The Influence of the Modified Ablation Casting on Casts Properties Produced in Microwave Hardened Moulds with Hydrated Sodium Silicate Binder

Abstract

The ablation casting technology consists in pouring castings in single-use moulds made from the mixture of sand and water-soluble binder. After pouring the mould with liquid metal the mould is destructed (washed out) using a stream of cooling medium, which in this case is water. The process takes place while the casting is still solidifying. The following paper focuses on testing the influence of the modified ablation casting of aluminum alloy on casts properties produced in moulds with hydrated sodium silicate binder. The authors showed that the best kind of moulding sands for Al alloy casting will be those hardened with physical factors – through dehydration. The analysis of literature data and own research have shown that the moulding sand with hydrated sodium silicate hardened by dehydration is characterized by sufficient strength properties for the modified ablation casting of Al alloys. In the paper the use of microwave hardened moulding sands has been proposed. The moulds were prepared in the matrix specially designed for this technology. Two castings from the AlSi7Mg alloy were made; one by traditional gravity casting and the other by gravity casting using ablation. The conducted casts tests showed that the casting made in modified ablation casting technology characterizes by higher mechanical properties than the casting made in traditional casting technology. In both experimental castings the directional solidification was observed, however in casting made by ablation casting, dimensions of dendrites in the structure at appropriate levels were smaller.

Keywords

• moulding sand
• ablation casting
• hydrated sodium silicate
• microwave hardening
• mechanical properties of casting