A novel method of increasing ceramic shell permeability and optimizing casting shrinkage and tensile strength of the investment cast parts

This study explores about enhancing the permeability of the ceramic shells used in the investment casting process using cheaply available sawdust particles. An increase in shell’s permeability augments the cooling rate of the casting which enhances its mechanical properties. It was found that the inclusion of sawdust particles into the ceramic slurries exhibited positive impact on the shell’s permeability. It is a well-known fact that electromagnetic stirring process increases the mechanical properties of the castings, but its effect on casting shrinkage has never been realized. Thus, this study further throws light on the impact of electromagnetic stirring in reducing the shrinkage and improving the tensile strength of the casting. In a nutshell, it was found that the final product quality of the investment cast part improved by the combinational treatments adopted in this research work.