A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings.

Metals are cast into shapes by melting them

into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has
solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron. Foundries
produce metal products (called castings or castings) of well-defined shape, size and chemical-
physical characteristics through a simple and energy-efficient production process.

Foundry's Man

In a foundry, the molten metal (consisting of ferrous or non-ferrous alloys) is cast directly into
sand or metal moulds that reproduce in negative the geometry of the piece to be made, in which
the metal solidifies. Once cooled, the casting is extracted from the mould and subjected to
finishing operations.

A foundry shop is a place where the metal casting is prepared by melting and pouring the molten
metal into moulds. Some of the commonly used tools in the foundry shop for the molding
process are shovel, trowel, riddle, rammer, draw spike, swab, vent wire and slick tool.

Melting
The melting process is usually carried out in a furnace. The electric furnaces available melt metals
and alloys at temperatures ranging from 1317 to 1757 . The furnace is charged with scrap, alloy
elements such as ferroalloys, and raw materials.

Scraps can be external like defective forgings and internal like defective castings obtained in the
foundry itself.
Metal is "charged" into a melting boiler, which is then heated over the melting point of the metal.
The molten metal is tapped into a steel pouring ladle through a spout in the boiler once it has
achieved a certain pouring temperature. The surface of the molten metal is skimmed to remove
any slag or impurities.

Pouring
In a foundry, moulds are filled with molten metal by pouring into the mould either by gravity, a
vacuum, or pressurised gas. Many modern foundries pour molten metal using robots or
automatic pouring machines. Historically, moulds were manually filled with ladles. The molten
metal poured is now allowed to cool inside the mould until it solidifies.

What is a Tool?
Any physical item that is used to achieve a goal but is not consumed during this process can be
defined as a tool. Tools are often also referred to as machine, apparatus, implements,
instruments or utensils. The knowledge of obtaining, constructing and using tools is known as
technology. Anthropologists view the usage of tools as an important step in the evolution of the
mankind.

What is Equipment?
The idea of equipment represents all sorts of machinery, functional devices or accessories which
serve an individual, household or a community purpose. Usually, a set of tools that are
designated for a specific task is known as equipment. This could be a small set of functional items
in a finished product. For example, equipment of a car may be alternators, absorbers, optical,
electronic boxes,etc. Equipment of a house may be appliances while equipment may also include
all sorts of devices needed for a specific task.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS USED IN FOUNDRY SHOP FOR MELTING.

A) Crucibles

A crucible is a vessel in which metallic elements are melted to be cast into new objects or to
create a new alloy. Crucibles are traditionally made from ceramic materials, which can withstand
very high temperatures.The material of your crucible should always have a much higher melting
point than that of the materials you are heating. They may also be made of steel or iron to melt
softer metals such as aluminum and zinc because these metals melt at a temperature below that
of the crucible material.

Examples of crucibles are;

Ceramic crucible
Ceramic crucibles are made from kiln-fired clay and are stable at high temperatures. They have
been used in metalworking for over 7000 years. Modern ceramic crucibles are often
manufactured with clay and graphite to ensure durability.

Clay graphite crucible

Graphite crucibles are primarily used to cast both non-ferrous and ferrous metals because they
are non-reactive and able to withstand extremely high temperatures.

Crucibles

Silicon-carbide crucible
Most commonly used in modern laboratories, silicon-carbide crucibles are resistant to extremely
high temperatures and are not chemically reactive, delivering uncontaminated results.

Steel crucible
Steel crucibles can be used to melt metals with a lower melting point such as aluminum and zinc.
They are inexpensive and easy to work with. However, they may easily scale and flake, thus
contaminating your final alloy.
 B) Stir rod
Stir rod generally in foundry is used for stirring hot molten moulds.
A glass stirring rod, glass rod, stirring rod or stir rod is a piece of laboratory equipment
used to mix chemicals. They are usually made of solid glass, about the thickness and
slightly longer than a drinking straw, with rounded ends.

Stirring rods are available in two versions: Pure PTFE solid stirring rod with tapered end,
and pure PTFE stirring rod with mild steel core. The stirring rod version with steel core
can be bent into a permanent shape.

Stir rods
C) Infrared thermometers
Infrared (IR) thermometers enable you to measure temperature quickly, at a distance, and
without touching the object you're measuring. They are so useful, easy, and even fun to use that
they have become as common in kitchens as they have on factory floors. Infrared thermometers
are often used to find overheated equipment and electrical circuits, but they have hundreds of
other uses.
 Infrared thermometer

However, there are a few "gotchas" when using an infrared thermometer that can generate
readings that are misleading or just plain wrong. Fortunately, these sources of error are easy to
avoid or work around.

D) Skimmers
What Does Skimming Mean?
Skimming is a technique of metal refining through concentrating metal ore. It is the removal of
any material or particles that are floating on the surface. Most of the items float to the top of the
water and are skimmed off or removed.

Skimmers
Skimming stations are the locations inside a basic oxygen process furnace shop where slag is
removed from the top of the molten metal bath.

The skimming technique is used in metallurgical processes to concentrate valuable matter or

refining metals.
Skimmers are tools used for removing impurities from hot molten metals.

E) Kilns or furnaces

A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to
complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for
millennia to turn objects made from clay into pottery, tiles and bricks. Various industries use
rotary kilns for pyroprocessing (to calcinate ores, such as limestone to lime for cement) and to
transform many other materials.

Furnace or kiln

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS USED FOR POURING IN FOUNDRY SHOP.

A) Ladles
In metallurgy, a ladle is a bucket-shaped container or vessel used to transport and pour out
molten metals.Ladles are used in foundryindustry to transfer molten metal from one
location to another, generally from a melting furnace to a holding furnace. They are often
used to hold metal while it is treated by degassing and/or fluxing. They are filled by tapping
out a furnace or utilizing a metal transfer pump.
 A ladle

Ladles are used in foundryindustry to transfer molten metal from one location to another,
generally from a melting furnace to a holding furnace. They are often used to hold metal
while it is treated by degassing and/or fluxing. They are filled by tapping out a furnace or
utilizing a metal transfer pump. Most transfer ladles require supporting steel shells and are
lined with refractory, which can be a precast shape or cast in place. Due to extreme
conditions in which the refractory is subjected, it must be resistant to thermal shock, cracks
and erosion.

B) Tongs
These are cast iron charging tongs essential for safely lowering ingots into the crucible. They
can open and hold items up to 150mm wide. The inside faces of the jaws are concave with
"v" notching for addittional grip.
Also useful as general tongs for the movement of hot metals when breaking open cast
moulds.

Tongs

They can also be used for lifting and pouring smaller diameter crucibles. Always check by
 trialing a dry run to ensure you have sufficient leverage to take the weight of the intended
crucible prior to melting.

C) Ingot casters
Molten metal is poured down through a vertical pipe which is then transferred to one or
more horizontal pipes who leads the melt further and drops it into the bottom of the vertical
molds.

The molds are usually of solid and reused when the melt has solidified and the crude
material removed. These raw blanks are called ingots and are available in a number of
different shapes depending on the application.

Ingot for casting

D) Foundry gloves
Foundry Gloves from Safety Gloves are highly heat resistant gloves that are ideal for
protection when melting and casting metals. Usually used with the production of aluminium
and cast iron, Foundry Gloves offer protection of intense heat (up to 500°C) that keeps your
hands protected against damage.
Also are used for holding hot tongs carrying a crucible pot with molten material of metal.
 Gloves
E) Tea pot ladle

A teapot ladle has an interior lining of low thermal capacity, low thermal conductivity
refractory material which in contact with molten metal poured into the ladle forms an
erosion resistant surface, and means for retaining the lining in place when the ladle is tilted.
The lining material comprises inorganic fibrous material, particulate refractory material and
an organic binder and the retaining means may be a refractory or metal ring which clips over
the outer wall of the ladle and the inner wall of the lining, a series of clips or a rod shaped to
fit over the top of the ladle and hold the lining in one place at one point on its perimeter.

Teapot ladle
 Safety Tips
Followings are few safety tips that one should know if he/she is dealing with casting process
or alloys:

1. Wear eye protection, gloves, spats (covering top of feet), and thick clothing protecting
all exposed skin on arms and legs
2. . NO polyester or synthetic clothing.
3.Sand Floor in pouring area shall be clear of all objects not involved in pouring.
4.Clamp or weight up molds that require it.

5.Metal added to heat must be free of moisture and impurities.

6.Metal added to heat during melt must be preheated.
7.Skimmers and other melting tools must be preheated before use.
8.Move Slowly while removing crucible from furnace and moving to mold.
9.Do not look into exhaust during operation.
10.Inspect crucibles before use.

11. No alcohol or drug use.

Advantages
By making proper use of foundry equipment, several benefits can be achieved. Some of the
important advantages include -
1.Routine tasks and systems within the foundries can be automated.
2.Help in improving the production and casting output.
3.Robotic systems can be used to execute hazardous works, such as pouring and degating.
4. Reduce chances of errors and improve the overall production quality and output.
REFERENCES
Foundry Technology" by Beeley P R. ...2002
" Principles of Metal Casting" by Heine. ...1979
" Principles of Solidification" by B Chalmers.
" Foundry Technology" by K P Sinha & D B Goel. ..2012.
" A Text-Book of Foundry Technology" by Khanna O P.
" Principles of Foundry Technology" by P Jain. ...
" ...