Assignment # 2

Q1) Design various core making processes?

Q2) Compare Molasses sand with silicate/CO2 sand process?

Assignment # 3

Q3) Discuss various sand molding processes?

Q4) Explain Compactibility, mould hardness, green compression

strength and AFS no. of green molding sand.

Core Making Processes:

A core is a device used in casting and molding processes to produce internal cavities
and reentrant angles. The core is normally a disposable item that is destroyed to get it
out of the piece. They are most commonly used in sand casting.
There are many types of cores available. The selection of the correct type of core
depends on production quantity, production rate, required precision, required surface
finish, and the type of metal being used. Some core making processes are defined as
under:

 Sodium Silicate/ CO2 Process

 Molasses Process
 Shell process
 Green sand
 Cold-box

1. Sodium Silicate/CO Core-making Process

2
It is one of the easiest modern core-making processes. In this process, sodium silicate
(4 -6%) is mixed with silica sand by either Batch type mixer or Continuous type screw
mixer. After mixing coating of sodium silicate takes place on silica sand. The sand is
rammed into a core-box and cured by passing CO through the core. CO dissolves in
2 2
the water of sodium silicate and forms carbonic acid.
SiO2 + Na2O + H2O (l) + CO2 (g) → H2CO3 + Na2O + SiO2
Carbonic acid reacts with sodium silicate and forms silica jel.
H2CO3 + Na2O + SiO2 → SiO2 (gel) + Na2 CO3 • H2O (glass)

The silica gel that is formed binds individual sand grains together.
Sand temperature is critical in this process. The core should be between 25ºC to 30ºC
(75ºF to 85ºF). Below 15ºC (60ºF) the reaction proceeds very slowly, and more CO or
2
gassing time is required to fully cure the core. Above 30ºC, excessive amounts of
moisture evaporate during the curing process, resulting in a very weak and brittle
bond. It should also be noted that the gel tends to hydrate, which causes a reduction
in binder strength. This limits core shelf life to about one month.

2. Molasses Process
7-10 % molasses is mixed with silica sand and filled in mould or core boxes then put
them in ovens to dry at about 200oC. It takes time and is not suitable for mass
production.

3. Shell Process
In shell process Silica and is coated with Phenol formaldehyde. The color would
become light brown. This sand is Thermoplastic.
Then it is filled in core box and heat at 200 oC, which allows the chemical components
in the sand to bond together and form the shape within the core box.
There are two processes of coating of Phenol formaldehyde.
1) Warm at 80-100 oC: Phenol formaldehyde is added in liquid form about 3-3.5%
2) Hot at 120-130oC: Phenol formaldehyde is added in form of solid flakes about 3-
3.5%.

4. Cold box Process

Cold box process consists of two parts:
1. Polyol Phenolic Resins (1%)
2. Isocynate (0.4%)

The "polyol" representing one of the components is a phenol-formaldehyde resin

exhibiting benzyl ether character. These resins display the general formula:

in which the sum of m and n is at least two, and the ratio m:n is at least 1:1

The polyisocyanate is an oligomeric product of 2,4'- and 4,4'

-diphenylmethanediisocyanate, and exhibits the following structure:

However, the difference in polarity of the polyisocyanate and phenolic resin limits
the choice of appropriate solvents that are compatible with both components. This
"compatibility" is nonetheless necessary to achieve complete reaction and curing of
the binder.
Polar solvents are, for example, very appropriate for phenolic resins, but less so for
polyisocyanates. The situation is exactly the reverse when nonpolar solvents are used.
The preferred nonpolar solvents are high-boiling aromatic hydrocarbons (generally in
the form of mixtures).
 Silica sand represents the bulk of the sand grades used for the cold box process and
also the particle size of the sand has a major effect on the bending and tensile strength
of the core produced using the cold box method. The fact must also be considered that
the required binder level is directly related to the particle size.

Comparison between Molasses Sand & Sodium Silicate Sand

Process
Sodium Silicate/CO Process Molasses Process
2
Conventional and small foundries are using
One of the easiest modern core making Molasses Sand for making cores and moulds.
processes for instructional and small foundries These are all manual processes or for Non-
to use is the sodium silicate/ CO process. Ferrous industry (Brass and Bronze)
2
 Liquid sodium silicate is mixed with the  Mix the Molasses with Sand and bake up
silica sand. to 2000C.
 The sand is rammed into a core box and  7 to 10% Molasses added in sand and fill
cured by passing CO through the core. in mould then put in ovens up to
2
temperature 2000C.
 Cores made from this process produce less
 Due to the high hygroscopicity of the mix
gas than other processes. Cleanup is also
prepared with molasses, its use is not
easy since water can dissolve the sodium
much favoured for good-quality castings.
silicate. The environmental friendliness,
ease of cleanup, and simplicity makes the
process very simple to conduct in the
teaching foundry.

The sodium silicate/CO process hardens

2
through the following reactions:
SiO2 + Na2O + H2O (l) + CO2 (g) → H2CO3 +
Na 2O+ SiO2
H2CO3 + Na2O + SiO2 → SiO2 (gel) +
Na2CO3 • H2O
(glass)

Molding Processes
According to different standard and requirement, considering features of the castings
and actual technical condition, we adopt different processes to produce the castings.
For example: Green Sand molding, Resin sand molding, Lost foam and coating sand
molding.

1. Green Sand Molding

This process derives its name from the presence of moisture in molding sand. The
sand undergoes a "mulling" process in which various clay and chemical additives that
act as binders such as pitch, cellulose, and silica flour are blended with the sand,
which results in a compound which is suitable for the sand molding process.
This prepared sand mixture is then compressed around the pattern at specific
pressures and temperatures, to ensure it will maintain its shape throughout the
remainder of the casting process. The blended sand and binders are compacted around
the pattern, taking on the shape of the desired casting.
Sometimes the design of the casting entails internal passageways being formed into
the mold. This is done by using sand cores which are made of a similar sand mixture.
The cores are strategically placed to form the necessary passageways in the casting.
The two halves of the mold are subsequently closed and metal is poured into the
cavity and left to solidify.
After solidification has taken place, the sand is vibrated until it is released from the
casting. The finishing process can then be completed by grinding, machining, plating
and painting.

Features
 Low material costs
 Reclaimable mould material.
 Environmentally friendly.
 Ensures strong and rigid moulds.

Advantages
 These molds are relatively inexpensive to produce, since the basic material is
readily available.
 Complex patterns can be accommodated in the in the mold design, at affordable
costs.
 Easily adapts to automated production methods.

2. No Bake Molding
No Bake is a casting process that uses chemical binders to bond the molding sand. The
sand is then transported to the mold fill station in preparation for filling of the mold.
A mixer is then used to blend sand with the chemical binder and the catalyst. When
the sand exits the mixer, the binder begins the hardening process. After the
compaction process, a rollover process is used to remove the mold from the pattern
box. The mould is then readied for handling the molten metal. After a shakeout
process, the molded sand is taken away from the casting. Then various procedures
follow including the finishing and the sand can be reclaimed by thermal means.
The chemical nature of the binders makes this a highly specialized process that has to
been handled with considerable expertise and knowledge.

Features
 Chemical binders are used to create high strength moulds.
 When the temperature is brought to normal levels, the molds turn rigid.

Advantages
 It is adaptable to any quantity
 It creates high strength moulds & improves dimensional repeatability
 Requires low skill and labor requirements
 Provides better dimensional control.

Applications
 Ideal for high value and critical parts
 Desired for Complicated Profiles

3. CO2 Molding
Carbon dioxide molding is a sand casting process that employs a molding mixture of
sand and liquid silicate binder. The molding mixture is then hardened by blowing
carbon dioxide gas through it. This method offers a great deal of advantages over
other forms of sand molding. It reduces production time as well as fuel costs and
reduces the number of mould boxes required for making moulds. This process also
offers a great deal of accuracy in production.

Features
 High accuracy molding systems incorporating the gas carbon dioxide as a catalyst.

Advantages
 Provides good dimensional tolerances through strong core and mold
 Provides excellent casting surface finishes
 Generally used for high-production runs
 Accommodates a wide range of core and mold sizes.
 When used for making cores, the CO2 process can be automated for long
durations & speedy production runs.

Applications
 Ideal for casting applications where speed and flexibility is paramount.

4. Resin Sand Casting

Sand molds often use resin based chemical binders that possess high dimensional
accuracy and high hardness. Such resin-bonded sand molds take somewhat longer to
manufacture than green sand molds because a curing reaction must take place for the
binder to become effective and allow formation of the mold. As in clay-bonded
molds, the sand can often be recycled, although with some treatment to remove the
resin.
In Resin Sand Casting, resin-coated sand is packed tightly around a pattern. The
pattern is removed, and the molten metal is poured into the corresponding cavity.
The sand casting process is one of the most affordable methods of creating a metal
casting. Various high quality castings are made of gray iron, ductile iron, aluminum,
steel, brass etc.

5. Mold Shell Casting

A heated metal pattern is covered with a mixture of sand and thermoset plastic. This
causes a skin of sand mixture to adhere to the pattern. This skin is removed from the
pattern to form the "shell mold". The two halves of the shell mold are secured
together and the metal is poured in the shell to form the part. Once the metal
solidifies, the shell is broken.
The materials that can be used with this process are cast irons, and aluminum and
copper alloys. Typical parts made with this process are connecting rods, gear
housings, lever arms etc.

The basic process for these molds is

1. Create two mating patterns of desired shape.
2. Coat the molds with a shell (sand and binders, such as a resin) until desired
thickness and other properties are obtained.
3. Cure the molds and remove the patterns.
4. The mold halves are mated and held firm while metal is poured.
5. The final part is removed.

This technique can be very economical.

 Special care must be taken to assure venting for gasses, as the mold media is less
porous.
 This method can easily use cores and chills to make complex molds.
 Graphite molds can be used for materials that would normally react with other
materials used for the molds.

Advantages
 Shell molding process offers better surface finish.
 Shell molding process offers better dimensional tolerances
 Shell Molding Process offers higher throughput due to reduced cycle times.

Compactibility
Compactibility is directly related to the performance of the sand in the molding
operation and reflects the degree of temper of the sand mix.

Procedure
The test is run by filling a standard specimen tube with riddled sand through a screen
mounted at a constant height above the tube. The excess sand is struck off the top of
the tube, and the sand is rammed three times. The distance from the top of the tube to
the surface of the sand is read as percent compactibility.

Significance
Because the test is independent of the specific gravity of the sand, it is superior to the
bulk density test for measuring the water requirement of the sand mix. The presence
of water in extra amount of what is required to establish the minimum density point
of the molding sand results in free water within the sand mass. As the moisture
decreases, the water-clay coating thickness decreases, and more sand can be riddled
into the specimen tube.
Compactibility duplicates how a fixed volume of sand will react to a fixed input of
energy and is useful in controlling the clay-to-water ratio. This test, in conjunction
with green compression, can be used to determine the working bond or effective clay
present in a sand mix.
 Effect of Compactability

Mold Hardness
The mold hardness test indicates the resistance of the mold-to-metal damage as the
metal contacts the mold surface.

Procedure
Mold hardness is measured by the resistance offered by the mold surface to a spring-
loaded plunger. When the tester is placed base down on the molds surface, the
plunger gets pressed and forced into the sand and gives reading. Both "B" and "C" scale
hardness testers are available, but the "C" scale tester is more accurate at the high end
of the hardness scale.

Significance
Proper mold hardness will give castings a better finish, more accurate dimensions and
reduced penetration, drops and swells. Excessive hardness, meanwhile, can cause
cracks, scabs, blows, pinholes and penetration.

Green Compression
Green compression has been the most widely used control tool to measure the rate of
clay addition to a sand molding system.
Procedure
The green compressive strength of green sand is the maximum compressive stress that
a mixture is capable of sustaining when prepared, rammed and broken under standard
conditions. The rammed cylindrical specimen is formed by placing a weighed amount
of sand in a tube and ramming the sand three times. The instrument used for breaking
the specimen must continuously register the increasing load until the specimen
fractures.

Significance
The degree of mulling, sand-to-metal ratio, clay content, compactibility range and
type of additives have a significant effect on green compression. The compression
reading should be read at comparable compactibility ranges. Molding sand at higher
or lower compactibility will produce varying green strengths. Green compression in
conjunction with moisture can be used to determine the available bond.

AFS Number
AFS Number of green molding sand indicates the amount of fines and water-
absorbing material in the sample.

Procedure
A known amount of dried molding sand mixed with a pyrophosphate solution is
stirred with a high-speed mixer for 5 min. Water is added to the top level line, and
the mixture is allowed to settle for 5 min. before the top of the water is siphoned off.
The procedure is repeated until the water above the sample is clear. The sand then is
dried, and the weight loss is recorded as AFS Number.

Significance
AFS Number of green sand may contain active clay, dead clay, silt, seacoal, cellulose,
cereal, ash, fines and all materials that float in water. Only the active clay gives active
bonding capacity to the system.