MCD Engineering Group
Engineering principles for metal casting process design including controlled filling, turbulence reduction, runner systems, and melt quality.
Matching Sprue Velocity and Using Surface Tension to Stabilize Flow 1. Introduction Most runner systems in metal casting are designed using traditional gating ratios that attempt to manipulate metal velocity at various locations within the system. However, these approaches often overlook the fundamental issue of maintaining consistent flow rate through the sprue and runner system. … Read more
BATNEEC — Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Cost — is one of those regulatory ideas most engineers recognize instinctively, even if they have not encountered the acronym recently. Originating in UK and European environmental regulation, it was intended to prevent poor practice from being defended purely on the basis of cost. Within foundries, BATNEEC … Read more
Your pouring basin decides what enters the mold. If your pouring basin is acting like a funnel, it’s doing two things you don’t want: aspirating air, and collecting and delivering oxides/inclusions straight into the sprue. A good pouring basin isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a flow conditioning device. Best practice:Offset pouring basin (not centered over the … Read more
In modern foundry engineering, “design by analysis” has replaced “design by experience” as the foundation of high-integrity casting manufacture. Gone are the days when gating and riser layouts were drawn from rule-of-thumb. Today, every successful casting begins with data — simulation, metallurgical modeling, and a deep understanding of how molten metal behaves as it fills and solidifies. At Metal Casting … Read more
Preserving the Core Tenets of Bottom Fill, Quiescent Metal Control, and Zircon Mold Precision 1. Introduction Frustrated by the constant failure of Aluminum cylinder heads, Cosworth Engineering asked Professor Campbell to develop a new casting process in the late 1970s. The resulting Cosworth Casting Process set a new standard for producing high-integrity aluminum castings for … Read more
The way molten metal is introduced into a mold directly influences casting soundness, defect rates, and yield. Among the available methods, bottom pouring has proven to be highly effective for minimizing turbulence, improving filling patterns, and enhancing casting quality. The velocity of molten metal at the ingates, which dictates whether the flow is laminar, transitional, or turbulent — and … Read more