Vacuum

Assisted
Lost Foam
Casting v-LFC
Process

Courtesy: LFC Casting Art by Ju Ming Museum Taiwan

-: by GDM Technics

Preface

Much research and practical experiences have been gained since Mr H.F. Shroyer patented the process cavity-less method in 1958
using a polystyrene foam pattern imbedded in traditional green sand.
Infinite possibilities with foam has been tapped to cast Engineering Products and Sculptures of any profile no restrain. Innovations, and
variants have made possible to cast many types of metals and alloys with LFC process today.
The possibilities and need to adopt this modern green molding method has risen more due to pollution concern all over the world. This
molding technology is faster to adopt and economically very attractive compared to conventional molding method.

Lost Foam Casting (LFC) An Introduction

Lost Foam Molding Line Most Cost efficient Foundry Process
Today.
The beautiful castings with excellent surface finish you get requires
almost nil knockout and fettling activities with almost nil machining.
The core work is nil so cost comes down and you work on almost
zero rejections.
1. You basically reduce 98% cost of sand and its chemicals and thus
become environment-friendly.
2. Most Economical MouldingProcess today
3. Any size any shape and weight possible.

4. Intricate parts
be Casting
cast
Lost can
Foam
(LFC) An Introduction
5. No Core, so no Core cost; No Rejections due to Core Shifting
6. No Fins so almost nil fettling hence Faster Delivery, Satisfied
Customers, More Orders
7. Casting weight reduced
8. Very good Surface Finish
9. Machining work minimized
10. Sand reused with almost nil wastage
11. Environmentally friendly
12. Steel, SG Iron & Grey Iron & non-ferrous castings all can be cast
very successfully.

Various variants of LFC Process

The Science & Art of Evaporative MoldCasting (LFC)

Globe Casting by LFC an Art

The Globe by
LFC at
National
Science
Museum of
Japan

The Owl by

Globe - Solid casting

sculpture?
The creation of a real Artwork by Kimura Castings
Japan The Green Earth bubble appearance. The
Foam surface of the Earth covered by five continents
and four oceans manifested carefully. Observed: the
appearance of a layered CNC machined several pieces
of foam, using the modern CAD / CAM technology. The
appearance of the whole works with fine and complex
cavity, it is amazing. The whole earth and the base with
solid casting made the whole casting, reflecting the
Japanese LFC technology level. After casting was made
by cast iron and painted green, as a work of art
permanently placed in the door of the National Science
Museum of Japan.

Professor Ye Sheng Ping HUST University

Infinite
Possibilities of
Foam Model for
Lost Foam
Casting

Tractor Parts Castings by LFC

Tractor Parts Castings by LFC

Casting an Art with no limits when you

adopt LFC

Length 2.66 m , 2.16 tons

Aluminum alloy Lost Foam

Casting Process

LFC possibilities for Magnesium Castings

There are many advantages to using magnesium and its alloys. With the lowest
density of all commercial casting alloys, magnesium is 33 percent lighter than
aluminum and 75 percent lighter than steel. Magnesium and its alloys also have
a high vibration damping capacity making them an ideal material choice for many
high speed applications. Electromagnetic interference reduction is another desirable
Magnesium
benefits:
quality
that magnesium
can offer as an engineering material.

1. The lightest of all structural

metals
2. Excellent stiffness and
strength-to-weight ratio
3. High conductivity, electrical,
and thermal
4. Withstands high operating
temperatures
5. Cost-effective to many
engineered thermoplastic
materials

6. High dimensional accuracy and

stability
7. Exceptional thin wall capability
8. Good environmental corrosion
resistance
9. Good finishing characteristics
10.Full recyclability

LFC possibilities for Magnesium Castings

Equipment arrangement for casting AZ91 & AJ62 series of Mg Alloys Castings as used in Automotive castings.

LFC possibilities for Magnesium Castings

Alloy AZ91D is the most widely used magnesium alloy
and has an excellent combination of mechanical
properties, corrosion resistance, and castability.

LFC possibilities for Magnesium Castings

The component on right side was cast
using the low-pressure lost foam
process and mold filling control at a
pressure of 0.23 bar and a casting
temperature of 810 C as well as a
pressure rise time of 5 s.

The profile of the casting of Fiat cover

pump shown is very complicated. But, it
could be cast without problem using the
low-pressure lost foam process in Mg
alloy. The set parameters were: Casting
temperature of 840 C, pressure holding
time 90 s. and pressure rise time 8 s.

EnvironmentalProtectionby adopting LFC Green Foundry

Process and future options
Sl.
No

Conventional Foundry

Vacuum assisted Lost Foam

Casting
(v-LFC) Foundry

Sand Preparation- Sand making

No Sand preparation by Binders
for MOULD with
for MOULDS, so no reaction of
Organic/Inorganic Binders
binders for Mould formation nor
Organic Binders generate
burning of binders, while metal
Hydrocarbons, Aldehydes,
pouring. Sand is bonded by
Ketons Inorganic Binders
vacuum
generate CO2 and SO2

EnvironmentalProtectionby adopting LFC Green Foundry

Process and future options
Sl.
No

Conventional Foundry

Vacuum assisted Lost Foam

Casting
(v-LFC) Foundry

Sand Preparation- Sand making

for CORE with
Organic/Inorganic Binders
2

Organic Binders
generate Hydrocarbons,
Aldehydes, Ketons
Inorganic Binders
generate CO2 and SO2

CORE not required

EnvironmentalProtectionby adopting LFC Green Foundry

Process and future options
Sl. No

Conventional Foundry

Vacuum assisted Lost Foam Casting

(v-LFC) Foundry

Pattern Making- made by EPS [(C8H8)n(C8H8O2))n] /STMMA [(C8H8O2)n] in a

die by steaming. This burns off and
Pattern Making- Pattern is made
sucked by the vacuum system
generally by wood and high density
releasing CO2 an H2O through a
EPS and sometimes by metal also.
Wood is expensive and teak wood is a Catalytic Convertor while pouring
with no exposer to workers. Generally
natural resource.
1 g of EPS/STMMA would produce
300-350 grams of Grey Iron/Ductile
Iron casting.

EnvironmentalProtectionby adopting LFC Green Foundry

Process and future options
Sl. No

Conventional Foundry

Vacuum assisted Lost Foam Casting

(v-LFC) Foundry

Mould & Core Coating- Water/Spirit based Pattern Coating- Water based coating and
coating on mould and core
dried in in hot air drying room

Mould Sand & Core Sand reclamation- The

sand lumps after knock-out is fed into
reclamation unit which crushes sand
lumps back to sand-grains and in
No Sand Reclamation needed. Only sand
secondary attrition the sand is scrubbed
is cooled and used again.
to remove the binder coating on it, this
generate SiO2 fractured grains also, a
measure reason of Silicosis, 100%
removal of this dust is needed.

EnvironmentalProtectionby adopting LFC Green Foundry

Process and future options
Sl. No

Conventional Foundry

Vacuum assisted Lost Foam Casting

(v-LFC) Foundry

Pouring - When hot metal is poured, the

gas being generated from the mould and
the cores needs to be burnt by flaming.
Pouring- When hot metal is poured in
The flames extinguish after sometime and
vacuum condition, the EPS/STMMA gets
the gas keeps on being generated from
burnt instantly and the gas generated is
the mould for another about 4 hrs. This is
sucked by the vacuum system. There is no
quite hazardous for the workers around,
gas generation from the sand.
though modern binders make such
binders that least poisonous gas get
generated.

EnvironmentalProtectionby adopting LFC Green Foundry

Process and future options
Sl. No

Conventional Foundry

Vacuum assisted Lost Foam Casting

(v-LFC) Foundry

Knock Out - Manual and Mechanical

Knock Out - Very Simple Just tumble the
hitting of the mould required for removal Mould Box in a hopper, you get your
of casting from the bonded sand, which
casting, as the sand is free flowing and
also becomes strong after heat absorption unbound.

Fettling & Finishing- The runner riser and

Fettling & Finishing - The runner and iningate are to be cut. The parting line is to
gates need to be cut and grinded. No
be grinded along with all other area where
parting line. No sand sticking etc.,
ever sand sticking or pin holes etc. seen
minimal time and effort for finishing
to get a acceptable casting surface.

EnergySavings in LFC/EPCProcess and most Economical

Casting Process today
1. Sand reclamation, the primary attrition and the secondary
attrition to achieve 75% reclamation level and the thermal
attrition to achieve total 95% reclamation level needs lots
electrical and gas; which in Lost Foam Technology only needs to
be sand cooling and recirculation.
2. Because the LFC process sand does not stick to the casting
surface, no energy by way of hammering, grinding and chipping
is needed for knockout and fettling of castings. Save time too.
3. Less machining allowances so less machining needed save
Energy and Time.
4. The overall weight of the casting is reduced needing less molten
metal, so Energy is saved.

Video Showing Engine Block

THANK YOU

General Dynamic Multi Technical

Consultancy LLP
steel@gdmtechnics.com
+91 9200258915