CASTING DEFECTS

Contents:
Introduction
Defects in casting
1. Distortion
2. Surface roughness and irregularities.
3. Porosity
a) Solidification defects
Localized shrinkage porosity
Micro porosity.
) !rapped gases
Pinhole porosity
"as inclusions
Susurface porosity
c) #esidual air.
$. Inco%plete or %issing detail.
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CASTING DEFECTS
Introduction
&n unsuccessful casting result in considerale troule and loss of
ti%e' in al%ost all instances' defects in castings can e a(oided y strict
oser(ance of procedures go(erned y certain funda%ental rules and
principles. Seldo% is a defect in a casting attriutale to other factors
than the carelessness or ignorance of the operator. )ith present
techni*ues' casting failures should e the e+ception' not the rule.
Defects in castings can e classified under four headings,
1) Distortion
2) Surface roughness and irregularities
3) Porosity and
$) Inco%plete or %issing detail.
So%e of these factors ha(e een discussed in connection -ith
certain phases of the casting techni*ues. !he su.ect is su%%arized and
analyzed in so%e detail in the follo-ing sections.
DISTORTION:-
&ny %arked distortion of the casting is proaly related to a distortion
of the -a+ pattern. !his type of distortion can e %ini%ized or pre(ented
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CASTING DEFECTS
y proper %anipulation of the -a+ and handling of the pattern.
/n*uestionaly' so%e distortion of the -a+ pattern occurs as the
in(est%ent hardens around it. !he setting and hygroscopic e+pansions of
the in(est%ent %ay produce an une(en %o(e%ent of the -alls of the
pattern. !his type of distortion in part fro% the une(en out-ard
%o(e%ent of the pro+i%al -alls. !he gingi(al %argins are forced apart
y the %old e+pansion' -hereas the solid occlusal ar of -a+ resists
e+pansion during the early stages of stetting.
!he configuration of the pattern' the type of the -a+' and the thickness
influence the distortion that occurs' as has een discussed. 0or e+a%ple'
distortion increases as the thickness of the pattern decreases. &n -ould e
e+pected the less the setting e+pansion of the in(est%ent' the less is the
distortion. "enerally' it is not a serious prole% e+cept that it accounts
for so%e of the une+plained inaccuracies that %ay occur in s%all
castings. !here is proaly not a great deal that can e done to control
this pheno%enon.
SURFACE ROUGHNESS, IRREGULARITIES AND
DISCOLORATION: -
!he surface of a dental casting should e an accurate reproduction of
the surface of the -a+ pattern fro% -hich it is %ade' e+cessi(e roughness
or irregularities on the outer surface of the casting necessitate additional
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CASTING DEFECTS
finishing and polishing' -hereas irregularities on the ca(ity surface
pre(ent a proper seating of an other-ise accurate casting. Surface
roughness should not e confused -ith surface irregularities. Surface
roughness is defined as relati(ely finely spaced surface i%perfections
-hose height' -idth' and direction estalish the predo%inant surface
pattern. Surface irregularities refer to isolated i%perfections' such as
nodules' that don1t characterize the total surface area.
2(en under opti%al conditions' the surface roughness of the dental
casting is in(arialy so%e-hat greater than that of the -a+ pattern fro%
-hich it is %ade. !he difference is proaly related to the particle size of
the in(est%ent and its aility to reproduce the -a+ pattern in %icroscopic
detail. )ith proper %anipulati(e techni*ues' the nor%al increased
roughness in the casting should not e %a.or factor in di%ensional
accuracy. 3o-e(er' i%proper techni*ue can lead to a %arked increase in
surface roughness' as -ell as to the for%ation of surfaced irregularities.
Air bubble: - air ules that eco%e attached to the pattern during or
suse*uent to the in(esting procedure cause s%all nodule on a casting.
Such nodules can so%eti%es e re%o(ed if they are not in a critical area.
3o-e(er' for nodules on %argins or on internal surfaces' re%o(al of
these irregularities %ight alter the fit of the casting. &s pre(iously noted'
the est %ethod to a(oid air ules is to use the (acuu% in(esting
techni*ue.
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CASTING DEFECTS
If a %anual %ethod is used (arious precautions ca e oser(ed to
eli%inate air fro% the in(est%ent %i+ efore the in(esting. &s pre(iously
outlined' the use of a %echanical %i+er -ith (iration oth efore and
after %i+ing should e practiced routinely. & -etting agent %ay e
helpful in pre(enting the collection of air ules on the surface of the
pattern' ut it is y no %eans a certain re%edy. &s pre(iously discussed'
it is i%portant that the -etting agent e applied in a thin layer. It is est to
air dry the -etting' a ecause any e+cess li*uid dilutes the in(est%ent'
possily producing surface irregularities on the casting.
!ter "il#s:- -a+ is repellent to -ater ' and if the in(est%ent eco%es
separated fro% the -a+ pattern in so%e %anner' a -ater fil% %ay for%
irregularly o(er the surface. 4ccasionally' this type of surface irregularity
appears as %inute ridges or (eins on the surface.
If the pattern is %o(ed slightly' .arred or (irated after in(esting' or if
the painting procedure does not result in an inti%ate contact of the
in(est%ent the pattern' such a condition %ay result. & -etting agent is of
aid in the pre(ention of such irregularities. !oo high L, P ratio %ay also
produce these surface irregularities.
R!$id %e!tin& r!tes: - rapid heating results in fins or spines on the
casting or %ay result as a characteristic surface roughness %ay e e(ident
ecause of flasking of the in(est%ent -hen the -ater or stea% pours into
the %old. 0urther%ore' such a surge of stea% or -ater %ay carry so%e of
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CASTING DEFECTS
the salts used as %odifiers into the %old. 0urther%ore' such a %old'
-hich are left as deposits a on the -alls after the -ater e(aporates. &s
pre(iously %entioned' the %old should e heated gradually6 at least 78
%inutes should elapse during the heating of the in(est%ent9 filling ring
fro% roo% te%perature to :88
8
c. !he greater the ulk of the in(est%ent'
the %ore slo-ly it should e heated.
Under %e!tin&: - inco%plete eli%ination of -a+ residues %ay occur if
the heating ti%e is too short or if insufficient air is a(ailale in the
furnace. !hese factors are particularly i%portant -ith the lo-9
te%perature in(est%ent techni*ues. ;oids or porosity %ay occur in the
casting fro% the gases for%ed -hen the hot alloy co%es in contact -ith
the caronaceous residues. 4ccasionally' the casting %ay e co(ered -ith
a tenacious caron coating that is (irtually i%possile to re%o(e y
pickling.
Li'uid: $o(der r!tio: -the a%ount of -ater and in(est%ent should e
%easured accurately. !he higher the L, P ratio' the rougher the casting.
3o-e(er' if too little -ater is used' the in(est%ent %ay e un%anagealy
thick and cannot e properly applied to the pattern. In (acuu% in(esting'
the air %ay not e sufficiently re%o(ed. In either instance' a rough
surface on the casting %ay result.
)rolon&ed %e!tin&: - -hen the high <heat casting techni*ue is used' a
prolonged heating of the %old at the casting te%perature is likely to cause
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CASTING DEFECTS
a disintegration of the in(est%ent' and the -alls of the %old are
roughened as a result' further%ore' the products of deco%position are
sulfur co%pounds that %ay conta%inate the ally to the e+tent that the
surface te+ture is affected. Such conta%ination %ay e the reason that the
surface of the casitng so%eti%es does not respond to pickling. )hen the
ther%al e+pansion techni*ue is e%ployed' the %old should e heated to
the casting te%perature9 ne(er higher than :88
8
c < and the casting should
e %ade i%%ediately.
Te#$er!ture o" t%e !llo*: - if an ally is heated to too high a te%perature
efore casting' the surface of the in(est%ent is likely to e attacked' and a
surface roughness of the type descried in the pre(ious section %ay
result. &s pre(iously noted' in all proaility the ally -ill not e
o(erheated -ith a gas < air torch -hen used -ith the gas supplied in %ost
localities. If other fuel is used' special care should e oser(ed that the
color e%itted y the %olten gold alloy' for e+a%ple' is no lighter than a
light orange.
C!stin& $ressure: - too high a pressure during casting can produce a
rough surface on the casting. & gauge pressure of 8.18 to 8.1$ Mpa in an
air pressure casting %achine or three to four turns of the spring in an
a(erage type of centrifugal casting %achine is sufficient for s%all
castings.
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CASTING DEFECTS
Co#$osition o" t%e in+est#ent:-the ratio of the inder to the *uartz
influences the surface te+ture of the casting. In addition' coarse silica
causes a surface roughness. If the in(est%ent %eets &D& specification
no.2' the co%position is proaly not a factor in the surface roughness.
Forei&n bodies:- -hen foreign sustances get into the %old' a surface
roughness %ay e produced. 0or e+a%ple' a rough crucile for%er -ith
in(est%ent clinging to it %ay roughen the in(est%ent on its re%o(al so
that its of in(est%ent are carried into the %old -ith the %olten ally.
=arelessness in the re%o(al of the sprue for%er %ay e a si%ilar cause.
/sually' conta%ination results not only in surface roughness ut also
in inco%plete areas or surface (oids. &ny casting that sho-s sharp' -ell9
defined deficiencies indicates the presence of so%e foreign particles in
the %old' such as pieces of in(est%ent and its of caron for% a flu+.
>right9 appearing conca(ities %ay e the result of flu+ eing carried into
the %old -ith the %etal. Surface discoloration and roughness can result
fro% sulfur conta%ination' either fro% in(est%ent reakdo-n at ele(ated
te%peratures or fro% a high sulfur content of the torch fla%e. !he
interaction of the %olten alloy -ith sulfur content of the torch fla%e. !he
interaction of the %olten alloy -ith sulfur produces lack castings that
are rittle and do not clean readily during pickling.
I#$!ct o" #olten !llo*:- the direction of the sprue for%er should e
such that the %olten gold ally does not strike a -eak portion of the %old
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CASTING DEFECTS
surface. 4ccasionally' the %olten alloy %ay fracture or arade the %old
surface on i%pact' regardless of its ulk' it is unfortunate that so%eti%es
the araded area is s%ooth so that it cannot e detected on the surface of
the casting' such a depression in the %old is reflected as a raised area on
the casting' often too slight to e noticed yet sufficiently large to pre(ent
the seating of the casting. !his type of surface roughness or irregularity
can e a(oided y proper Spruing so as to pre(ent the direct i%pact of the
%olten %etal at an angle of @8
8
to the in(est%ent surface. & glancing
i%pact is likely to e less da%aging and at the sa%e ti%e an undesirale
turulence is a(oided.
)!ttern $osition:- if se(eral pattern are in(ested in the sa%e ring they
should not e placed too close together. Like-ise' too %any patterns
positioned in the sa%e plane in the %old should e a(oided' the
e+pansion of -a+ is %uch greater than that of the in(est%ent' causing
reakdo-n or cracking of the in(est%ent if the spacing et-een patterns
is less than 3%%.
C!rbon inclusions: -caron' as for% a crucile ' an i%properly ad.usted
torch or a caron9containing in(est%ent' can e asored y the alloy
during casting. !hese particles %ay lead to the for%ation of carides or
e(en created (isile caron inclusions.
Ot%er c!uses: - there are certain surface discolorations and roughness
that %ay not e e(ident -hen the casting is co%pleted ut that %ay
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CASTING DEFECTS
appear during ser(ice. 0or e+a%ple' (arious gold alloys' such as solders'
its of -ire' and %i+tures of different casting alloys should ne(er e
%elted together and reused. !he resulting %i+ture -ould not posses the
proper physical properties and %ight for% eutectic or si%ilar alloys -ith
lo- corrosion resistance. Discoloration and corrosion %ay also occur.
)OROSIT,
Porosity %ay occur oth -ithin the interior region of a casting and on
the e+ternal surface. !he latter is a factor in surface roughness' ut also it
is generally a %anifestation of internal porosity. Aot only does the
internal porosity -eaken the casting ut also if it also e+tends to the
surface' it %ay e a cause for discoloration. If se(ere' it can produce
leakage at the tooth9restoration interface' and secondary caries %ay
result. &lthough the porosity in a casting cannot e pre(ented entirely' it
can e %ini%ized y use of proper techni*ues.
Porosities in nole %etal castings %ay e classified as follo-s, 9
I. Solidification defects
a. Localized shrinkage porosity
. Microporosity.
II. !rapped gases
a. Pinhole porosity
. "as inclusions
c. Susurface porosity
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CASTING DEFECTS
III. #esidual air.
Loc!li-ed s%rin.!&e: - is generally caused y inco%plete feeding of
%olten %etal during solidification. !he linear contraction of nole %etal
alloys in changing for% a li*uid to a solid is at least 1.25B. !herefore'
there %ust e continual feeding of %olten %etal through the sprue to
%ake up for the shrinkage of %etal (olu%e during solidification. If the
sprue freezes in its cross section efore this feeding is co%pleted to the
casting proper' a localized shrinkage (oid -ill occur in the last portion of
the casting that solidifies. !he porosity in the pontic area is cause y the
aility of the pontic to retain heat ecause of its ulk and ecause it -as
located in the heat center of the ring. !his prole% can e sol(ed in the
future si%ply e attaching one or %ore s%all9gauge sprues Ce.g. 1?
gauge) at the surface %ost distant fro% the %ain sprue attach%ent and
e+tending the sprueCs) surface %ost distant fro% the %ain sprue
attach%ent and e+tending the sprue laterally -ithin 5%% of the edge f the
ring. !hese s%all chill9set sprues ensure that solidification egins -ithin
these sprues and they act as cooling pins to carry heat a-ay fro% the
pontic.
Localized shrinkage generally occurs near the sprue <casting .unction'
ut it %ay occur any-here et-een dendrites' -here the last part of the
Page 11
CASTING DEFECTS
casting that solidified -as in the lo- %elting %etal that re%ained as the
dendrite raches de(elop.
!his type of (oid %ay also occur e+ternally' usually in the interior of a
cro-n near the area of the sprue' if a hot spot has een created y the hot
%etal i%pinging for% the sprue channel on a point of the %old -all. !his
hot spot causes the local region to freezed last and result in -hat is called
suck9ack porosity. !his often occurs at an occlusoa+ial line angle or
incisoa+ial line angle that is not -ell rounded. !he entering %etal
i%pinges onto the %old surface at this point and creates a higher localized
%old te%perature in this region that is called a ht spot. & hot spot %ay
retain a localized pool of %olten %etal after other areas of the casting
ha(e solidified' this in turn created a shrinkage (oid' or suck9ack
porosity' suck <ack porosity can e eli%inated y flaring the point of
sprue attach%ent and reducing the %old <%elt te%perature differential'
that is' lo-ering the casting te%perature y aout 38
8
c.
/icro$orosit*: also occurs fro% the rapid solidification ut is generally
present in fine grain alloy castings -hen the solidification is too rapid for
the %icro (oid to segregate to the li*uid pool. !his pre%ature
solidification causes the porosity.
Such pheno%enon can occur fro% the rapid solidification if the %old or
casting te%perature is too lo-. It is unfortunate that this type of defect is
Page 12
CASTING DEFECTS
not detectale unless the casting is sectioned. In any cast' it is generally
not a serious defect.
)in%ole !nd &!s inclusion $orosities: - are related to the entrap%ent of
gas during solidification. >oth are characterized y a spherical contour'
ut they are decidedly different in size. !he gas inclusion porosities are
usually %uch larger than pinhole porosity. Many %etals dissol(e or
occlude gases -hile they are %olten. 0or e+a%ple' oth copper and sil(er
dissol(e o+ygen in large a%ounts in the li*uid state6 %olten platinu% and
palladiu% ha(e strong affinity for hydrogen as -ell as o+ygen. 4n
solidification' the asored gases are e+pelled and the pinhole porosity a
results. !he larger (oids %ay also result fro% the sa%e cause' ut it
see%s %ore logical to assu%e that such (oids %ay e caused y gas that
is %echanically trapped y the %olten %etal in the %old or that is
incorporated during the casing procedure. &ll casings proaly contain a
certain a%ount of porosity. 3o-e(er' the porosity should e kept to a
%ini%u% ecause it %ay ad(ersely affect the physical properties of the
casting.
4+ygen is dissol(ed y so%e 8f the %etals' such as sil(er' in the alloy
-hile they are in the %olten state. During solidification' the gas is
e+pelled to for% les and pores in the %etal. &s -as pointed out earlier'
this type of porosity %ay e attriuted to ause of the %etal. =astings that
are se(erely conta%inated -ith gases are usually lack -hen they are
Page 13
CASTING DEFECTS
re%o(ed fro% the in(est%ent and do not clean easily on pickling. !he
porosity that e+tends to the surface is usually in the for% of s%all
pinholes appearing.
Larger spherical porosities can e caused y gas9occluded for% a
poorly ad.usted torch fla%e' or the use of the %i+ing or o+idizing zones
of the fla%e rather than the reducing zone. Pre%elting the gold alloys on
a graphite crucile can %ini%ize these types of porosities or a graphite
lock if the alloy has een used efore and y correctly ad.usting and
positioning the torch fla%e during %elting.
Subsur"!ce $orosit*:- the reasons for such (oids ha(e not een
co%pletely estalished. !hey %ay e caused y the si%ultaneous
nucleation of solid grains and gas ules at the first %o%ent that the
%etal freezes at the %old -alls. &s has een e+plained' controlling the
rate at -hich the %olten %etal enters the %old can di%inish this type of
porosity.
Entr!$$ed !ir $orosit*: - 4n the inner surface of the casting' so%eti%es
referred to as ackpressure porosity' can e produced large conca(e
depressions. !his is caused y the inaility of the air in the %old to
escape through the pores in the in(est%ent or y the pressure gradient
that displace$s the air pocket to-ard the end of the in(est%ent (ia the
%olten sprue and utton. !he entrap%ent is fre*uently found in a
DpocketE at the ca(ity surface of a cro-n or %esio9occlusal9distal casting.
Page 1$
CASTING DEFECTS
4ccasionally it is found e(en on the outside surface of the casting -hen
the casting te%perature or %old te%perature is so lo- that solidification
occurs efore the entrapped air can escaped. !he incidence of entrapped
air can e increased y the dense %odern in(est%ents' an increase in
%old density produced y (acuu% in(esting' and the tendency for the
%old to clog -ith residual caron -hen the lo-9heat techni*ue is used.
2ach of these factors tends to slo- do-n the (enting of gases fro% the
%old during casting.
Proper urnout' an ade*uate %old and casting te%perature' a
sufficiently high casting pressure' and proper L, P ratio can help to
eli%inate this pheno%enon. It is good practice to %ake sure that the
thickness of in(est%ent et-een the tip of the pattern and the end of the
ring not e greater than 7%%.
INCO/)LETE CASTINGS: -
4ccasionally' only a partially co%plete casting or perhaps no casting
at all' is found. !he o(ious cause is that the %olten alloy has een
pre(ented' in so%e %anner' fro% co%pletely filling the %old. &t least
t-o factors that %ight inhiit the ingress of the li*uefied %etal are
insufficient (enting of the %old ant the %old and high (iscosity of the
fused %etal.
Page 15
CASTING DEFECTS
!he first consideration' insufficient (enting' is directly related to the
ack pressure e+erted y the air in the %old. If the air cannot e (ented
*uickly' the %olten alloy does not fill the %old efore if solidifies. In
such a case' the %agnitude of the casting pressure should e suspected. If
insufficient casting pressure is e%ployed' the ack cannot e o(erco%e.
0urther%ore' the pressure should e applied for at least $ seconds. !he
%old is filled and the %etal is solidified in 1 second or less' yet it is *uite
soft during the early stages point. !hese are usually e+e%plified in
rounded inco%plete %argins.
& second co%%on cause for an inco%plete casting is inco%plete
eli%ination of -a+ residues fro% the %old. If too %any products of
co%ustion re%ain in the %old' the pores in the in(est%ent %ay eco%e
filled so that the air cannot e (ented co%pletely. If %oisture or particles
of -a+ re%ain' the contact of the %olten alloy -ith these foreign
sustances produces an e+plosion that %ay produce sufficient
ackpressure to pre(ent the %old fro% eing filled. It can e seen as
rounded %argins -ith *uite shiny rather than dull appearance. !he strong
reducing at%osphere created y caron %ono+ide left y the residual -a+
causes this shiny condition of the %etal.
!he possile influence of the L, P ratio of the in(est%ent has een
discussed. & lo-er L, P is associated -ith less porosity of the in(est%ent.
&n increase in casting pressure during casting sol(es this prole%.
Page 17
CASTING DEFECTS
Different alloy co%position and te%perature proaly e+hiit (arying
(iscosities in the %olten state' depending on co%position and
te%perature' ho-e(er' oth the surface tension and the (iscosity of a
%olten alloy are decreased -ith an increase in te%perature. &n
inco%plete casting resulting fro% too great a (iscosity of the casting
%etal can e attriuted to insufficient heating. !he te%perature of the
alloy should e attriuted to insufficient heating. !he te%perature of the
alloy should e raised higher than its li*uidus te%perature so that its
(iscosity and surface tension are lo-ered and it does not solidify
pre%aturely as it enters the %old. Such pre%ature solidification %ay
account for the greater susceptiility of the -hit gold alloys to porosity
ecause their li*uidus te%peratures are higher' thus' they are %ore
difficult to %elt -ith a gas9air torch fla%e.
REFERENCES
01 Fund!#ent!ls o" "i2ed $rost%odontics- s%illinbur&
31 Conte#$or!r* "i2ed $rost%odontics- roesensteil
41 Dent!l l!bor!tor* $rocedure- rudd !nd #!rro(
51 Dent!l #!teri!ls !nd t%eir selection-(illi!n 161o7 brien
81 Restor!ti+e dent!l #!teri!ls-cr!i&
91 )%illi$s sciences o" dent!l #!teri!ls- !nus!+ice1
:1 Re#o+!ble $rost%odintics- ste(!rt
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