This chapter focuses on the elements and functions of sand conditioning equipment which are critical to achieving good quality castings. The sand conditioning equipment include sand muller; core sand mixers; sand conveyors and bucket elevators; sand aerators; mold conveyors; shakeout units; magnetic separators; lump breakers and core crushers; screens; sand coolers; sand reclamation systems; and sand hoppers.

Molding flasks and other supplementary equipment are essential for molding complex shapes at competitive production rates and costs. This chapter addresses the design aspects of molding flasks and accessories, the features and handling accessories of molding machines, core making machines and innovations for productivity and quality, and automated core-setting aids.

Most iron and steel castings are produced by casting into sand molds. Sand cores are needed primarily to form hollow cavities in castings for collapsibility and ease of cleaning. This chapter begins with an overview of the classification of molding and core-making systems. This is followed by a section discussing the process involved in shell molding, along with its applications. A brief description of the special casting processes is then presented. Next, the chapter discusses the processes involved in core making. Further, it provides an overview of casting manufacturing. Finally, the chapter provides information on the factors that influence a casting facility layout.

The casting engineer contributes to a successful component design by offering expertise in molding, core making, and material characteristics and by recommending the most suitable casting process to use to meet quality and cost targets. The casting engineer's responsibilities include recommending locator positioning; advising about lugs, hooks, or holes for casting handling through all processes; determining the choice of a parting plane and pouring orientation; designing cores for accurate positioning, suitable venting, and proper cleaning; guiding decisions about wall thicknesses and junctions; making suggestions about casting design to eliminate distortion; optimizing the gating design for slag-free metal; and establishing the feeding techniques to eliminate shrink porosity. This chapter provides the guidelines for these responsibilities. In addition, the guidelines for the use of chaplets and chills in cast iron castings; guidelines for drafts, machine stock, tolerances, and contraction or shrink rule; and guidelines for pattern layouts and nesting are also covered.

This chapter provides information on comparative attributes of sand molds and metal molds for aluminum casting. The cooling rates and microstructures obtained with each mold type are discussed. In addition, the chapter explains why sand castings work successfully in certain applications.

Specimen preparation is the first step that determines the quality of the microstructural information that can be obtained using optical microscopy. This chapter describes the sample preparation methods that are applicable to most types of composite materials containing short discontinuous or continuous fibers. The sample preparation methods cover documentation and labeling of samples, sectioning the composite, clamp-mounting composite samples, mounting composite samples in casting resins, and the addition of contrast dyes to casting resins. Information on the molds used for mounting composite materials is provided. The steps recommended to achieve a good mounted specimen without voids or specimen pull-out are also described. The chapter discusses the processes for clamping mounted composite samples in automated polishing heads and mounting composite materials for hand polishing. A summary of the mounting technique is also included.

Tool steels are the ferrous alloys used to manufacture tools, dies, and molds that shape, form, and cut other materials, including steels, nonferrous metals, and plastics. This chapter explores the considerations that make tool steels a very special class of steels, the long historical evolution of iron and steel manufacture, including steels for tools, and the development of tool steels as they emerged from the general class of iron and steel products.