Contents 5 Shrinkage

No data are available on casting shrinkage, but in alloys having the same approximate nickel and chromium contents, pattern-makers usually make allowances for roughly 3% linear casting shrinkage. 

The sliced sheet will still contain large quantities of alcohol and it is necessary to season the sheet at elevated temperatures. This may only take three days at 49°C for 0.010 in (0.025 cm) thick sheet but will take about 56 days for 1 in (2.5 cm) thick blocks. The removal of alcohol, as might be expected, is accompanied by considerable shrinkage. Fully seasoned sheet has a volatile content of 2%, the bulk of which is water but there is some residual alcohol. The sheet may be fully polished by heating in a press between glazed plates under pressure for a few minutes. Because the material is thermoplastic it is necessary to cool it before removal from the press. 

Fillers are used in tooling and casting application. Not only do they reduce cost but in diluting the resin content they also reduce curing shrinkage, lower the coefficient of expansion, reduce exotherms and may increase thermal conductivity. Sand is frequently used in inner cores whereas metal powders and metal oxide fillers are used in surface layers. Wire wool and asbestos are sometimes used to improve impact strength. 

Because cast iron has a carbon content approximately equivalent to its eutectic composition, it can be cast at lower temperatures than steel and flows more readily than steel because of its much narrower temperature solidification range. The presence of the graphite flakes in cast iron decreases its shrinkage on solidification much less than that of steel. These factors contribute to the fabrication of cast iron as sound castings in complex shapes and with accurate dimensions at low cost. 

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