The Sand Casting ( Green Sand ) molding process utilizes a cope ( top half ) and drag ( bottom half ) flask set-up. The mold consists of sand, ( usually silica ), clay and water. When the water is added it develops the bonding characteristics of the clay, which binds the sand grains together. When applying pressure to the mold material it can be compacted around a pattern, which is either made of metal or wood, to produce a mold having sufficient rigidity to enable metal to be poured into it to produce a casting. The process also uses coring to create cavities inside the casting. After the casting is poured and has cooled the core is removed.
The material costs for the process are low and the sand casting process is exceptionally flexible. A number of metals can be used for castings in sizes from ounces to many thousand pounds. The mold material is reclaimable, with between 90 and 95% of the sand being recycled, although new sand and additions are required to make up for the discarded loss. These features, combined with the relative ease of mold production, have ensured that the green sand molding process has remained as the principal method by which castings are produced
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