Effects of gate cross-section area and vaccum pressure on mold filling in lost foam casting

Abstract

The lost foam casting process utilizes polymeric foam patterns to produce the metallic components. Foamed polymer patterns are coated with a refractory slury, dried and embedded in unbonded sand. Molten metal is poured directly on the coated polymer. The polymer is thermally decomposed and is gradually replaced by the liquid metal to create the casting after solidification. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the most common pattern material used in commercial practice. In this paper, experiments are conducted to examine the filling of an aluminum alloy melt into the molds. The purpose is to observe some parameters such as the gate cross-section area, vaccum pressure, gas gap length, metal pouring temperature in lost foam casting of aluminum. The results indicate that the gate section, metal pouring temperature and vaccum pressure affect directly the mold-filling time.