Studies of Wheel Center Castings

Abstract

Casting of wheel center of rolling stocks was experimented as an example for studies of sound steel castings. Risering considering the fundamental experiments of risering steel castings for simple shapes developed by Pellini and others was provided for this experiment which aimed both to study the thermal analysis of riser and to measure feed metal flow in mold. Casting process in the mold was analysed and thermal gradient promoting the directional solidification in molten steel comprehended which was needed for sound casting. The conclusions from this experiment are as follows, considering the result of γ-ray inspection. (1) Casting designs for complex castings considering Pellini's experiments for simple castings can give optimum or minimum adequate riser only under the correction which is given when the influences of molding conditions and of the delayed solidification at corner are fully investigated and taken into consideration. (2) Based on (1), the better casting design with riser dimensions enlarged by 15% was determined for wheel center when any exothermic compound was not used. (3) Through the author's analysis of the feed metal flow and the thermal gradient of metal in mold, further casting experiments applying chills to promote directional solidification will become easier to execute.