★This column is a commentary on lost wax casting with a block molding method
This column has been presented by Yoshida Cast
Casting defects come in various forms, such as cracks in castings, surface roughness and porosity and so on.
Casting defects are classified into several types. And each of these has different causes.
In addition, since the casting process is diverse, the cause may not always be one, and most cases are complicated.
Typical failures are roughly classified into six categories.
Fourth, let's take a look at the causes and countermeasures for "Cracking Problems".
Index
What is "Cracking"?
This is a phenomenon in which cracks and fissures occur at the final solidification part of casts or/and at the tip of molten metal during solidification.
In a case of jewelry such as rings with a high copper content like pink gold, red gold, etc., cracks will not be seen immediately after casting. However, cracks may occur when the metal is reheated to resize those rings may also occur.
Why cracking of casts take place. And what is countermeasure.
The causes of cracking in castings can be broadly classified into three categories. The causes and countermeasures are independently introduced in this column.
CAUSE 1 / Cracking due to Cold Shot
In case if casting metal temperature too low, At the point where melted metal flowing from multiple directions intersects during casting, a boundary occurs at the confluence surface due to insufficient temperature when the tip of the melted metal joins that comes from the other side.
Typical shape is one end is rounded and the other is recessed.
Increase flask temperature or/and casting temperature of casting metal to make solidification time delay.
CAUSE 2 / Intergranular Cracking (including brittleness)
In polycrystalline metals (alloys), gases and foreign substances (intermetallic compounds and oxides) are confined between crystal grains.
In this case, since adhesion between crystals is low, cracks occur in places where internal gas and impurities tend to accumulate, such as places where shrinkage stress concentrates during solidification and shrinkage, and places where molten metal merges and coalesces.
Change the confluence point of the melted metal with installing air vents for venting gas, changing the thickness of runners or ingates, or changing the angle of attached runners.
In case of pink gold and red gold for example, cast flasks should be immediately quinch to cool down after casting in order to reduce the size of the crystal grains as much as possible.
This prevents grain boundary cracking during secondary heating.
In addition, depending on the type of alloy, the crystalline structure may change during the solidification process (slow cooling, rapid cooling, etc.) after casting, causing the metal to become brittle.
In such cases, the cooling method should be changed accordingly, or annealing or tempering should be performed.
For alloys with solid solution limit, solution treatment is performed after casting.
CAUSE 3 / Shrinkage Cracking
This is a phenomenon in which directive solidification is not ensured.
Solidified part breaks as if it were torn due to the stress caused by solidification shrinkage with
a time-lag.
What is directive solidification?
In general, objects (substances) expand as its temperature rises.
Metals are no exception, especially metals during casting expand greatly because they are melted.
However, when the state (phase) of the metal goes from melting to solidifying, it shrinks.
*Some metals shrink when the temperature rises.
In casting, this property should be taken into consideration. In other words, it is ideal that melted metal should be solidify in order from the tip of casting in order to keep supplying melting metal until completion of entire solidification.
This is called directive solidification.
In order to perform this directive solidification, thickness, length, and location of gate sprues are appropriately determined.
No directional solidification adapted directional solidification
Summary of Casting Cracking
Countermeasures for cracking problems are summarized blow.
Check List
- Increase casting temperature of both casting molds and casting metal in order to lengthen solidification time.
- Attach air-vents for gas release.
- Change thickness, length, installation location and angle of gate sprues.
- In case of casting for pink gold or red gold, let casting molds cool down immediately after casting in order to shorten solidification time. (to prevent crystal growth)
There is not always one cause. Please review all the items again and see how they work.
When casting condition is desired to be changed, change it one by one.
If you change two conditions at one time, you will not be able to clearly find out an exact and direct cause for the casting error you have.
Author : M. Yoshida
シアン化物イオン（CN-）をアニオン（陰イオン）として持つ塩を指す。
公的な第三者が貴金属の品位を証明する制度として独立行政法人である造幣局が行っている。
宝石などが石留めされる宝飾品やアクセサリーで、主役となる宝石の周囲や周辺に留められる宝石を指す。
カーボンルツボを使って高周波誘導加熱を行う場合、ルツボと加熱コイルの接触を避けるために高周波誘導の影響を受けない素材で保護をする。
焼成した鋳型をつかむ工具。
埋没材を手で攪拌する際に使用するゴム製の容器。
ラバーキャストで使用する器具。
熱加硫式のシリコーンゴムを加硫する際にシリコーンゴムが熱膨張で枠からはみ出る。
ブローチ針を装着する工具。
ワックス型修正用の工具。
鋳型の周囲にツバが付けられた吸引鋳造用のフラスコ。
チタンは、ルツボの素材と反応して金属組成が変化するため、チタン鋳造では一般的なルツボを使った高周波誘導加熱溶解は行わない。この代わりに銅製のルツボを使用し、アーク溶解を行う。
シリカ系埋没材などの無結合型埋没材の脱水を行うために使用する専用紙。
耐火性・耐熱性の強い手袋。
埋没材を手で攪拌する場合に使用する専用のヘラ。
ルツボの中の高融点金属を攪拌するための石英製の棒。
ラバーキャストで使用する器具。
ロストワックス鋳造のブロックモールド法（ソリッドモールド法）のゴム型にインジェクションワックスを射出する際に使う器具。
黒鉛製の棒。
金以外の割り金の種類や配合を変えて、イエローゴールド以外の発色をする金合金の総称。
黒鉛製の棒。
硫酸などに浸けた金属を陽極（+）として電気を流し、金属の電子を取り除くことで表面を酸化させること。これにより不動態を形成する。アルマイトはアルミの陽極酸化。
ロストワックス鋳造（ブロックモールド法）で、ワックス型の作製工程でゴム型に射出する専用のパラフィンを主成分とするワックス。通常60℃前後で溶解する。