Investigation of microstructure and mechanical properties of grey cast iron using sand casting process / Tong Woei Tze

Project paper (Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang -- 2010

Bibliography: p. 45-46

The study is to investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties of grey cast iron by using sand casting process. The casting process influences the microstructure and mechanical properties of grey cast iron. In sand casting process, normally there were defects such as shrinkage and porosity that can affect the quality of product. Defects need to be removed in order to have a good quality of casting product. Casting is done by using sand casting operation with riser and without riser, as to identify the effect of riser. The parameters analyzed are the hardness, tensile strength, microstructure and defect of casting product. There were six products which having same dimension and shape. Besides, those patterns of product were made by wood together with the gating system and riser. Three patterns were cast with the help of riser, while another three patterns were form by casting without riser. As a result, the effect of using riser and without riser in casting gives influence on the hardness, tensile strength, microstructure, and even the defect of grey cast iron significantly. The existing of riser in casting is directly provide higher value of hardness, higher value of estimated tensile strength, and a finer microstructure with lower the formation of porosity. Besides, riser tends to reduce defects in casting. Casting with additional part of riser gives a better quality to product. The result generated can be more accurate if the software ProCAST for gravity sand casting is introduced to detect the location of the last freezing regions or can be called as hot spot. As in short, riser is the solution to control defects in casting operation, as riser increase the casting yield.