Abstract
In the lost-foam casting process, liquid metal is poured directly onto a refractory-coated, foamed polymer pattern which is buried in loose sand. The polymer pattern undergoes thermal degradation and is gradually replaced by the molten metal, which solidifies and produces the casting. The inherent operating advantages of this innovative technique have generated considerable interest among casting manufacturers. Currently, the process is being utilized to manufacture a wide variety of ferrous and nonferrous components catering primarily to the automotive industry. Because the process is relatively new, there is a compelling need to quantify the influence of process parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the interaction of the thermal degradation products with the solidifying metal may produce several unique defects in the casting.
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Shivkumar, S., Wang, L. & Apelian, D. The lost-foam casting of aluminum alloy components. JOM 42, 38–44 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03220435
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03220435