Mold coatings

ABSTRACTThere are three main features come up in today?s high competitive market conditions. Theseare high quality, low cost and on time delivery with demanded quantity. The casting processis known to be the most important process among forming processes and used more than 90%. It is quite complicated to understand and to solve the problems of casting processincluding many variables and inputs which are affecting the final output.Mold coatings are one of the most important inputs in both die and sand casting. Moldcoatings which are containing alumina, zircon and silica based solutions, applied to moldwalls. These coatings create a barrier between the molten metal and the surfaces of the moldwhile a skin of solidified metal is forming. Additionally, mold coatings are used to preventpremature freezing of the molten metal and affect the rate and direction of solidification inorder to control the casting?s soundness and structure. Also it minimizes thermal shock bypreventing the soldering of molten metal to the mold. Thickness of mold coating andsuperheat of melt have considerable effects on solidification and modification castingstructure.In this research, the mixture of bentonite and diatomite which is used frequently in these days,was analyzed. The effects of coating materials as thickness on solidification and as metal-mold interface were studied.Keywords: Mold coatings, metal-mold interface, solidification.XII