Course detail

Processing of Special Castings

FSI-PLI Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester

The technology of producing castings of heat-resistant alloys of nickel and cobalt, titanium alloys. Fundamentals of vacuum metallurgy, application of vacuum induction melting, vacuum arc remelting, electron-beam remelting. Electroslag remelting and casting process. Direct solidification, manufacturing of single crystal castings.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Prerequisites

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Condition of awarding the course-unit credit: participation in exercises. Examination: the knowledge of physical-chemical foundations of vacuum metallurgy, practical application of vacuum metallurgy, and controlled crystallization of special castings will be tested. It is a written and oral examination.
Attendance in lectures is recommended, attendance in exercises is obligatory. In case of absences, the garant of subject will enter the topic of a separate written work.

Language of instruction

Czech

Aims

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

The study programmes with the given course

Programme N-SLE-P: Foundry Technology, Master's
branch ---: no specialisation, 4 credits, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Syllabus

1. Basic characteristics of gaseous mixtures in the region of low gas pressures.
2. Thermal dissociation of gas compounds, equilibrium gas pressure.
3. The process of carbon reaction in vacuum.
4. Dissolution of gases.
5. Degassing in vacuum.
6. Evaporation of alloy components.
7. Casting in induction and electron beam vacuum furnaces.
8. Theoretical foundations of controlling the crystallization of metals.
9. Production of castings with equiaxial grains, controlling the grain size.
10. Castings with oriented columnar grains, single crystals castings.
11. Cobalt alloy castings, cobalt alloys and their production.
12. Production of castings of titanium alloys in vacuum furnaces.
13. Production of castings by electroslag remelting.

Laboratory exercise

12 hours, compulsory

Syllabus

1. Basic design nodes of the vacuum furnace, valves, sealing (laboratory for vacuum metallurgy)
2 Practical application of vacuum gauges, limit pressure of vacuum pumps (laboratory for vacuum metallurgy)
3. Viewing visit to the foundry of special castings. Preparation of ceramic shell moulds, vacuum induction furnaces for metallurgy and foundries
4. Practical demonstration of the progress of melting in vacuum induction furnaces (laboratory for vacuum metallurgy)
5. Creep test of heat-resistant alloys (creep laboratory)
6. Hot isostatic pressing of castings at high temperatures (HIP laboratory)

Computer-assisted exercise

14 hours, compulsory

Syllabus

1. Methods for obtaining vacuum, basic types of vacuum pumps
2. Basic types of vacuum gauges used with melting vacuum furnaces
3. Determination of dissociation tension of oxides and nitrides, practical applications
4. Possibility of blocking the carbon reaction in vacuum
5. Thermodynamics and kinetics of the formation of bubbles
6. Calculation of vapour pressure of alloy components, estimate of changes in chemical composition
7. Raw materials for the charging stock. Charging stock calculation for vacuum induction furnaces