Experimental investigation and optimization of reclaimed sand-casting parameters for the aluminum alloy casting process

This experimental study focuses on investigating and optimizing the reclaimed sand process parameters to achieve minimized defects and improved mechanical properties in aluminum alloy cast products. The study focused on four main casting influential defects: porosity, sand inclusion, blowholes, and shrinkage. Pulley samples were cast to examine the effectiveness of reclaimed sand and assess mechanical properties. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance with the Taguchi design approach method to investigate the effects of each parameter on the reclaimed sand-casting process. By using optimum settings of experimental results, pulleys of aluminum alloy cast samples were carried out to get optimum results. The samples were tested using tensile strength, hardness tests, and microstructure of specimens produced by using reclaimed sand to achieve the best process parameters that can reduce rework. The findings indicate that the optimum condition and percentage contribution of each selected process parameter are identified for reclaimed sand strength; grain fineness number, mold hardness, and moisture content were obtained at 80 g/cm2, 58AFS, 73MHN, and 0.35% respectively. The percentage contribution of each control factor was analyzed using a variance of analysis, and the results achieved from the experiments are expressed as reclaimed sand strength of 35.57%, mold hardness of 33.98%, grain fineness number of 10.38%, and moisture content of 20.07%. The aluminum alloy pulleys were analyzed using DOE techniques to investigate significant results important for reducing sand casting defects, and the outputs of this study will help foundry industries optimize reclaimed sand casting.