Abstract
Poor quality and low yield are major challenges to the South African foundry industry. An inspection of the process routes was conducted, and the defects occurring within the blades were investigated and characterized according to the type, size, shape and location on the castings. The presence of shrinkage porosity, gas entrapment and inclusions in the austenitic manganese scraper blades are a major concern as they result in high rejection rate, additional melting of metal and increased labour energy. This study seeks to optimize the casting process of the blades using casting simulation to visualize the filling and solidification processes of the molten metal inside the mould cavity. This will give a clear indication of the resultant casting, allowing for modification of the process in the design stages and determination of the castability. The trial and error methods will be eliminated thereby reducing operating costs and improving the overall yield.