Aerospace Materials II: Metal Casting

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to metal casting processes, advantages, and disadvantages.

Sprue

Vertical channel through which molten metal flows downwards in the mold.

Runners

Channels to carry molten metal from the sprue to the mold cavity.

Gates

Portion of the runner through which molten metal enters the mold cavity.

Riser

Reservoirs of molten metal to prevent porosity due to shrinkage during solidification.

Cope and Drag

Top and bottom parts of a two-part casting flask.

Core Print

Region added to the pattern, core, or mold to locate and support the core within the mold.

Core

Sand body inserted into the mold to produce internal features of casting, like holes.

Shell Casting

A casting process where the mold is a thin-walled shell created from a sand-resin mixture.

Investment Casting (Lost Wax)

Casting process that uses a wax pattern to create complex geometries with narrow dimensional accuracy and good surface finish.

Permanent Molds

Process where molds can be used many times, providing good surface finish, tolerances, and mechanical properties, often applied to low melting point alloys.

Gravity Die Casting

A type of die casting where molten metal is poured by gravity into a mold made of cast iron, steel, bronze, graphite, or refractory metals.

Pressure Die Casting

A type of die casting where molten metal is forced into a metallic die cavity using pressure, often water-cooled, and two types are hot chamber and cold chamber.

Hot Chamber Die Casting

A type of pressure die casting where metal is forced into the die through a gooseneck and nozzle that is heated, using low melting point alloys.

Cold Chamber Die Casting

A type of pressure die casting where the injection cylinder is not heated, requiring larger pressure and using higher melting point alloys.

Centrifugal Casting

Casting process that utilizes inertial forces caused by rotation to distribute molten metal into mold cavities, suitable for parts like pipes and cylinder liners.

Squeeze Casting

A combination of casting and forging where solidification of molten metal occurs under high pressure, resulting in fine microstructure and good mechanical properties.

Continuous Casting

A casting process where the solidification speed is approximately equal to the casting speed, requiring controlled pouring rate.

Directional Solidification

A casting process where the blade is solidified with longitudinal but no transverse grain boundaries.