Centrifugal Casting
centrifugal casting
[‚sen′trif·i·gəl ′kast·iŋ]Centrifugal Casting
the production of castings in metal molds, during which the molten metal is subjected to centrifugal force. The metal being cast is thrown toward the walls of the mold and forms the casting after hardening. The centrifugal method is widely used in industry for the production of hollow castings with free surfaces, such as cast-iron and steel pipes, rings, sleeves, and cowlings. A distinction is made between horizontal and vertical centrifugal casting machines, depending on the position of the axis of rotation of the molds. Horizontal machines are most frequently used in the production of pipes. For casting in machines with a vertical axis of rotation, metal is poured from the ladle into the mold, which is fastened to a shaft driven by an electric motor. Centrifugal force pushes the metal toward the cylindrical sidewall. The mold rotates until solidification of metal is complete, after which the rotation is stopped and the casting is removed. Complex interior walls of the casting are produced by means of cores. The walls of molds for castings with complicated exterior surfaces are covered with molding sand, which is packed down with rollers, thus forming the required relief. Castings obtained by the centrifugal method have higher density in their exterior layers than do castings obtained by other methods.
REFERENCES
Konstantinov, L. S. Tsentrobezhnoe lit’e chugunnykh otlivok. [Moscow] 1959.Iudin, S. B., S. E. Rozenfel’d, and M. M. Levin. Tsentrobezhnoe lit’e. Moscow, 1962.
N. P. DUBININ