There is more than one reason for attempting to write this book.
At the outset, let me confess that I have never authored any thing before.
1) There is a severe man-power crunch in Foundry Industry, because of
prevailing favourable job opportunities.(in other areas) In a situation like this,
the foundries will have to make do with whoever is available.
In my 30 years of experience in various foundries, one thing that I have learnt is
that in foundry you need KNOWLEDGE,HUNCH and AT TIMES DIVINE
INTERVENTION.
As regards to the last point it may sound as a NON-SCIENCICAL SCIENCE.
But believe me it is true as I have had several experiences.
Let me tell you some thing with all the sincerity and the honesty that I can
muster, FOUNDRY SCIENCE is a combination of several subjects ,which are
often considered” Difficult.”
To name the subjects :FLUID MECHANICS.
HEAT TRANSFER.
SOLID MECHANICS.
MATERIAL SCIENCE.
It is a combination of Subjects from Mechanical engineering & Metallurgy.
Mechanical fellows are not comfortable with metallurgy and vice versa.
Hence ,it is time universities started a post of PROFESSOR OF CASTING
TECHNOLY, instead of a mechanical or a metallurgy professor working on
foundry.
This trend has started in UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM. I am very happy
to note this change of perception.
Some people are likely to be offended by the above statement. For them I have
only one answer “ THOSE WHO MATTER DON’T MIND & THOSE WHO
MIND DON’T MATTER. Whole world is crying hoarse about pollution control
FOUNDRY happens to be the second most polluting industry. Mining being the
first one. But mining activity in Australia can’t be out-sourced to INDIA, but
castings can be bought from Indian Foundries. Hence Foundry Industry is going
to see a boom.
But to-day a Inter passed boy with a knowledge of English prefers to go to
BPO. So Foundry industry will have to make do with who so ever is available.
( B.E, B.Sc, D.M.E’s have stopped considering a job opportunity in a Foundry )
In a situation like this it occurred to me as to why not share my 30 years of
industrial experience with these boys, so that their awareness of foundry
increases.( I am talking of boys who have come to foundry, as they had no
option)
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After my B.E( Met )( Honours) from R.E.C, Rourkela ( present day NIT ) and
M.E.( FOUNDRY) from INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE,BANGALORE
in 1978,I have worked in several foundries for last 30 years. I started my career
as a METHODS Engineer and subsequently went on to learn so many other
things on my own initiative. In the process so many people have helped me.
In this world of ours nothing is permanent.
By the grace of GOD I have an enquiring mind and hence I don’t take any
body’s statement as a WORD OF GOD till I am convinced about it. This
statement may sound as though I am an ARROGANT fellow, but that does not
bother me even a wee bit. My personal philosophy (?) has always been “ I AM
LIKE THIS, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT”
In a situation like this, it occurred to me that whatever I think I know is not
mine, it has come from a COSMIC FORCE and hence I have no MORAL right
to carry it to my GRAVE. So I decided to share my knowledge with people who
want to know about Foundry science.
Our ancient sages and seers did penance to appease GODS to get an ETERNAL
KNOWLEDGE.I am no sage or seer nor I can give you an eternal knowledge.
Among people who seek the knowledge of foundry science are two types.
1) People who are working in foundries for several years but they do not know
what is what. I have absolutely no qualms in saying this as I have met hundreds
of such people.
2) Fresher’s or New comers to foundry.
I would teach you the following PATTERN ,METHODING ,MELTING,
MOULDING, FETTLING, HEAT TREATMENT,INSPECTION AND
TESTING and finally some basic of METALLURGY which is relevant to you.
Here I ask of you only one thing i.e. you must know ENGLISH. Rest you leave
it to me. I will try, for all I am worth, to do justice so that your life in foundry
becomes more cheerful and not drudgery.
I have yet another pre-requisite i.e.
THINK,THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.THINK.
Animals have an INSTINCTIVE INTELLEGENCE and human being has an
INTELLECTUAL INTELLIGENCE. Animals can’t think and human being
does not think. Do you find any big difference between animals and human
beings ,tell me honestly .when I make this statement, it not is out of arrogance
but with a deep sense of ANGUISH.
When I was studying an elective subject ”NUCLEAR METALLURGY” in
my final year B.E in 1975,I knew that India didn’t have enough of Uranium,
had plenty of Thorium .Even after 33 years we are going around the world
begging for Uranium.
If this does not speak volumes about our scientific and thinking capability or
lack of it ,what else can. That is the reason I am paying so much importance to
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THAT COMPONENT OF THINKING.
I am as much an INDIAN as all of you are, so do not jump to a conclusion that
I am denigrating INDIA.I AM NOT.
Your parents sent you to school, when you were 5 years old. Why did they send
you to school, because they knew that you didn’t know any thing.( this includes
me ).You know what is the maximum weight you can lift, you know how much
you can eat, you know how far you can see with your naked eye, etc but do
you know what your MIND can do or can’t do. Your MIND is yours only,
endowed to you by GOD almighty HIMSELF OR HERSELF OR ITSELF.
When you don’t use such a POWERFULL TOOL, are we not SINNING against
GOD. Would it be wrong if GOD concludes HE OR SHE OR IT has made
an “APATRA DHANA “i.e. giving a gift to an UNDESERVING FELLOW.
So, my friends I request you ,beg of you to THINK. YOUR MIND IS YOUR
BRAMHASTRA,ICBM AND MIRV ALL IN ONE. I have said what I have
said with a belief that CRITICISM IS AN ELEMENT OF FAITH AND NOT
OPPOSITE OF FAITH.
This book will not be like a conventional book. This book will not be written in
third person like other books. Instead this book will be interactive and
conversational in nature and so read this book like you would read a novel.
Excepting the data and some diagrams, every thing is extempore. I will talk
about the problems I faced and solutions I got. I will give you precautions and
warnings to be adhered to in a foundry operation.
As I started my career as a METHODS engineer of STEEL castings, it is more
likely than not that this book will show certain amount of bias towards STEEL.
I have also worked in S.G Iron foundry, hence I will tell you about S.G. Iron
making, and more importantly S.G. Iron FEEDING.
As regards to S.G Iron feeding many people think that S.G. Iron should be fed
like STEEL, nothing is farther from TRUTH.
Contact Details:
G.M.RAJENDRA PRASAD.
E-mail ID: gmrpsbc@yahoo.com
Phone No. +91-9480504635
15-02-2009
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