Atlas of

Casting
Defects

Investment Casting Institute

136 Summit Avenue
Montvale, NJ 07645-1720
Phone: 201-573-9770 Fax: 201-573-9771
www.investmentcasting.org
Introduction
This manual is provided to assist both process engineers and manufacturing personnel to identify defects
in castings. It offers suggested remedies to reduce or eliminate the defect.
The manual provides an easy-to-use format. Photos provide a visual of the defect; text provides a list of
probable causes and the suggested remedies.

Acknowledgments
The Investment Casting Institute wishes to thank all of the members of the Institute’s Publication and
Casting Committees who provided information, photographs and valuable resources. This excellent
support has made it possible to create this Atlas of Casting Defects, an educational tool that will be of
great value to the industry now and in the future.

Casting Committee

Chairman: Nipendra Singh S&A Consulting Group LLP

Members: Steve Sikkenga Cannon Muskegon Corporation

Gowri Shankar PCC SMP Plant
Tibor Oravec Kovatch Castings
Thomas Thornton S&A Consulting Group LLP

Photography: Tibor Oravec Kovatch Castings

Editing: Leland Martin Investment Casting Institute

4
 Table of Contents

Acknowledgments & Introduction................................... 4

Cold Shut............................................................................ 6

Cut-off Damage................................................................. 7

Gas...................................................................................... 8

Gas (Air Entrapment)....................................................... 9

Slag................................................................................... 10

Hot Tears.......................................................................... 11

Inclusion........................................................................... 12

Ceramic Inclusion............................................................ 13

Excessive Metal from Shell Failure................................ 14

Mold Cracking, Finning................................................... 15

Non-fill/Misrun................................................................. 16

Primary Coat Buckle....................................................... 17

Rat-tailing/Oxidation Crazing......................................... 18

Shell Buckle..................................................................... 19

Shrink in Gate Area......................................................... 20

Shrinkage (Surface)......................................................... 21

Wax Flow Line.................................................................. 22

Investment Casting Institute

136 Summit Avenue
Montvale, NJ 07645-1720
Phone: 201-573-9770 Fax: 201-573-9771
www.investmentcasting.org

Copyright reserved: Neither the Investment Casting Institute nor its officers accept
legal responsibility for information, advice given or opinions expressed. Revised 01-2004
 Defect: Cold Shut

Appearance of Defect: Linear indication of metal not joined at time of

two metal streams meeting.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1 Low metal pouring temperature. 1. Increase metal and/or mold temperature.

2 Poor pouring practice. 2. Increase head pressure and/or rate of pour; avoid
splashing.

3. Improper gating. 3. Improve gating to enhance mold fill.

4. Low shell permeability. 4. Increase shell permeability and/or add vents.

5. Heavy oxidation of metal increasing surface tension. 5. Melt under controlled atmosphere or vacuum
conditions.

6. Low metal fluidity. 6. Modify alloy composition to enhance fluidity.

6
 Defect: Cut Off Damage

Appearance of Defect: Metal removed during gate cut-off with

evidence of abrasive wheel and/or saw
damage to casting.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Improper design of casting tree. 1. Ensure sufficient clearance for necessary blade
thickness while removing castings from tree,
lengthen the gate.

2. Worn and/or dull saw blades. 2. Maintain cutting edges on blades and abrasive
wheels to prevent walking.

3. Improper fixturing by operating personnel. 3. Improve fixturing to minimize mistake and improve
safety.

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 Defect: Gas

Appearance of Defect: Generally spherical or teardrop shaped

cavities which may or may not contain
evidence of oxidation.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Improper or insufficient deoxidation. 1. Revise or increase deoxidation technique.

2. Metal held at superheat temperatures for extensive 2. Control time at temperature and cast at lowest
length of time. temperature possible.

3. Dirty, wet or contaminated (rusty) charge materials 3. Clean all materials charged. Be sure moisture is
along with possible moist ladles and furnace linings. removed from refractory materials.

4. Low shell permeability. 4. Improve permeability by using fewer coats and

increasing size of refractory particles.

5. Improper burnout. 5. Increase burnout time, increase oxidizing

atmosphere in burnout furnace, increase burnout
temperature.

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 Defect: Gas (Air Entrapment)

Appearance of Defect: Rounded smooth walled cavities which may

exhibit a slightly oxidized surface.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Turbulent metal flow. 1. Reduce pouring height between vessel and mold.
Modify gating to reduce turbulence, possibly
establish a self venting feeding system and also
bottom feeding.

2. Low shell permeability. 2. Use coarser refractory particles, use fewer coats,
vacuum assist during pour, increase sprue height.

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 Defect: Slag

Appearance of Defect: A series of cavities of irregular and symmetrical

shape indicative of slag and/or refractory
particles producing the irregular shapes and
gas producing the symmetrical shapes.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Improper deoxidation. 1. Revise deoxidation technique.

2. Metal held at superheat temperatures for extensive 2. Reduce time at temperature and cast at lowest
lengths of time. temperature possible.

3. Dirty, wet or contaminated (rusty) charge materials 3. Clean all materials charges. Be sure moisture is
along with possible moist ladles and furnace linings. removed from refractory materials.

4. Impurities within metal being melted (i.e. slag, 4. Use clean melt stock.
refractories, rust on surface, etc.).

5. Particles of refractory from furnace ladle, furnace lip 5. Ensure lips of furnace and ladle are free of
and ladle lip. refractory particles prior to use.

6. Improper slagging practice. 6. Ensure adequate supply of slag bars and training
to melter. Use cobalt blue glasses while slagging.
Additions of ceramic/cloth filter reduces inclusions.

7. Incorrect deoxidation practices. 7. Reduce/optimize superheated and melt temperature.

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 Defect: Hot Tears

Appearance of Defect: Intergranular crack exhibiting oxidized

fracture interface.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Restrained by gating. 1. Modify the gating.

2. Shell too strong. 2. Reduce shell strength.

3.. Sharp inside corners. 3. Increase generously all radii.

4. Bad casting design. 4. Eliminate thick, thin sections.

5. Movement of shell before alloy solidified. 5. Allow sufficient time for solidification before moving
the mold.

6. Improper metal or shell temperature. 6. Establish and control to proper temperature.

7. Faster cooling rate after pouring (during 7. Reduce the cooling rate by insulating the mold.
solidification).
8. Modify chemistry of alloy.
8. Improper chemistry of alloy.

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 Defect: Inclusion

Appearance of Defect: Irregular cavities possibly containing traces

of refractory and/or slag particles.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Sand/refractory particles in shell. 1. Clean shell prior to pour (vacuum or turn upside
down and empty).

2. Dirty melt stock. 2. Remove rust, foreign surface contaminants, check

for surface slag and/or sand clusters.

3. Foreign material from crucible/ladles. 3. Use proper refractory and keep free from
contaminants (i.e. good slag practice, etc.).

4. Poor wax assembly of gate to sprue in wax room. 4. Seal all undercuts to prevent flashing and chipping of
shell interior.

5. Refractory contained in melting stock. 5. Use clean melting stock.

6. Slag entrapped during pouring. 6. Use adequate deoxidation and slagging practices.
Modify runner system to reduce turbulence. Use
teapot spout ladle.

Note: Use of ceramic cloth filter reduces inclusion

related defects.

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 Defect: Ceramic Inclusion

Appearance of Defect: Generally a smooth sided irregular shape

of indefinite size possibly containing traces
of refractory material.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Mold, shell backup refractories, uncontrolled mold 1. Observe and correct improper mold build-up
process conditions. techniques with proper instruction and care.

2. Refractory contained in melt stock. 2. Ensure supply of refractory-free melt stock.

3. Improperly sintered furnace and transfer ladle 3. Ensure furnaces and ladles are free of loose
refractories. refractories prior to melting or metal transfer.

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 Defect: Excessive Metal From Shell Failure

Appearance of Defect: Generally a smooth sided irregular shape

of indefinite size possibly containing traces
of ceramic material with angular irregular
shape in vicinity of shell failure.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Mold, shell backup refractories, uncontrolled mold 1. Observe and correct improper mold build-up
process conditions. techniques with proper instruction and care.

Refer to Atlas of Shell Defects.

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 Defect: Mold Cracking, Finning

Appearance of Defect: Surplus metal following contour of crack in

shell mold.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Cracks during dewaxing operation. 1. Improve dewax method.

2. Excessive drying rate during drying of primary coats. 2. Reduce drying rates. Refer to Atlas of Shell Defects.

3. Different coefficients of expansion between primary 3. Use compatible refractories.

and subsequent shell coats.

4. Low shell strength. 4. Increase green shell strength.

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 Defect: Non-fill/Misrun

Appearance of Defect: Incomplete casting with rounded edges

where casting is not completely filled.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Low shell or metal pour temperature. 1. Increase gate and sprue size and height.

2. Lack of fluidity. 2. Increase shell and/or alloy temperature. Modify

chemical composition to improve fluidity.

3. Interrupted pour. 3. Pour without interruption.

4. Rate of pour too slow. 4. Increase pouring rate.

5. Thin sections. 5. Increase metal section, extend thin section then cut
back to drawing dimension.

6. Low shell permeability and absence of vents. 6. Increase permeability by using coarser refractory,
fewer coats, or addition of vents.

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 Defect: Primary Coat Buckle

Appearance of Defect: Island of surplus metal on surface of

casting, often associated with flash at the
casting edge.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Cracking of primary coat allowing back-up slurry 1. Ensure patterns are washed sufficiently and that the
to penetrate between pattern and the primary coat primary coat has good wetting properties. Ensure
faces; probably caused by an uneven primary coat that refractory particles are adhering to the entire
thickness, giving rise to variable rates of drying. area of the primary coat and that any surplus is
completely removed.

2. Drying of primary coat before application of 2. Control temperature and humidity through entire
refractory sand. shell manufacture cycle.

3. Primary slurry coat draining from areas too quickly 3. Ensure proper viscosity of slurry along with uniform
presenting a tendency for variations in thickness. coverage and drainage.

4. Primary slurry coat too viscous. 4. Reduce viscosity.

5. Age of slurry mixture. 5. Check pH and age of slurry.

Refer to Atlas of Shell Defects.

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 Defect: Rat-Tailing/Oxidation Crazing

Appearance of Defect: Shallow rounded grooves on the surface of

the casting with radial pattern (oxide may
be evident in the grooves prior to cleaning).

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. High shell temperature and excessive time during 1. Reduce shell temperature.
preheat.

2. Shell cracking permitting quantities of air to oxidize 2. Can-cover the shell immediately after casting.
vicinity of cracks during cooling. Addition of carbonaceous material (i.e. sugar, dried
wood chips, wax, etc.) before applying can cover
also helps.

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 Defect: Shell Buckle

Appearance of Defect: Metal penetration in area designed for core

along with evidence of mold cracking prior
to casting (note small fin).

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Pattern not sufficiently rigid to support necessary 1. Support pattern in additional areas to sprue.
dipping and refractory coating operations.

2. Wax expansion during mold build-up and/or drying. 2. Avoid temperature fluctuations during mold build-up
and drying. Avoid excessive rate of drying of primary
coat. Ensure proper dewaxing methods.

3. Inadequate mold strength. 3. Increase shell strength with additional coats or

adjustment of binder.

4. Large flat surface. 4. Break the flatness by using ribs, dimples, etc.

Refer to Atlas of Shell Defects.

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 Defect: Shrink in Gate Area

Appearance of Defect: Large internal irregular cavities usually

exposed on removal of gate.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Improper gate design. 1. Adjust gate size and/or taper all locations.

2. Inadequate feeding. 2. Use larger feed bars and greater head pressure to
promote directional solidification. Insulate wrappings
of tree gate. Also use of exothermic in pour cup.

3. Higher pour temperature and gas content. 3. Reduce pour temperature and gas content.

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 Defect: Shrinkage (Surface)

Appearance of Defect: Surface depression or irregular cavities

exhibiting oxidized surfaces.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Localized mold hot spots. 1. Improve pattern spacing and avoid refractory build-
up in completing molds.

2. Reduce and/or adequately control metal or mold

2. Metal and/or shell temperature too high. temperature. Do not move molds until metal is
completely solidified.

21
 Defect: Wax Flow Line

Appearance of Defect: Casting shows irregular smooth shallow

grooves reproducing detail of pattern lines.

Probable Cause Suggested Cure

1. Excessive use of die lubricant during wax injection. 1. Check type, quantity and quality of lubricant used.
Refer to Atlas of Wax Pattern Defects.

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Investment Casting Institute
136 Summit Avenue
Montvale, NJ 07645-1720
Phone: 201-573-9770 Fax: 201-573-9771
www.investmentcasting.org