FLUID-MECHANICS OF SPIN CASTING OF METALS

Casting of molten metals against a spinning wheel substrate is conside red. Issues of fluid mechanics divide between steady and unsteady beha vior (stability). The previous work on steady casting is hung on a fra mework provided by the longpuddle model of planar flow casting. Heat a nd fluid flow interact only through the shape of the solidification fr ont in this case. In contrast, there is little previous work concernin g stability issues. Stability is discussed in a broad-brush manner usi ng the planar flow process for illustration. Issues range from meniscu s motion and resulting ribbon texture to morphological-type instabilit ies of the solidification front. Fundamental and applied questions ari se for both steady and unsteady behavior.