QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN CASTING INDUSTRY

摘要

The casting process is very complex manufacturing process due to the several variables in the process. Shrinkage in the final product is one of the biggest reasons for poor quality and yield in the ductile iron casting industries. This paper documents the work carried out at a local foundry to solve the shrinkage problem. Design of Experiments (DOE) approach was used to study the manufacturing process and the variables that affect the Adaptive Thermal Analysis System (ATAS) parameters derived from the solidification curve. The results of the study indicated that rejections due to shrinkage were affected by the Silicon, Magnesium and Alloy factor. The pouring temperature in the operating range and the inoculants type and amount used did not have significant affect on the product quality. DOE approach was found to be very effective to solve complex process quality problems. This approach can be replicated to improve product quality in other processes and industries.