Glossary of Casting Terminology "M"
This glossary lists in alphabetical order casting industry terms and their explanations.
| Word/Expression | Explanation |
|---|---|
| machining | To perform cutting or the like on a casting with a machine tool to form or finish it into the desired dimensions and shape. |
| machining chip | The chips resulting from cuts produced when machining metal. |
| machining datum | A flat plane set on a casting to serve as the base point for the X, Y and Z directions during machining. |
| magnetic flux density | The area density per unit area for the intensity and direction (magnetic flux) of a magnetic field. |
| magnetic particle inspection (MPI) | A type of nondestructive inspection method for detecting and measuring stress cracks, etc., in metals. When a magnetic material such as steel is magnetized, a leak of magnetic flux occurs if there is a defect, thus making it possible to detect them with this method. |
| manifold | An aggregate of parts for intake or exhaust in an internal combustion engine, or an aggregate of the multiple valves of hydraulic or pneumatic lines into a single line. |
| maraging steel | A special type of steel containing numerous alloy elements such as nickel, cobalt and molybdenum. Following martensitic transformation, this steel undergoes age-hardening, giving it high strength and toughness. |
| mark | A generic term for things that remain on the casting due to the casting design such as a gate mark or ejector pin mark. |
| measuring cylinder | A thin, transparent cylindrical container used for measuring the volume of a liquid. Its bottom is flat and wide to prevent it from falling over and the top is shaped with a lip for pouring. |
| mechanical properties | Properties such as tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and hardness of materials like iron, steel and nonferrous metals. |
| melting and holding furnace | A furnace capable of both melting metal and holding it in a liquid state. This type of furnace can be installed on a casting machine without the need of a central melting furnace, helping contribute to a more compact plant layout and enabling usage of a wider variety of materials. However, a melting and holding furnace also presents challenges in ensuring the accuracy of molten metal temperatures and control of molten metal quality. |
| metal connector | An electrical part for easily relaying and contacting the electric signals from the hydraulic cylinders, etc., included with a mold. |
| mill sheet | A document that certifies the properties and composition of raw casting materials. It is provided to the ordering party upon the delivery of such materials. |
| minor stop | A brief stoppage of production equipment on a continuous production line to quickly remedy a breakdown or problem. |
| misrun | A casting defect produced by the molten metal beginning to solidify for some reason before completely filling the mold cavity, resulting in an unsuccessful formation of the desired casting. |
| modification | To refine deposits such as primary crystal silicon by adding an additive to an alloy such as aluminum. Adding Na and Sr to a hypo-eutectic silicon alloy of aluminum and P to a hyper-eutectic silicon alloy to refine deposits of primary crystal silicon are known methods of modification. |
| Modi-float | A material containing primarily sodium that floats on the surface of molten aluminum in order to modify the silicon content within the molten metal. |
| mold insert | One of the components in molds for aluminum high-pressure die casting, gravity casting or low-pressure die casting. When it is difficult to manufacture a mold with an integrated cavity portion, or when a gas vent is set to the mold, or where a partial replacement of a cavity is required when deterioration of the mold is expected, the mold is configured with a divided structure and the mold insert used to form a specific cavity section. |
| mold lubricant | In die casting and the like, this lubrication agent is sprayed in a single shot to the mold surfaces to facilitate the removal of the casting from the mold following complete solidification. Types include water-soluble agents, oil-based agents and mold lubricant powders. |
| mold number | A casting mold reaches the end of its life after a certain number of shots and production is continued with a renewal mold. A mold number is the number given to that mold, representing the sequential order from the start of production and the order of each cavity. |
| mold shift | Unevenness generated due to the mold's mating surfaces, draft direction in relation to the parting plane, and draft angle. |
| mold shift; mismatch | Mismatching of the positions of a movable mold and a stationary mold or an upper mold and a lower mold due to misalignment or a lack of precision with the guide pins and guide bushes. Also refers to the mismatching of the movable mold and the stationary mold due to a lack of precision in the base point for the cavity when the molds were produced. |
| molding | To produce a sand core used for casting. Core sand is blown into a mold and shaped there through heat curing or gas curing. |
| molten metal | Metal in a liquid state. |
| molten metal level detect bar | A pair of rods fitted to an automatic molten metal pouring machine, a holding furnace or the like to measure the level (height) of the molten metal. The level is confirmed by the electric current flowing between the rods. |
| molten metal level gauge | A device for measuring the level (height) of molten metal. |
| molten metal pouring | The process of pouring molten metal into the cavity (a casting design portion or a product shape portion) of a mold or sand mold. This is also simply called “pouring.” |
| molten metal pouring equipment | A device for pouring molten metal into the cavity (a casting design portion or a product shape portion) of a mold or sand mold. This is also simply called a “pouring device.” |
| multi-cavity mold | A mold with multiple product-shaping cavities inside it. It is capable of casting numerous products in a single cycle. |
