Influence of Gating Geometry Variations on Flow Balancing of Horizontal Multi-gate Systems in Casting

Abstract

In the sand casting process, molten metal needs to reach all parts of the mold cavity uniformly and smoothly. This requires the use of multi-gate systems with an optimal design to ensure balanced flow through all gates. For this purpose, a novel experimental design presented by the authors in earlier studies was modified to accommodate the geometric variation of gating elements, realized through a robust design approach. Water was used to perform experiments on flow through the horizontal multi-gate system using a standard orthogonal array. The analysis of the results of each parameter on the influence of flow balancing was studied using Taguchi’s analysis of mean (ANOM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The most important factors and their best combination of settings influencing flow balancing were predicted for the water model experiments. Using a full factorial design, an interaction study was performed and compared with the main factor effects. Although there was a slight interaction between one set of factors, no change in dominant factors was found. Further validation experiments were performed using cast iron. The comparison of water and metal flow demonstrated that the two fluids have different dominant factors influencing multi-gate flow balancing.