International Journal on Theoretical and Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (IJTARME)

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Sand moulded castings Defects, Causes, Remedies – Review Paper

Landage M. G.
Mechanical Engineering Department, Indira College of Engineering & Management, Pune.
Email: milind.landage@indiraicem.ac.in

correct identification of defects and its root causes and

Abstract – Casting process is one of the important
manufacturing process and it involves no. of steps remedies.[1]
involving methoding, tooling manufacturing, moulding, P. Sathish Kumar , A. Ramesh , and M. Gokul in paper,
melting and pouring, fettling, shot blasting to produce sand “ Present Approches For Analysis Of Casting Defects :
moulded casting. As process involves number of steps, no.
A Review ” ,discuss about different approaches use
of variables affect the quality of casting.In order to
produce good quality casting it is esssential to avoid defects presently for casting defect analysis[2]
in casting which can controll the rejection of Avinash Juriani in paper , “ Casting Defects Analysis in
casting.Rejection of casting leads to problems like loss of Foundry and Their Remedial Measures with Industrial
economy as well as loss of credit of casting
manufacturer.This paper involve review of the study of
Case Studies ” , discuss regarding critical casting
variety of casting defects, their root causes and remedies. defects ,root causes and remedies for casting defect
controll [3]
Key words – Casting; defects in casting Defect Analysis,
Defect Prevention, Root Cause Analysis Dr D.N. Shivappa , Mr Rohit , Mr. Abhijit Bhattacharya
,in paper “Analysis of Casting Defects and Identification
I. INTRODUCTION of Remedial Measures- A Diagnostic Study ” , discuss
Casting manufacturing is one of the manufacturing about work carried out at Dakshin Foundry Ltd.
process having application in pumps,valves,machine Banglore India The study involve defects –sand drop
tools,i.c.engine components,special purpose ,blow holes ,mismatch ,over size of component Trunion
machine,hydraulic and pneumatic Support Bracket [4]
components,compressors,electical components etc. This A.P.More ,,Dr.R.N.Baxi,,Dr.S.B.Jaju in paper, “ Review
clearly indicates versatality of applications. vitioning are of Casting Defect Analysis to Initiate the Improvement
primary requirements in many industrial applications. Process ” , discuss about improvement in the process of
As application scope varies from component to critical casting manufacturing to enhance quality and
component it becomes more critical to understand the reduce cost of casting component[5]
process thoroughly.When thease cast components are
used in assembly then again it require to understand Rajesh Rajkolhe , J. G. Khan in paper , “ Defects,
customer requirements to get more clarity about Causes and Their Remedies in Casting Process: A
fullfilling uninterrupted supply of casting to the Review ,discuss about defect identification ” ,defect
customer,oherwise delays in supply may hold the variety ,root causes ,remedies and also casting yield
assembly line work.Uninterrupted supply of quality improvement and process standardization.[6]
castings to customer is always challenge.Quality casting Beeresh chatrad , Nithin Kammar, Prasanna P Kulkarni,
mahufacturing is dependent on number of factors Srinivas patil in paper , “ A Study on Minimization of
basically related with process sequence ,its Critical Defects in Casting Process Considering Various
standardization for product variety,assurance of the Parameters ”, discuss the importance of correct
process control,historic data management,record identification of casting defects ,root causes and
generation and its preservation, smart inspection remedies of grey cast iron cylinder liner so that re-
techniques, use of correct standards i.e.as per customer occurences of defect could be eliminated due to it.[7]
requirement, effective interdepartmental
III. METHODOLOGY
communication and customer communication and
casting rejection analysis involving reduction in Casting Manufacturing involves –
rejection percemtage. .
1) Receipt of Customer drawing – it should be
II. LITERATURE REVIEW preferably Casting Drawing , if Machining Drawing is
provided then it needs to be converted to Casting
Harshwardhan Pandit in paper , “ WebCADAS: A New Drawing , aliong with Standard followed by customer
Online Education System for Casting Defect for approval by customer
Identification, Analysis and Optimisation of Parameters
”, discuss about using new system WebCADAS for 2)Study of Feasibility - it involves study by maufacturer
casting defect analysis.The system uses Elearning for material of casting ,Grade of casting , specification
study ,quantity requirement by customer , time span
technology which involves variety of images to facilitate
required to process the quantity with avilable resources ,
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approximate weight of casting i) Diagnosis

3)Costing of Casting – it involve consideration of direct ii) Remedy
cost , indirect cost along with profit margin
Diagnosis involves first identifying the symptoms,
accountability
second defining the defect and decide possible root
4)Customer feedback for acceptance of offer sent by causes.
casting manufacturer
Remedy involves analysis of possible root causes,taking
This is initial activity requirqed to be completed by corrective actions and again manufacture new
Casting Manufacturer.After this casting development is casting.The result of new maufactured casting is ensured
initiated. for defectfreeness.
Casting Development involves : Defect is nothing but variation of casting from
specification.It may be co-related with variation in
A)Methoding – Involve finalisation of Lay-out work(
process i.e.poor process control.The problems can be
parting line selection for pattern ,core boxes required
listed as:
i.e.number of cores in component , different allownces
finalisation ) ,preparation of Method Card( mentions 1)Methoding Problems
details about mouldig , pouring , inspection , fettling),
2)Tooling Problems
mfg.of tooling ( pattern & core boxes), approval for
issue of tooling to moulding section ( witnessing 3)Moulding Problems
inspection report )
4)Melting and Pouring Problems
B)Moulding – it involves manufacturing of
5)Casting cooling Problems
moulds,cores and final mould assembly
C)Melting and pouring – it involves preparing required 6)Fettling Problems
grade of molten metal and pouring molten metal into 7)Inspection Problems
mould
As we list above possibilities, we can identify poblem
D)Casting Cooling – it involves keeping poured mould and possible source of origin of problem.Methoding
for cooling purpose problems involve variations related to weight of casting ,
E)Fettling – it involves removal of unwanted part like gating system issues ,lay out issues, specification
gating system , and shot blasting. issues.Moulding problems involves issues regarding
mould and core production.Melting and pouring
F) Inspection – it involve dimensional inspection and problems involve issues regarding metal preparation and
laboratory inspection , customer clearance pouring practice issues.Casting cooling problems
involve issue regarding time requirment.Fettling
G) Despatch to Customer – it involve transfer of
problems involve issue regarding wrong metal
physical casting to customer.
removal.Inspection problem involve issues regarding
The above steps are carried out for any new casting incorrect drawing reading ,incorrect calculation of
manufactured by the casting manufacturer.The dimension and accrdingly improper inspection of tooling
manufactured casting may be rejected due to number of as well as casting.After desppatch , problem of damages
reasons.If casting is rejected by customer , then of casting related to improper handling by transporter,
whatever efforts taken by casting manufacture are happen in any of the components.For defect detction ,
wasted.It is loss of the company as amount invested for analysis and remedies , brain storming activity involving
this activity becomes waste.There is loss of credit in representatives from methoding,moulding,melting and
market as customer is not satisfied . pouring,fettling and inspection can proove more
effective technique.It can lead to exchange of ideas
When we think about rejection , the word Defect comes
while tackling case to case rejection problems.Defect
in front of us.
study is important as defect reduces output and increases
Defect Detection : cost of production affecting economy. Different types of
defects, root cause and remedies :

TABLE I : CASTING DEFECTS, ROOT CAUSES AND REMEDIES.

Defect Root cause Remedy
Blow holes 1. Excessive moisture content in molding 1. Control of moisture content.
sand. 2. Use of rust free chills, chaplet
2. Rust and moisture on chills and clean inserts.
3. Cores not sufficiently baked. 3. Bake cores properly.
4. Excessive use of organic binders. 4. Ram the mold less hard.
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5. Molds not adequately vented.

6. Molds not adequately vented.
Shrinkage 1. Faulty gating and risering system. 1. Ensure proper directional
2. Improper chilling.. solidification by modifying
gating, risering and chilling.
Porosity 1. High pouring temperatures. 1. Regulate pouring temperature.
2. Gas dissolved in metal charge. 2. Control metal composition.
3. Less flux used. 3. Increase flux proportions.
4. Molten metal not properly degassed. 4. Ensure effective degassing.
5. Slow solidification of casting. 5. Modify gating and risering.
6. High moisture and low permeability
Misruns 1. Lack of fluidity ill molten metal. 1. Adjust proper pouring
2. Faulty design. temperature.
3. Faulty gating. 2. Modify design.
3. Modify gating system.
Hot Tears 1. Lack of collapsibility of core. 1. Improves collapsibility of core
2. Lack of collapsibility of mold. and mold.
3. Faulty design. 2. Modify casting design.
4. Hard ramming of mold.
Metal 1. Large grain size and used. 1. Use sand having finer grain size.
penetration 2. Soft ramming of mold. 2. Provide hard ramming.
3. Molding sand or core has low strength. 3. Suitably adjustt pouring
temperature.
Cold shuts 1. Lack of fluidity in molten metal. 1. Adjust proper pouring metal.
2. Faulty design. 2. Modify design.
3. Faulty gating 3. Modify gating system.
Cuts and 1. Low strength of mold and core. 1. Improve mold and core strength.
washes 2. Lack of binders in facing and core 2. Add more binders to facing and
stand. core sand.
3. Faulty gating. 3. Improve gating.
Inclusions 1. Faulty gating. 1. Modify gating system.
2. Faulty pouring. 2. Improve pouring to minimize
3. Inferior molding or core sand. turbulence.
4. Soft ramming of mold. 3. Use of superior sand of good
5. Rough handling of mold and core. strength.
4. Provide hard, ramming.
Fusion 1. Low refractoriness in molding sand. 1. Improve refractoriness of sand.
2. Faulty gating. 2. Modify gating system.
3. Too high pouring temperature of the 3. Use Lower pouring temperature.
metal. 4. Improve the quality of facing
4. Pouring facing sand. sand
Drops 1. Low green strength in molding sand 1. Increase green strength of sand
and core. mold.
2. Too soft ramming. 2. Provide harder ramming.
3. Inadequate reinforcement of sand and 3. Provide adequate reinforcement
core projections. to sand projection and cope by
using nails and gaggers.
Shot metal 1. Too low pouring temperature. 1. Use proper pouring temperature.
2. Excess sulphur contests in metal. 2. Reduce sulphur content.
3. Faulty gating. 3. Modify gating of the system
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4. High moisture content in molding sand

Shift 1. Worn-out or bent clamping pins. 1. Repair or replace the pins, for
2. Misalignments of two halves of pattern. removing the defect.
3. Improper support of core. 2. Repair or replace dewels with
cause misalignment.
3. Provide adequate support to the
core.
4. Increases strength of both mold
and core.
Crushes 1. Defective core boxes producing over- 1. Repair or replace the pins, for
sized cores. removing the defect.
2. Worn out core prints on patterns 2. Repair or replace dowels with
producing undersized seals for cores in cause misalignment.
the mild.
3. Careless assembly of cores in the mold.
Rat-tails or 1. Continuous large flat surfaces on 1. Break continuity of large flat
buckles casting. grooves and depressions.
2. Excessive mold hardness. 2. Reduce mold hardness.
3. Lack of combustible additives in 3. Add combustible additives to
molding sand. sand.
Swells 1. Too soft ramming of mold. 1. Provide hard ramming.
2. Low strength of mold and core. 2. Increase the strength of both
3. Mold not properly supported mold and core.
Hard spot 1. Faulty metal composition. 1. Suitable charge metal
2. Faulty casting design. composition.
2. Modify casting design.
Run out, 1. Faulty molding. 1. Improving molding techniques.
Fins and 2. Defective molding boxes. 2. Change the defective molding
Fash boxes.
3. Keep weights on mold boxes.
Spongings 1. Availability of dirt and swarf held in 1. Remove dirt dwarf held in
molten metal. molten metal.
2. Improper skimming. 2. Skimming should be perfect.
3. Because of more impurities in molten 3. Fewer impurities in molten
metal. metal should be there.
Warpage 1. Continuous large flat surfaces on 1. Follow principle of sufficient
castings are indicating a poor design. directional solidification.
2. No dimensional solidification of 2. Make good castings design
casting.

IV.CONCLUSION pecentage reduction, productivity improvement,yield

improvementand simultaneously the cost saving
In this paper an effort has been done to enable detailing increasing profitability of organization.
the steps involved in casting manufacturing process and
co-relating issues related to these steps leading to REFERENCES
defects .Defects are generated mainly due to poor
Harshwardhan Pandit , “ WebCADAS: A New
[1]
process control.By conducting brain storming activity ,
Online Education System for Casting Defect
involving cross functional teams ,defects identification
Identification, Analysis and Optimisation of
can be done more effectively as a team work.It can help
Parameters ”, IJLTET Vol. 5 Issue 4 July 2015
casting manufacturer control issue of rejection
ISSN: 2278-621X
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[2] P. Sathish Kumar , A. Ramesh , and M. [5] A.P.More ,,Dr.R.N.Baxi,,Dr.S.B.Jaju , “

Gokul , “ Present Approches For Analysis Of Review of Casting Defect Analysis to Initiate the
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[7] Beeresh chatrad , Nithin Kammar, Prasanna
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P Kulkarni, Srinivas patil , “ A Study on
[4] Dr D.N. Shivappa , Mr Rohit , Mr. Abhijit Minimization of Critical Defects in Casting
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Volume 1, Issue 6(October2012) PP: 01-05 6710
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