CARBON STEEL INVESTMENT CASTING (PRODUCTION CAPACITY: 200 KG. PER DAY)
[EIRI/EDPR/4566] J.C.: 2783XL
INTRODUCTION
Investment casting is often called ‘lost wax’ casting, and it is based on one of the oldest metal forming processes. The Egyptians used the process, some 5000 years ago, to make gold jewelry, as exact replica of many intricate shapes, cast in gold from artfully created beeswax patterns. In the investment casting process, a ceramic slurry is applied, or ‘invested’, around a disposable pattern, usually wax, and is allowed to harden to form a disposable casting mold. The wax pattern is ‘lost’, when it is melted out from the ‘disposable’ ceramic mold, which is later destroyed to recover the casting.
In investment casting, the ceramic molds are made by two different methods: the solid mold process and the ceramic shell process. The solid mold process is mainly used for dental and jewelry castings, currently has only a small role in engineering applications, and as such will not be covered in this chapter. The ceramic shell process has become the predominant technique for a majority of engineering applications, displacing the solid mold process.
The ceramic shell process is a precision casting process, uniquely developed and adapted to produce complex-shaped castings, to near-net-shape, and in numerous alloys. Continued advancements in materials and techniques used in the process, are driven and supported by R&D on many fronts, both in the industry as well as in many schools for foundry metallurgy. For instance, earlier research, funded by Rolls Royce Limited, UK, at the University of Birmingham, UK, investigating the feeding behavior of high temperature alloys has assisted in the development of optimal gating and feeding systems for investment castings.
The influence of alloy and process variables on producing sound investment castings is detailed later in the chapter, under the section on the design of gating and feeding system.
COST ESTIMATION
Plant Capacity 200 Kg./Day
Land & Building (1000 sq.mt.) Rs. 1.29 Cr
Plant & Machinery Rs. 32 Lac
Working Capital for 1 Month Rs. 11 Lac
Total Capital Investment Rs. 1.78 Cr
Rate of Return 17%
Break Even Point 72%
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
FIGURE: SHOWING SEQUENCE OF THE STEPS IN THE INVESTMENT CASTING PROCESS
THE INVESTMENT CASTING PROCESSES ARE OF TWO TYPES;
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
USES AND APPLICATION
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
3D PRINTING
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
B.I.S. SPECIFICATION
PROCESS FLOW CHART
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
1. PATTERN MATERIALS
(A) PATTERN WAXES
ADDITIVES TO PATTERN WAXES
FACTORS FOR PATTERN WAX SELECTION
(B) PLASTICS
(C) OTHER PATTERN MATERIALS
2. PRODUCTION OF PATTERNS
PATTERN DIES
3. PATTERN ASSEMBLY
4. PRODUCTION OF CERAMIC SHELL MOLDS
REFRACTORIES
BINDERS
OTHER CERAMIC SHELL CONSTITUENTS
PROGRESS IN INVESTMENT CASTINGS
SLURRY PREPARATION
PATTERN TREE OR CLUSTER PREPARATION
COATING AND DRYING
5. CERAMIC CORES
CITRIC ACID IS USED COMMONLY.
6. REMOVAL OF PATTERN
7. MOLD FIRING AND BURNOUT
8. MELTING AND CASTING
MELTING EQUIPMENT
CASTING METHODS
9. POSTCASTING OPERATIONS
10. INSPECTION AND TESTING
THE BASIC INVESTMENT CASTING PROCESS AS BELOW:
PROCESS OF INVESTMENT CASTING
1. PATTERN MAKING:
2. ASSEMBLY
3. SHELL BUILDING
4. DEWAX
5. METAL CASTING POURING
6. KNOCKOUT AND CUT OFF
MARKET POSITION
APPLICATION INSIGHTS
REGIONAL INSIGHTS
INVESTMENT CASTING MARKET SHARE INSIGHTS
MARKET GROWTH
INVESTMENT CASTING MARKET SEGMENTATION
SEGMENTATION BY END-USER
PLANT LAYOUT
MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF INVESTMENT CASTING
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS
SUPPLIERS OF M.S. INGOT
SUPPLIERS OF S.S. BILLET
SUPPLIERS OF WAX
SUPPLIERS OF POWDER COATING PAINT
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY
SUPPLIERS OF INVESTMENT CASTING MACHINES
SUPPLIERS OF INDUCTION FURNACE
SUPPLIERS OF EOT CRANES
SUPPLIERS OF DG SETS
SUPPLIERS OF POWER TRANSFORMERS
SUPPLIERS OF COOLING TOWER
SUPPLIERS OF ETP PLANTS
SUPPLIERS OF MEASURING AND TESTING INSTRUMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF AIR COMPRESSOR
SUPPLIERS OF PLATFORM WEIGHING MACHINE
APPENDIX – A:
01. PLANT ECONOMICS
02. LAND & BUILDING
03. PLANT AND MACHINERY
04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS
05. FIXED CAPITAL
06. RAW MATERIAL
07. SALARY AND WAGES
08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS
09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL
10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT
11. COST OF PRODUCTION
12. TURN OVER/ANNUM
13. BREAK EVEN POINT
14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE
15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS
16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS
17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS
18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)
