Preventing Casting Defects of Stainless Steel Flanges Using a Water-Soaking Method

Abstract

High-precision flanges are used in conjunction with O-rings, bolts, and nuts in a variety of pipe connections to prevent the leakage of harmful fluids. Flanges require good hermeticity; i.e., without pores, cavities, blow holes, or other shrinkage defects. This study employed mold flow analysis to predict where and how defects are likely to occur during the casting process. In this study, we soaked the bottom of the casting system in cold water to direct the direction of solidification from the bottom upward. Simulation results indicate that this method significantly reduces the probability of shrinkage defects in castings.