Structural Anomalies

Metallic Inclusions. Metallic or intermetallic inclusions of various sizes which

are distinctly different in structure and color from the base material, and most
especially different in properties. These defects most often appear after
machining.

Possible Causes
Combinations formed as intermetallics between the melt and metallic impurities
(foreign impurities);
Charge materials or alloy additions which have not completely dissolved in the
melt;
Exposed core wires or rods;
During solidification, insoluble intermetallic compounds form and segregate,
concentrating in the residual liquid.

Remedies
Assure that charge materials are clean; eliminate foreign metals;
Use small pieces of alloying material and master alloys in making up the charge;
Be sure that the bath is hot enough when making the additions;
Do not make addition too near to the time of pouring;
For nonferrous alloys, protect cast iron crucibles with a suitable wash coating
 INCLUSIONS (FOREIGN PARTICLES) IN CASTINGS

Patterns were improperly sprued to wax base or tree or not

filleted, causing investment to break at sharp corners during
casting.
Flask was not sufficiently cured before placing into burnout
oven.
Improper dewaxing cycle was used.
Flask was not cleaned from prior cast.
Loose investment in sprue hole.
Molten metal contains excess flux or foreign oxides.
Crucible disintegrating or poorly fluxed.
Improperly dried graphite crucible.
Investment was not mixed properly or long enough.
Contaminants in wax pattern.
Flask was not held at low burnout temperature long enough.
Flask was placed too close to heat source in burnout oven.
 POROSITY
Pattern is improperly sprued. Sprues may be
too thin, too long or not attached in the proper
location, causing shrinkage porosity.
Not enough metal reservoir to eliminate
shrinkage porosity.
Metal contains gas.
Mold is too hot.
Too much moisture in the flux.
Too much remelt being used. Always use at
least 50% new metal.
Metal is overheated.
Poor mold burnout.
 ROUGH CASTINGS
A poor quality pattern
Flask was not sufficiently cured before
placing into burnout oven.
Flask was held in steam dewax too long.
Metal, flask or both were too hot.
Patterns were improperly sprued.
Flask was placed too close to heat source
in burnout oven.
 BUBBLES OR NODULES ON
CASTINGS
Vacuum pump is leaking air.
Vacuum pump has water in the oil.
Vacuum pump is low on oil.
Investment not mixed properly or long
enough.
Invested flasks were not vibrated during
vacuum cycle.
Vacuum extended past working time.
 SPALLING (an area of the mold wall
flakes into the mold cavity)
Flask was placed into a furnace at low
temperature (below 150oC) for an
extended period.
Flask was placed too close to the source
of heat.
Sharp corners are struck by metal at high
centrifugal velocities.
Improper burnout cycle was used.
 NON-FILL OR INCOMPLETE CASTINGS
Metal was too cold when cast.
Mold was too cold when cast.
The burnout was not complete.
Pattern was improperly sprued, creating
turbulence when casting in a centrifugal
casting machine.
Centrifugal casting machine had too high
revolution per minute.
 GROWTH-LIKE ROUGH CASTING THAT
RESISTS REMOVAL IN PICKLING
SOLUTION
Burnout temperature too high.
Mold temperature was too high when
casting.
Metal temperature was too high when
casting.
 SHINY CASTINGS
Carbon residue was left in the mold,
creating a reducing condition on the
surface.
AVERAGE SURFACE ROUGHNESS VALUES BY
VARIOUS PROCESSES

NITC
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

CAREFUL CONTROL OF LARGE NUMBER OF

VARIABLES NEEDED-
CHARACTERISTICS OF METALS & ALLOYS
CAST
METHOD OF CASTING
MOULD AND DIE MATERIALS
MOULD DESIGN
PROCESS PARAMETERS- POURING,
TEMPERATURE,
GATING SYSTEM
RATE OF COOLING Etc.Etc.

NITC
 Poor casting practices, lack of control of process
variables- DEFECTIVE CASTINGS

TO AVOID DEFECTS-
Basic economic factors relevant to casting operations to
be studied.
General guidelines applied for all types of castings to be
studied.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

NITC
CORNERS, ANGLES AND SECTION THICKNESS
Sharp corners, angles, fillets to be avoided
Cause cracking and tearing during solidification
Fillet radii selection to ensure proper liquid metal flow-
3mm to 25 mm.
Too large- volume large & rate of cooling less
Location with largest circle inscribed critical.
Cooling rate less
shrinkage cavities & porosities result-
Called HOT SPOTS

NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-

AVOID SHARP CORNERS

MAINTAIN UNIFORM CROSS SECTIONS
AVOID SHRINKAGE CAVITIES
USE CHILLS TO INCREASE THE RATE OF COOLING
STAGGER INTERSECTING REGIONS FOR
UNIFORM CROSS SECTIONS
REDESIGN BY MAKING PARTING LINE STRAIGHT
AVOID THE USE OF CORES, IF POSSIBLE
MAINTAIN SECTION THICKNESS UNIFORMITY
BY REDESIGNING (in die cast products)

NITC
 LARGE FLAT AREAS TO BE AVOIDED-
WARPING DUE TO TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
ALLOWANCES FOR SHRINKAGE TO BE PROVIDED
PARTING LINE TO BE ALONG A FLAT PLANE-
GOOD AT CORNERS OR EDGES OF CASTING
DRAFT TO BE PROVIDED
PERMISSIBLE TOLERANCES TO BE USED
MACHINING ALLOWANCES TO BE MADE
RESIDUAL STRESSES TO BE AVOIDED

ALL THESE FOR EXPENDABLE MOULD CASTINGS.

NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-
AVOID SHARP CORNERS TO REDUCE STRESS
CONCENTRATIONS
NITC
 DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-
MAINTAIN UNIFORM CROSS SECTIONS TO AVOID HOT
SPOTS AND SHRINKAGE CAVITIES
NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-

GOOD DESIGN PRACTICE

NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-

STAGGERING OF INTERSECTING REGIONS

NITC
 DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-
SECTION THICKNESS UNIFORMITY MAINTAINED
THROUGHOUT PART
NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS
NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-
USE OF METAL PADDING (CHILLS)

TO INCREASE RATE OF COOLING

NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-

MAKING PARTING LINE STRAIGHT

NITC
DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID DEFECTS-
IN DESIGN

NITC
 INSPECTION OF CASTINGS
SEVERAL METHODS
VISUAL
OPTICAL
- FOR SURFACE DEFECTS
SUBSURFACE AND
INTERNAL DEFECTS
THROUGH
NDTs & DTs

PRESSURE TIGHTNESS OF
VALVES BY SEALING THE
OPENING AND
PRESSURISING WITH WATER
EXERCISE
 PROCESS FLOW CHART
RECEIPT OF ORDER
(REVIEW)
ARE THE TERMS ACCEPTED? NO COMMUNICATE-
NEGOTIATE
YES
PREPARE WORK ORDER
WORK ORDER TO Q.C, INSPECTION, PLANNING, METHODS,
PRODUCTION AND DESPATCH
 PRODUCTION PLAN
METHOD DRAWING, QA DATA, PATTERN PLAN
MOULDING
WORK ORDER, CORE MAKING, HEAT CONFORMATION
MELTING AND POURING
FOR THESE, LAB TEST REPORTS
KNOCK OUT
STAGE ISPECTION- NOT OK, REJECT
OK, SHOT BLASTING, GAS CUTTING/ARC CUTTING
ASTM STANDARDS
HEAT TREATMENT
ROUGH FETTLING, FINISH FETTLING,
INSPECTION
 NDT- CUSTOMER REPORT, NOT OK,
WELDING & RECTIFICATION
WELDING LOG SHEET
RE-INSPECTION, NOT OK-
REJECT
MACHINE - IF REQUIRED
STRESS RELIEF
HYDRAULIC TESTS Etc.
TEST CERTIFICATE DESPATCH
DOCUMENTS, PACKING, Etc. Etc.
 Largest Vertically Parted Mold Machine Built for
Denmark.
DISA Group (with U.S. headquarters in Oswego, Illinois)
NEWS FROM NET

received a contract for the delivery of a jumbo-sized

DISA 280B vertical green sand molding system.
Molds measure 850 x 1200 mm, making it the largest
vertically parted green sand molding system ever
produced.
This new jumbo-sized molding system provides a space-
saving, high-capacity and high-quality alternative to
conventional horizontal molding lines.
 It works on the vertically parted molding principle
of blowing green sand into the mold chamber,
which is subsequently squeezed into flaskless
NEWS FROM NET

molds. In the inaugural installation, the DISA 280B

is replacing a horizontal green sand molding line of
a similar flask/box size. The foundry is making the
switch from its existing horizontal molding
arrangement to the large-scale vertically parted
machine to gain competitiveness through
productivity gains and enhanced casting quality.
These improvements are fundamental to the
foundrys success in its market sector.
 The MM Casting Process
NEWS FROM NET

Design Considerations Metal Specifications

Tooling Machining

Supply of Design Information Inspection / Quality

Assurance

Case Studies - Automobile Telephone Chassis - Cassette Slide

Ratchet - Casting for Satellite TV - Clamp - Computer Data
Backup System - Gauge Body - Hand Held Breathalyzer -
Light Shield - Regulator Valve - Roller Carrier Slide -
Small Metal Connectors - Switch Gear - Twister

MM-Micro Metalsmiths in the field of Investment casting

NEWS FROM NET

The contract includes the design and changeover

of existing horizontal patterns to a vertical
orientation. This assures that the foundry will be
able to continue to use more than 98% of its
existing patterns. The foundry expects to begin
production without any compatibility problems as
the new line takes the same position of the
existing mold line on the foundry floor.
.
NEWS FROM NET

The MM casting process

Precision investment casting process

The aim of this guide is to enable the designer to take advantage

of the technical and commercial benefits offered by the MM
casting process. Also included in the guide are design ideas and
considerations to help and stimulate the design process.
 Micro Metalsmiths continues to develop its process so as
NEWS FROM NET

to meet ever more exacting market challenges.

For over thirty years Micro Metalsmiths has refined its
techniques for excellence in the production of copper
and aluminium alloy investment castings.
Micro Metalsmiths has combined its impressive
investment casting technology with best practice CNC
machining, so allowing many of the constraints placed
on engineering design to be overcome.
All this is carried out within a BSI accredited ISO 9001
Quality System.
NEWS FROM NET Why use the MM casting process

Reduce overall costs by Designing for Manufacture:

simplify an assembly by combining a number of parts:
eliminate joining processes: reduce the part count whilst
improving the integrity of the finished product.

Reduce time to market through use of Rapid

Prototyping technology and obtain casting, machining,
assembly and packaging from one source. Finished metal
parts are deliverable from concept in less than four
weeks.

Design flexibility, with quick modifications to tooling

that costs 90% less than for a pressure die casting, whilst
maintaining economic batch quantities of up to 500,000
parts per annum.
 What the MM casting process can deliver:
NEWS FROM NET
High quality finish, detail and specification. Thin
walls as fine as 0.2 mm, typically 1-3 mm.
Light weight components, weighing as little as 1g
can be produced using techniques to minimise
material usage whilst retaining component
integrity.
Maximum size of 190 mm x 160 mm x 160 mm. A
length of 250 mm is possible providing no other
dimension exceeds 100mm.
Complex detail on internal and external features.
Superfine surfaces with 0.8 micrometres being the
as cast finish.
Zero draft angles
NEWS FROM NET

The Sure-Trak shot control system is a real-

time, all digital, closed-loop system to
increase die-casting quality. Mercury
Castings has seen success in reducing air
entrapment during the slow shot phase on a
variety of parts, including these outboard
engine covers

www.moderncasting.com/info