MET 306

Activity 5
Introduction to Pro/CASTING
Creo 2.0

The cleat shown above has been designed in Pro/ENGINEER and sent to you as an IGES file. Your task
will be to prepare computer models of the die halves in preparation for a direct metal casting process

Background:

From Z-Corporation:
The ZCast Direct Metal Casting process provides the ability to produce cast metal parts from a CAD file
significantly faster and less expensively than traditional prototype casting methods. The process involves
printing molds and cores on a 3D Printer directly from digital data, eliminating the pattern and core box
production step in the traditional sand casting process. Metal is then poured into the 3D printed molds.
The technology allows engineers to prototype parts in metal that were previously cost and time
prohibitive.

The ZCast process:

Step 1. Design the mold with gating. This is

done on the computer screen using design
software (CAD).

Step 2. 3D print the mold. This step is

completed on a Z Corp. 3D Printer.

Step 3. Finish and assemble the mold.

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Step 4. Pour the metal.

Step 5. Demold and finish metal casting.

Task 1:
Generate a part that can be used in Manufacturing Mode of Pro/E.

Do this by starting a new part and importing the iges file. Select Get Data – Import from the Model tab to
accomplish this. The iges file is in the MET_306 subdirectory of the V: (pro_e) drive and is named
cleat_1.igs. Add gating and vents as in the next two figures. Save your resultant part.

Vent location on
vertical surface, near
top

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Vent location slightly

above center on vertical
surface

Notice these vents do not intersect

vertical surfaces

Orthographic view of completed part.

Dimension shown to be 3-1/2” +/- .1/4”, top of vents to align with top of pour cup.

Copy and paste three figures similar to the ones above into a single Word document, to document your
gating. These three figures should fit on a singular page.

 Print the Word document with the three figures.

Task 2:
Create a work piece (Die Block) large enough to encompass the part.
Do this by beginning a second part and producing a rectangular block.

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Task 3:
Assemble these parts together using the methodology below:

Start a new file of Type Manufacturing, Sub-type of Cast Cavity. Use the default template
(inlbs_mfg_cast), not empty.

Assemble (Cast Tab, Assembly region – Reference Model) and fully constrain the Ref Model (your iges
turned part file). There is a plane that runs down the center of the cleat. It might make sense to align
this plane with the Main Parting plane when assembling. If you have no “Main Parting Pln”, you also have
no “Pull Direction”. This means you didn’t select the correct template.

After finishing the constraining process, Merge by Reference is ok.

You may get a message about absolute accuracy. Accept the default.

Assemble and fully constrain the Die Block (work piece).

The die block MUST appear as a green

box as shown. If you have a white box,
then either you are not in mfg mode, or
you have assembled two reference
parts.

Create a parting surface. This surface is

simply a surface that is down the
centerline of the cleat. Make sure your
surface extends outside of the work
piece in all directions. Select the Fill
Surface option from the Parting Surface
Design region to do this; you can create
the Sketched Datum curve on the fly.
Refer to the next figure to view this
parting surface.

Parting Surface (center line of cleat)

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Task 4:
Create your volumes by first splitting the work piece and then extracting the volumes.

Select the Volume Split option from the Die Volume pull down in the Cast Geometry region.

Select the Split Surface, Done and then take the

default names for the highlighted volumes.

Notice the surface geometry representation of these as

the volumes do not yet exist as solid geometry.

These volumes do not exist yet as separate part files.

Select the Cavity Insert button from the Components
area, select both components and select OK. Note the
change in the color of the edges.

Task 5:
“Open” the mold.

Select Die Opening, select Define Step to be able to

select a component to move, it’s direction and opening
dimension. You will have to do this multiple times to pull
the top and bottom (cavity and core) halves and die block
away from the initial part and parting surface as shown
below. Mod Dim is your friend.

After making the parts solid and opening the die:

Copy and paste an image similar to the one shown into

Word.

 Print the image full size on a single sheet of

paper.

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Open the bottom die block. Copy and paste this image (including the model tree) into a Word document.

Open the top part, copy and paste the image (including the model tree) into a Word document

Both screen captures should be scaled to fit on a single sheet of paper.

 Print the screen captures of the upper and lower die block.

End Level 7

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Begin Level 8.5

Goal: To become more familiar with the latest developments in the casting process.

Method: View the technical presentation (PowerPoint) of Direct Metal Casting using Z Corp 3D Model
810 to produce a RP Model (Griffin_casestudies.ppt in the MET_306 subdirectory on the V: drive).

After viewing the presentation, answer the following questions:

1) List the Process, Benefits and Limitations of the Direct Casting Method.
2) List the Process, Benefits and Limitations of the Shell Metal Casting Process.
3) List the Process, Benefits and Limitations of the Production Intent Casting Process.
4) List the case studies used for the Production Intent Casting Process.
5) Which process is closest to traditional metal casting (sand casting) and explain why.

 Print your answers using word processor.

End Level 8.5

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Begin Level 10

Create the core and cavity molds for the chisel handle shown.
This handle is available for downloading from the
V:\Pro_E\MET_306 subdirectory as file
chisel_handle_09_student_ver.prt.1.

Place a datum plane down the center (for assembly location

purposes). Hint: Create a point at the center of the slot and
use this to locate the datum. Fill in the slot for the tang of the
chisel as shown

Create a die block

that is 2” x 2” x 4”.

Place this part in a die

block, create a parting
surface, split the die
block and create
separate die blocks.

Note:
Make sure the absolute accuracy of all the parts and assembly has been set to that of the handle
(reference part).

You will need to create a parting surface using the shadow option.

Create detail drawings of

your die blocks as shown.

The scale of the

orthographic projections is
1 and the scale of the
isometric view is .75.

The isometric views are

shaded with edges, the
orthographic views have
hidden lines with tangent
lines displayed in phantom
format.

Save the file as a .pdf (600 dpi) and print it on A size paper on a color printer.
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End Level 10

Required documentation (with sheet order):

All screen capture images and drawings except for Level 10 can be printed in monochrome.

Level 7: Screen capture of cleat w/ runners and gating (3 images)

Screen capture of die opening
Screen capture of upper and lower die block (2 images)

Level 8.5: Questions answered

Level 10: Detailed drawing, top block and bottom block

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