12. Moulding and Casting¶
This week we had to:
- Review the safety data sheets for each of your molding and casting materials
- Make and compare test casts with each of them
- Compare mold making processes
1. Protective clothing and equipment
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Workwear: Workers must wear special protective clothing that protects against heat and sparks. This includes fireproof overalls, aprons, and mittens.
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Footwear: Safety shoes with heat-resistant soles and steel toes.
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Gloves: Heat-protective and fire-resistant gloves.
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Helmet and Goggles: A safety helmet with a face shield and heat-resistant goggles to protect your eyes from glare and sparks.
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Respirators: Used to protect the respiratory tract from dust and harmful gases.
2. Work area safety
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Cleanliness and order: The work area must be free of debris and foreign objects.
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Ventilation: Provide good ventilation to remove smoke and dust.
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Fencing: Casting areas should be fenced to prevent accidental entry by people.
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Alarm: Availability of alarm systems and danger warning signs.
3. Handling of molten metal
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Temperature control: Constant control of the temperature of the molten cast iron.
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Melting and Pouring: Use of specialized melting and pouring equipment which must be regularly inspected and maintained.
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Pouring ladles: Proper use of pouring ladles and checking them regularly for integrity.
4. Safety when working with sand molds
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Sand mixture: Use only high-quality sand mixture that meets safety requirements.
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Forming and Drying Molds: Proper drying of molds to prevent explosions upon contact with molten metal.
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Avoiding Moisture: Water and moisture in sand can cause steam explosions, so the sand must be dry.
5. Emergency measures and training
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Personnel Training: All employees must be trained in safety and emergency procedures.
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First aid measures: Availability of first aid kits and first aid equipment.
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Fire safety: Availability of fire extinguishers and fire extinguishing systems.
6. Other measures
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Regular inspections and audits: Periodic inspections of safety and working conditions.
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Reporting Violations: Having a system for anonymously reporting security violations.
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Compliance with these measures will minimize risks and ensure safe working conditions when casting cast iron in a sand mold.
“Moai” statue casting¶
As a group task for casting, we decided to use the Casting using gasified models method.
Usually, for this method, models are used from substances with a minimum density, for example polystyrene foam, but due to the circumstances, we decided to print the model on a 3D printer.
As a model, we chose the Moai statue from Easter Island.
At the beginning, we printed the sculpture on a 3D printer using PLA as filament. Since in the future we will pour hot metal onto it, we made the walls and infill minimal.
For iron casting, we visited the (Ashot)[(https://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/dilijan/students/ashot-margaryan/)] steel mill.
In general, the casting method Casting using gasified models is not practiced at this plant. But we decided to take this step.
Because after pressing the sand, due to the many wrinkles in the model, it would be impossible to remove the sand mold.
After pouring the cast iron, we removed the cast iron sand model:
As a result, we got the following result:
The result was good and all the surfaces cast well except the bottom, but that’s how it should be since that was our casting area.