Abstract

This paper presents a review that briefly examines the functional characteristics of the constituents of moulding sand namely silica, binders (bentonite), and additives used in green sand casting. It captures the role these constituents play in optimizing the sand-casting process especially for Aluminium and Aluminium alloy. The review features how each component contributes to the quality of casts produced- silica sand being the primary or base material and usually comprising 85-91% of the mould mixture provides the required structural support and thermal resistance, binders (organic or inorganic) provides the required cohesion and plasticity and the additives enhances some specific attributes such as strength, collapsibility and quality of the surface. The paper further reviews the use of design of experiment techniques such as Taguchi methodology, response surface methodology (RSM) as well as fractional factorial design in optimizing the process parameters for a quality and defect free Al-6063 pot cast. The review further highlights the abundance and suitability of these constituents in Nigeria aligning the study with sustainable development goals specifically goal 12 which is about sustainable consumption and production. The review will provide directional insights for future research on understanding the functional characteristics of green moulding sand constituents

Key words: AL-6063, Taguchi, Scheffes Model, Response surface methodology, Green Mould