A Primer on Ferrous Foundry Practice & Metallurgy by Rajendra Prasad.G.M. - HTML preview

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PREFACE

There is more than one reason for attempting to write this book.

At the outset, let me confess that I have never authored any thing before.

1) There is a severe man-power crunch in Foundry Industry, because of

prevailing favourable job opportunities.(in other areas) In a situation like this,

the foundries will have to make do with whoever is available.

In my 30 years of experience in various foundries, one thing that I have learnt is

that in foundry you need KNOWLEDGE,HUNCH and AT TIMES DIVINE

INTERVENTION.

As regards to the last point it may sound as a NON-SCIENCICAL SCIENCE.

But believe me it is true as I have had several experiences.

Let me tell you some thing with all the sincerity and the honesty that I can

muster, FOUNDRY SCIENCE is a combination of several subjects ,which are

often considered” Difficult.”

To name the subjects :FLUID MECHANICS.

HEAT TRANSFER.

SOLID MECHANICS.

MATERIAL SCIENCE.

It is a combination of Subjects from Mechanical engineering & Metallurgy.

Mechanical fellows are not comfortable with metallurgy and vice versa.

Hence ,it is time universities started a post of PROFESSOR OF CASTING

TECHNOLY, instead of a mechanical or a metallurgy professor working on

foundry.

This trend has started in UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM. I am very happy

to note this change of perception.

Some people are likely to be offended by the above statement. For them I have

only one answer “ THOSE WHO MATTER DON’T MIND & THOSE WHO

MIND DON’T MATTER. Whole world is crying hoarse about pollution control

FOUNDRY happens to be the second most polluting industry. Mining being the

first one. But mining activity in Australia can’t be out-sourced to INDIA, but

castings can be bought from Indian Foundries. Hence Foundry Industry is going

to see a boom.

But to-day a Inter passed boy with a knowledge of English prefers to go to

BPO. So Foundry industry will have to make do with who so ever is available.

( B.E, B.Sc, D.M.E’s have stopped considering a job opportunity in a Foundry )

In a situation like this it occurred to me as to why not share my 30 years of

industrial experience with these boys, so that their awareness of foundry

increases.( I am talking of boys who have come to foundry, as they had no

option)

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After my B.E( Met )( Honours) from R.E.C, Rourkela ( present day NIT ) and

M.E.( FOUNDRY) from INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE,BANGALORE

in 1978,I have worked in several foundries for last 30 years. I started my career

as a METHODS Engineer and subsequently went on to learn so many other

things on my own initiative. In the process so many people have helped me.

In this world of ours nothing is permanent.

By the grace of GOD I have an enquiring mind and hence I don’t take any

body’s statement as a WORD OF GOD till I am convinced about it. This

statement may sound as though I am an ARROGANT fellow, but that does not

bother me even a wee bit. My personal philosophy (?) has always been “ I AM

LIKE THIS, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT”

In a situation like this, it occurred to me that whatever I think I know is not

mine, it has come from a COSMIC FORCE and hence I have no MORAL right

to carry it to my GRAVE. So I decided to share my knowledge with people who

want to know about Foundry science.

Our ancient sages and seers did penance to appease GODS to get an ETERNAL

KNOWLEDGE.I am no sage or seer nor I can give you an eternal knowledge.

Among people who seek the knowledge of foundry science are two types.

1) People who are working in foundries for several years but they do not know

what is what. I have absolutely no qualms in saying this as I have met hundreds

of such people.

2) Fresher’s or New comers to foundry.

I would teach you the following PATTERN ,METHODING ,MELTING,

MOULDING, FETTLING, HEAT TREATMENT,INSPECTION AND

TESTING and finally some basic of METALLURGY which is relevant to you.

Here I ask of you only one thing i.e. you must know ENGLISH. Rest you leave

it to me. I will try, for all I am worth, to do justice so that your life in foundry

becomes more cheerful and not drudgery.

I have yet another pre-requisite i.e.

THINK,THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.

Animals have an INSTINCTIVE INTELLEGENCE and human being has an

INTELLECTUAL INTELLIGENCE. Animals can’t think and human being

does not think. Do you find any big difference between animals and human

beings ,tell me honestly .when I make this statement, it not is out of arrogance

but with a deep sense of ANGUISH.

When I was studying an elective subject ”NUCLEAR METALLURGY” in

my final year B.E in 1975,I knew that India didn’t have enough of Uranium,

had plenty of Thorium .Even after 33 years we are going around the world

begging for Uranium.

If this does not speak volumes about our scientific and thinking capability or

lack of it ,what else can. That is the reason I am paying so much importance to

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THAT COMPONENT OF THINKING.

I am as much an INDIAN as all of you are, so do not jump to a conclusion that

I am denigrating INDIA.I AM NOT.

Your parents sent you to school, when you were 5 years old. Why did they send

you to school, because they knew that you didn’t know any thing.( this includes

me ).You know what is the maximum weight you can lift, you know how much

you can eat, you know how far you can see with your naked eye, etc but do

you know what your MIND can do or can’t do. Your MIND is yours only,

endowed to you by GOD almighty HIMSELF OR HERSELF OR ITSELF.

When you don’t use such a POWERFULL TOOL, are we not SINNING against

GOD. Would it be wrong if GOD concludes HE OR SHE OR IT has made

an “APATRA DHANA “i.e. giving a gift to an UNDESERVING FELLOW.

So, my friends I request you ,beg of you to THINK. YOUR MIND IS YOUR

BRAMHASTRA,ICBM AND MIRV ALL IN ONE. I have said what I have

said with a belief that CRITICISM IS AN ELEMENT OF FAITH AND NOT

OPPOSITE OF FAITH.

This book will not be like a conventional book. This book will not be written in

third person like other books. Instead this book will be interactive and

conversational in nature and so read this book like you would read a novel.

Excepting the data and some diagrams, every thing is extempore. I will talk

about the problems I faced and solutions I got. I will give you precautions and

warnings to be adhered to in a foundry operation.

As I started my career as a METHODS engineer of STEEL castings, it is more

likely than not that this book will show certain amount of bias towards STEEL.

I have also worked in S.G Iron foundry, hence I will tell you about S.G. Iron

making, and more importantly S.G. Iron FEEDING.

As regards to S.G Iron feeding many people think that S.G. Iron should be fed

like STEEL, nothing is farther from TRUTH.

Contact Details:

G.M.RAJENDRA PRASAD.

E-mail ID: gmrpsbc@yahoo.com

Phone No. +91-9480504635

15-02-2009

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