Development of Ceramic Molds Suitable for High-speed Centrifugal Casting

A new type of centrifugal casting process is developed using conventional high-speed centrifuge. Developed process has characteristic of huge centrifugal acceleration of up to several thousand G during the casting. Alumina molds, compacted by high-speed centrifugal compaction and slightly sintered to porous bodies, are used. Alumina molds must be soaked completely into molten metal during casting, since by such configuration the pressure around the molds is balanced as quasi-isotropic hydraulic pressure to prevent mold collapse. Weak molds realize, on the other hand, easier demolding. Impregnation of the molten metal into pores of the molds can be predicted by Washburn’s equation. High-speed centrifugal casting realizes very precise shape transferability of several microns. An ant’s complex eyes and tiny hears on the legs are accurately reprinted onto Sn-Bi eutectic alloy cast.