Ch 11 Manufacturing

Which of the following metals would typically be used in die casting (three best answers): (a) aluminum, (b) cast iron, (c) steel, (d) tin, (e) tungsten, and (f) zinc?

(a) aluminum, (d) tin, (f) zinc

Which of the following casting processes are permanent mold operations (three correct answers): (a) centrifugal casting, (b) die casting, (c) expanded polystyrene process, (d) sand casting, (e) shell molding, (f) slush casting, and (g) vacuum molding.

(a) centrifugal casting, (b) die casting, (f) slush casting

Which of the following are advantages of die casting over sand casting (four best answers): (a) better surface finish, (b) closer tolerances, (c) higher melting temperature metals, (d) higher production rates, (e) larger parts can be cast, and (f) mold can be reused?

(a) better surface finish, (b) closer tolerances, (d) higher production rates, (f) mold can be reused

In sand casting, the volumetric size of the pattern is (a) bigger than, (b) same size as, or (c) smaller than the cast part?

(a) bigger than

Cupolas are furnaces used to melt which of the following metals (one best answer): (a) aluminum, (b) cast iron, (c) steel, or (d) zinc?

(b) cast iron

Shell molding is best described by which one of the following: (a) casting operation in which the molten metal has been poured out after a thin shell has been solidified in the mold, (b) casting process in which the mold is a thin shell of sand bonded by a thermosetting resin, (c) sand-casting operation in which the pattern is a shell rather than a solid form, or (d) casting operation used to make artificial sea shells?

(b) casting process in which the mold is a thin shell of sand bonded by a thermosetting resin

Which of the following casting processes are expendable mold operations (four correct answers): (a) centrifugal casting, (b) die casting, (c) investment casting, (d) low pressure casting, (e) sand casting, (f) shell molding, (g) slush casting, and (h) vacuum molding?

(c) investment casting, (e) sand casting, (f) shell molding, and (h) vacuum molding.

Investment casting is also known by which one of the following names: (a) fast-payback molding, (b) full-mold process, (c) lost-foam process, (d) lost-pattern process, or (e) lost-wax process?

(e) lost-wax process

For which one of the following reasons is a green mold named: (a) green is the color of the mold, (b) moisture is contained in the mold, (c) mold is cured, or (d) mold is dry?

(b) moisture is contained in the mold

A misrun is which one of the following defects in casting: (a) globules of metal becoming entrapped in the casting, (b) metal is not properly poured into the downsprue, (c) metal solidifies before filling the cavity, (d) microporosity, and (e) "pipe" formation?

(c) metal solidifies before filling the cavity

Which of the following qualifies as a precision-casting process (two correct answers): (a) ingot casting, (b) investment casting, (c) plaster-mold casting, (d) sand casting, and (e) shell molding?

(b) investment casting, (c) plaster-mold casting

Which one of the following casting processes is the most widely used: (a) centrifugal casting, (b) die casting, (c) investment casting, (d) sand casting, or (e) shell casting?

(d) sand casting

What are some of the general defects encountered in casting processes? Name and briefly describe three.

General defects include: (1) misruns, in which the casting solidifies before filling the mold cavity; (2) cold shuts, in which two portions of metal flow together but there is lack of fusion at the joint; (3) cold shots, where solid globules of cast metal become entrapped in the casting; (4) shrinkage cavity, which is a depression on the casting surface or an internal void in the casting caused by solidification shrinkage; (5) microporosity, which is a network of small voids throughout the casting caused by localized solidification shrinkage; and (6) hot tearing, which is a crack in the casting caused by a mold that does not yield to the metal during the early stages of solidification shrinkage.

Which die-casting machines usually have a higher production rate, cold-chamber or hot-chamber, and why?

Hot-chamber machines are faster because cold-chamber die casting machines require molten metal to be ladled into the chamber from an external source. Ladling takes more time than injecting the molten metal into the die as in the hot-chamber operation.

Explain the difference between horizontal and vertical die-casting machines. Which is more popular?

The direction in the machine indicates the direction from which the metal is injected. Horizontal is injected from the side and vertical from the top. Horizontal is the most common type used in industry.

What is the Antioch process?

The Antioch process refers to the making of the mold. The mold is 50% sand and 50% plaster heated in an autoclave and then dried. This mold has greater permeability than a plaster mold.

What properties determine the quality of a sand mold for sand casting?

The usual properties are (1) strength - ability to maintain shape in the face of the flowing metal, (2) permeability - ability of the mold to allow hot air and gases to escape from the cavity, (3) thermal stability - ability to resist cracking and buckling when in contact with the molten metal, (4) collapsibility - ability of the mold to give way during shrinkage

What is the difference between true centrifugal casting and semicentrifugal casting?

true centrifugal casting, a tubular mold is used and a tubular part is produced. In semicentrifugal casting, the shape is solid; an example is a railway wheel. The mold is rotated so that centrifugal force is used to distribute the molten metal to the exterior of the mold so that the density of the final metal is greater at the outer sections.

Given that Wm = weight of the molten metal displaced by a core and Wc = weight of the core, the buoyancy force is which one of the following: (a) downward force = Wm + Wc, (b) downward force = Wm - Wc, (c) upward force = Wm + Wc, or (d) upward force = Wm - Wc?

(d) upward force = Wm - Wc

There are various types of patterns used in sand casting. What is the difference between a split pattern and a match-plate pattern?

A split pattern is a pattern that consists of two pieces; a match-plate pattern consists of the two split patterns attached to opposite sides of a plate.

Silica sand has which one of the following compositions: (a) Al2O3, (b) SiO, (c) SiO2, or (d) SiSO4?

(d) SiO2

In plaster mold casting, the mold is made of which one of the following materials: (a) Al2O3, (b) CaSO4-H2O, (c) SiC, or (d) SiO2?

(b) CaSO4-H2O

Which one of the following casting metals is most important commercially: (a) aluminum and its alloys, (b) bronze, (c) cast iron, (d) cast steel, or (e) zinc alloys?

(c) cast iron

What is a cupola?

A cupola is a vertical cylindrical furnace equipped with a tapping spout near its base. Cupolas are used for melting cast irons.

What is a chaplet?

Chaplets are metal supports of various designs used to hold the core in place in the sand mold.

What are the most common metals used in die casting?

Common die-casting metals include zinc, tin, lead, aluminum, brass, and magnesium.

According to the die casting video, what materials are most common for die-casting dies?

Common materials for die casting dies are hot-work tool steels, mold steels, maraging steels, and refractory metals such as tungsten alloys or molybdenum alloys.

What is flash in die casting?

Flash is a thin portion of metal at the exterior of a casting that results from molten metal being squeezed into the spaces between the die halves of the mold at the parting line, or into the clearances around the cores and ejector pins.

Why are aluminum and copper alloys unsuitable for use in hot chamber die casting?

Molten aluminum and copper alloys attack the metal pot used to hold the shot for the next casting. Over time, they would chemically attack and erode the die casting feeding mechanism.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of sand casting over investment casting?

Sand casting provides low production cost for a wide variety of metals, shapes and sizes. The size of the casting is unlimited. The disadvantage is the surface finish and dimensional control are not very good.

What are some of the operations required in sand casting after the casting is removed from the mold?

The operations include (1) trimming, in which the sprues, runners, risers, and flash are removed, (2) core removal, (3) surface cleaning, (4) inspection, (5) repair if needed, (6) heat treatment, and (7) machining.

What is the composition of green sand in the green-sand molding process?

The sand is composed of silica sand, clay, and water.

Name the two basic categories of casting processes.

The two categories are (1) expendable mold processes, and (2) permanent mold processes.

What is the difference between vacuum permanent-mold casting and vacuum molding?

Vacuum permanent-mold casting is a form of low-pressure casting in which a vacuum is used to draw molten metal into the cavity. Vacuum molding is sand casting in which the sand mold is held together by vacuum pressure rather than by a chemical binder.