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.

This chapter discusses the ways in which the evolution of filament winding software systems has capitalized on the inherent flexibility of computer numerical controlled winding machines and enhanced their productivity. It provides a detailed discussion on different types of geometries that can be wound, from the simple to the highly complex, with insight into the limitations, advantages, and challenges of each. Components covered include classic axisymmetric parts (rings, pipes, driveshafts, pipe reducers, tapered shafts, closed-end pressure vessels, and storage tanks), nonround sections (aeromasts, airfoils, box sections, and fuselage sections), curved-axis parts (elbows, ducts), and special applications (tees). Basic winding concepts, such as band pattern, are discussed and explained, and some simple predictive formulae are introduced. The chapter also provides examples of programming various geometries using advanced software tools and discusses how various materials, such as rovings, tow-preg, prepreg tape, and woven materials, affect winding program generation.

Malleable iron has unique properties that justify its application in the metal working industry. This chapter discusses the advantages, limitations, and mechanical properties of malleable iron; provides a description of the malleabilization process; and presents manufacturing guidelines for malleable iron castings.

This appendix includes contact information for titanium manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers.

This chapter discusses the crystal structures of steel and cast iron, the iron-iron carbide equilibrium diagram, microconstituents or phases in the iron-iron carbide phase diagram, the iron-carbon carbide-silicon equilibrium diagram of cast irons, and the influence on microstructure by base elements and alloying elements. Graphitization, cooling rates, and heat treatment effects are covered. There also is discussion on inoculation benefits, flake graphite types and typical applications, evolution of cast iron types, ASTM specification A247 for graphite shapes, and selection of the best molding process. A large table lists typical material choices for various applications.

Casting is one of the most economical manufacturing processes for providing shape to components of machinery and is used in a wide range of industries. This chapter is a brief account of the advantages, applications, limitations, and market growth of aluminum casting. It also provides information on the process of conversion of steel and iron parts to aluminum.

The challenge of materials selection is to achieve adequate performance at the lowest possible cost. Corrosion resistance is not the only property to be considered in making materials selections. Typical requirements and some of the procedures involved in making a selection and some of the factors that must be considered when determining the corrosion performance of a given material are listed in this chapter. The various steps that might be included in a materials selection process are then examined. These include a review of operating conditions and design, the selection of candidate materials, the in-depth evaluation of each candidate material, fabrication requirements, follow-up monitoring, and final materials selection. Material considerations such as cost, materials properties, and processing and fabrication requirements are subsequently covered. Finally, the chapter provides information on materials selection under general corrosion conditions and under conditions of localized corrosion forms such as pitting, crevice corrosion, and stress-corrosion cracking.

The commercial relevance of cast irons is best understood in the context of the iron-carbon phase diagram, where their composition places them near the eutectic point, which sheds light on why they melt at lower temperatures than steel and why they can be cast into more intricate shapes. This chapter examines these unique properties and how they are derived. It begins by describing the basic metallurgy of cast iron, focusing on the eutectic reaction. It explains how to control the reaction and thus properties of cast iron by overcooling and inoculation. The chapter also discusses composition, microstructure, heat treatments, and the classification and casting characteristics of white, gray, ductile, malleable, compacted graphite, and special cast irons.

This article explains how malleable iron is produced and how its microstructure and properties differ from those of gray and ductile iron. Malleable iron is first cast as white iron then annealed to convert the iron carbide into irregularly shaped graphite particles called temper carbon. Although malleable iron has largely been replaced by ductile iron, the article explains that it is still sometimes preferred for thin-section castings that require maximum machinability and wear resistance. The article also discusses the annealing and alloying processes by which these properties are achieved.

The objective of mechanical testing of an engineered material is to provide data necessary for the analysis, design, and fabrication of structural components using the material. The testing of filament-wound composite materials offers unique challenges because of the special characteristics of composites. This chapter describes suitable static mechanical test techniques for characterizing laminated composite materials. The approach is to provide recommended techniques, based on consensus opinions of fabricators and users of filament-wound composites, and to survey available techniques that have been used successfully in the field. The chapter describes the effects of various factors on the properties of composite constituents, including fibers, resins, and unidirectional plies. Some aspects of specimen selection are also described. The chapter provides information on pressure bottles and tubular parts that have been developed as standard test specimens for combined load testing of composites.

This chapter concentrates almost exclusively on inspection techniques related to pressure vessels and pipework. The discussion covers the general aspects associated with inspection and the key factors relevant to it. In addition, the chapter addresses processes involved in data collection and management, namely data acquisition, reporting, trending, reviewing, and auditing. Capabilities and limitations of in-service inspection techniques are discussed in the Appendix to this chapter.

This chapter is a collection of tables listing: cast alloy designations of Aluminum Association, along with their general applications; the chemical compositions of the frequently used alloys for gravity permanent molds, low-pressure permanent molds, squeeze castings, and die castings; the typical tensile properties of die cast alloys; and the designations of different heat treatments and their description. The tables also list the temperatures and times of typical heat treatment cycles for different permanent mold cast alloys; typical components in sand, gravity, and low-pressure permanent mold castings and die castings, the functional requirements of each process, and the corresponding suitable alloys and heat treatments; and alloys that are high vacuum die cast for structural castings. The chapter also presents examples of photomicrographs of some alloys cast by different processes.

The technology of fabricating composite hardware and structures by filament winding has evolved empirically through the development and manufacturing of specific components. This chapter reviews areas of technology used in building composite parts and discusses the processes from which the current technology was derived. The discussion covers quality control requirements for composite fabrication technology and cleanliness standards in the workplace. It describes technology developed for specific components, including satellites struts, aircraft hydraulic cylinders, drill pipe, drive shafts, couplings, and cryogenic tubing.

Carbon and low-alloy steels are the most frequently welded metallic materials, and much of the welding metallurgy research has focused on this class of materials. Key metallurgical factors of interest include an understanding of the solidification of welds, microstructure of the weld and heat-affected zone (HAZ), solid-state phase transformations during welding, control of toughness in the HAZ, the effects of preheating and postweld heat treatment, and weld discontinuities. This chapter provides information on the classification of steels and the welding characteristics of each class. It describes the issues related to corrosion of carbon steel weldments and remedial measures that have proven successful in specific cases. The major forms of environmentally assisted cracking affecting weldment corrosion are covered. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the effects of welding practice on weldment corrosion.

Aluminum is the second most widely used metal in the world. It is readily available, offers a wide range of properties, and can be shaped, coated, and joined using a variety of methods. This chapter discusses some of the key attributes of wrought and cast aluminum alloys and the classifications, designations, and grades of available product forms. It also explains how aluminum alloys are used in aerospace, automotive, rail, and marine applications as well as in building and construction, electrical products, manufacturing equipment, packaging, and consumer durables such as appliances and furniture.

This chapter describes the molecular structures and chemical reactions associated with the production of thermoset and thermoplastic components. It compares and contrasts the mechanical properties of engineering plastics with those of metals, and explains how fillers and reinforcements affect impact and tensile strength, shrinkage, thermal expansion, and thermal conductivity. It examines the relationship between tensile modulus and temperature, provides thermal property data for selected plastics, and discusses the effect of chemical exposure, operating temperature, and residual stress. The chapter also includes a section on the uses of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins and provides information on fabrication processes and fastening and joining methods.

This chapter provides a brief review of industry’s battle with fatigue and fracture and what has been learned about the underlying failure mechanisms and their effect on product lifetime and service. It recounts some of the tragic events that led to the discovery of fatigue and brittle fracture and explains how they reshaped design philosophies, procedures, and tools. It also discusses the influence of material and manufacturing defects, operating conditions, stress concentration and intensity, temperature and pressure, and cyclic loading, all of which play a role in the onset of fatigue cracking and thus should be considered when predicting useful product life.

The design process is the first and most important step in corrosion control. Major savings in operating costs are possible by anticipating corrosion problems so as to provide proper design for equipment before assembly or construction begins. This chapter describes the role of the design team in producing a successful final design, general considerations in corrosion-control design, and design details that accelerate corrosion. The details that must be considered when attempting to control corrosion by design include plant/site location, plant environment, component/assembly shape, fluid movement, surface preparation and coating procedures, and compatibility, insulation, and stress considerations. Design solutions for specific forms of corrosion, namely crevice corrosion, galvanic corrosion, erosion-corrosion, and stress-corrosion cracking, are then considered. A brief section is devoted to the discussion on corrosion allowance used for steel parts subject to uniform corrosion. Finally, the chapter describes the design considerations for using weathering steels.

This chapter provides a discussion of nitriding furnace equipment and control systems. The discussion covers the essential design criteria of the furnace, types of nitriding furnaces, insulation for the reduction of furnace heat losses, and factors influencing furnace configuration and design. It also covers the processes involved in the construction and maintenance of retorts, methods for sealing a retort to prevent ammonia leaks, and safety precautions to be taken while using ammonia. Further, the chapter provides information on the factors for choosing a heating medium and discusses the processes involved in controlling temperature, gas dissociation, oxygen probes, and nitriding sensors.