Ongoing AFS-sponsored research seeks to address costly inclusion defects that plague steel casting production by exploring how various gating designs affect filling conditions and casting quality.
Principal investigator Laura Bartlett and her team at Missouri University of Science and Technology are evaluating different filling conditions by producing a series of test castings using different rigging systems commonly employed in steel foundries. Filling of gating systems are being designed using filling and solidification software. The results from subsequent casting trials will then be compared and used to establish best practices for steel gating design.
At present, it is estimated that scrap and rework due to inclusion defects can account for as much as 16% of the manufacturing costs associated with steel casting production. This research has the potential to slash those costs by addressing turbulent filling conditions that cause unnecessary weld repair, low mechanical properties, and customer rejections.
To learn more about this project, register for an AFS Members Only Webinar on May 14, AFS Research: Effect of Filling Conditions on Steel Casting Quality. During this webinar, Bartlett will provide an update on the status of the project and discuss its objectives.
For more information, contact AFS Technical Research Assistant Ryan Davis at rdavis@afsinc.org.