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Rapid Casting of Light Metals: An Experimental Investigation Using Taguchi Methods

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Abstract

The phrase ‘rapid casting’ is being increasingly used to represent specific casting processes designed to reduce the total manufacturing lead time, by expediting selected critical steps. Rapid Prototyping (RP) is the means through which this is achieved, either directly or indirectly. There have been sporadic reports on this topic in the recent literature, but since the approach has the potential for considerable savings in production time, it offers opportunities for more design freedom in terms of patternless moulding, a scientific understanding of the process needs to be developed. This paper is an attempt in this direction, considering the rapid casting achieved by direct printing of sand moulds from Computer Aided Design (CAD) models, using 3D printing. The mould performance when used to cast light metals such as aluminium and magnesium under varying conditions is studied in terms of mechanical characteristics and surface quality of the castings. Taguchi L9 experimental design is used to consider the total number of factors and the size of the resulting experimental designs. The results indicate the suitability of patternless moulds for casting aluminium and magnesium alloys without any loss of essential characteristics, but the process variables have a complex influence on the overall outcome in each case and the best results can only be obtained by the optimum combination of factors in each alloy system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, AUT University (Auckland University of Technology), Auckland, New Zealand

    S. Singamneni, O. Diegel, D. Singh & N. McKenna

Authors
  1. S. Singamneni
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  2. O. Diegel
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  3. D. Singh
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  4. N. McKenna
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Singamneni, S., Diegel, O., Singh, D. et al. Rapid Casting of Light Metals: An Experimental Investigation Using Taguchi Methods. Inter Metalcast 5, 25–36 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355516

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