ABSTRACT

An automated gating system design for grey cast iron has been developed using Python programming language. The program was based on basic scientific laws and principles related to liquid metal flow and its solidification process which were used to determine the gating system parameters for the castings. The equations and laws of gating system design was expressed as Python code while the Guided user interface was designed using the tkinter library of Python to present a simple interface to input data and obtain results. Important factors which control the functioning of gating system such as the geometry of the basin and sprue, pouring temperature, filling time, solidification time, fluidity of the molten metal, rate of liquid metal flow and the velocity of liquid metal were put into consideration. The developed program was found capable of generating parameters for the gating system from Python codes and GUI. It is also capable of' being modified in order to design the gating system of other metals. It was therefore concluded that the system is useful in industrial process design in order to reduce manufacturing process time by eliminating repeated trial and error previously used. Hence, improving productivity and profitability in foundry work.