Manufacturing and Production

Foundry Operations: Moulding, Melting and Casting

A foundry converts scrap of uncertain composition into castings sold to a specification, in a process where the product is hidden inside sand until it is too late to change anything. This course covers controlling what can be controlled. Delegates work through pattern and mould design, including draft, machining allowance and the shrinkage that a pattern must anticipate. Moulding methods follow across green sand, chemically bonded and shell processes, with sand properties, permeability and the reclamation that keeps sand usable. Core making is covered. Melting is addressed for cupola, induction and rotary furnaces, with charge calculation, temperature control and the deslagging and degassing that decide metal cleanliness. Metal treatment follows, including inoculation and nodularisation for cast irons. Gating and feeding are worked through as the design decisions that determine whether a casting fills and feeds. Pouring practice and safety are covered. The course closes on shakeout, fettling and dimensional inspection.