FOUNDRY MELTING/CASTING : Intermediate (Book with DVD) (Workbook Included)

Foundry Melting/Casting: Intermediate comprehends various diverse practical and visual skills with knowledge of specialized materials and techniques. A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Melting of different type of metals may use different kinds of furnaces. The melting operations may use different furnaces, each type of which may use different heating systems and fuel. When the metal is molten, the composition is checked and adjusted. Then this is tapped from the furnace and cast into molds. The resulting castings are fettled and cleaned. There are a variety of methods used in foundries for melting the metal for casting. The selection of an appropriate technique is dependent on factors such as the metal being melted, the amount of molten metal required for the production run and the area available to house the melting equipment. This book will introduce the knowledge and skills for those studying and/or working in foundry industry to interpret and convey information in response to workplace requirements.

About this Book

The information in this book consists of competencies that a person must achieve to be able to melt different kinds of metals, cast it and clean. This will not be limited to ferrous metals and only one type of furnace. The furnaces are subjected to intense heat and temperature. Furnaces are lined with refractory linings which are eroded in every melting. The refractory linings will need periodic maintenance and replacement. This book covers all operations of melting and casting including the maintenance of furnaces. A person who has achieved this qualification is competent to be Foundry Melter.

About the Foundry Industry

The foundry industry consists of many stages from mining to the actual casting of the metal and iron. While most of the materials used in the foundry industry are mined from the earth as ore and minerals that are heated and liquified, many recycled iron and steel products are also heated and liquidated before being poured into molds and turned into new steel and iron bars. This type of recycling brings scrap yards, automobile salvage yards and neighborhood recycling programs into the foundry industry. Trucking and rail services are also involved in the process of creating new steel from old and discarded steel scrap, as they transport the raw materials to the foundry where the scrap is turned into new steel. While the foundry industry is not responsible for the creation of many finished items, it is responsible for creating the raw castings that are finished by other factories. Once the raw materials have been heated to a liquid and poured into molds, the foundry industry process often requires use of large drop-hammers to pound the hot iron bars into a specific size and shape. Many different steel types and iron types are created by the mixture and addition of certain minerals to the molten iron while it is still in the large cauldrons. Engineering firms have a construction crew or hire a construction company to build the foundry. Engineers work with construction foremen to plan and construct the facility from start to finish. Foundry engineers look at the current setup and structure and determine solutions to meet the customer’s needs within the current facility.