Geometric Form of Gating System Elements and Its Influence on the Initial Filling Phase

Flow of cast steel through twenty-four variants of gating system was examined with the use of numerical modeling conducted in MAGMA. The main goal of the research was to determine the impact of the gating system elements’ geometric form on the kinetics in the initial filling phase, which is crucial in terms of castings quality. The evaluation was based on flow kinetics, maximal height, and the velocity of metal entering the mold. The variables included the geometric form of the sprue and the cross runner, as well as geometric form, length, and expansion of the ingate. Results allow to form valuable conclusions that can lead to improvement in the castings manufacturing technology. Results show that application of proper expansion of the ingate and suitable geometric form of the gating system can significantly reduce the velocity of metal entering the mold cavity, as well as eradicate the jetting, which positively impacts the soundness of the casting.