YSU AFS Chapter attends MAGMA North America Users Group meeting

Members of the Youngstown State University’s American Foundry Society Chapter attended the MAGMA North America Users Group meeting in Itasca, Illinois. Victoria Mathews, a mechanical engineering major in the college of Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics, presented her research on a 3D-printed sand mold developed at the YSU Foundry in Kohli Hall.

The mold features a self-draining riser that uses a multi-away pin to direct excess molten metal into a built-in ingot mold for recovery and reuse. The design can cast multiple parts at once and reduce the material that must be removed from finished castings. Testing produced functional castings, through the gating design and drain timing need further refinement. The approach aims to reduce post-processing labor and simplify metal recycling and remelting without increasing mold costs.

Mathews said she chose the self-draining riser project to simplify post-processing and remelting operations and reduce the riser. She added that presenting at the conference gave her valuable experience discussing applied research with industry professionals.

Mathews attended with fellow students Kevin Otero, Ely Vuksanovich and Kelley Karavias, and Brian Vuksanovich, professor in Mechanical Engineering Technology. The meeting brings industry professionals together to present work using MAGMASOFT, software that simulates the filing and solidification of castings.