CENTRIFUGAL CASTING

The purpose of the work: to become acquainted with the technology of centrifugal casting; to study influence of frequency of rotation of a mould on quality of casting.

Brief theoretical data. Centrifugal casting holds the lead among the special casting processes by the volume of production of cast items. The method involves pouring of liquid metal into a revolving mould, which continues to rotate at a definite speed during the entire period of metal crystallization. The metal is held against the wall of the metal mould by centrifugal force, so the casting acquires a dense structure of increased strength because segregated gases and slag move to the center of the casting under pressure applied to the metal. Impurities on the inner surface of the casting may be removed afterwards by boring operations.

Any symmetrical object may be cast by rotating the mould around its horizontal or vertical axis. In both cases the axis of rotation coincides with the axis of the casting, the wall thickness being determined by the amount of the metal poured. In casting of small shaped pieces the axis of rotation may not coincide with the axis of the piece. This method is known as centrifuge casting.

Centrifugal casting is used for individual, batch and mass production of items of various alloys in metal and shell moulds. The range of cast products includes pipes, bushings, sleeves, liners, piston rings, wheels, pulleys, barrels and two-layer (bimetallic) objects. Centrifugal casting is the most widely used for production of iron pipes.

The frequency of rotation affects significantly the quality of castings. Too low frequency prevents from obtaining the exact cylindrical shape. Too high frequency results in formation of hot cracks. The optimum frequency for devices with horizontal axis may be calculated by Konstantinov’s formula:

,

where n is frequency of rotation, rpm; is density of cast alloy, kg/m³; r is radius of the inner surface of a casting, m.

Design of the laboratory unit. The laboratory unit with a horizontal axis of rotation (Fig. 3.4) consists of a direct current electric motor 1, a laboratory autotransformer 7 for regulation of frequency of rotation of cast iron mould 4, an AC rectifier (it is not shown in the scheme), a voltmeter 8, a scale and a pointer of which show frequency of mould rotation. With the help of the autotransformer, frequency of rotation of the electric motor is changed from 200 up to 3000 rpm.