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Procedia Materials Science 6 (2014) 851 858

3rd International Conference on Materials Processing and Characterisation (ICMPC 2014)

Dimensional Accuracy Comparison of Investment Castings

Prepared With Wax and ABS Patterns for Bio-Medical Application
Rupinder Singha *, Sunpreet Singhb, Gurpartap Singhc
0F0F0F

Professor, Production Engineering, G.N.D.E.C, Ludhiana (141006), India

Senior Research Fellow, Production Engineering, G.N.D.E.C, Ludhiana (141006), India
c
Research Scholar, Production Engineering, G.N.D.E.C, Ludhiana (141006), India

Abstract
In this research work comparison has been made for dimensional accuracy of hip joint prepared by investment castings process
using conventional wax and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as pattern material. Two controllable process variables
namely: numbers of slurry layers and type of pattern material have been considered for comparison. An approach to model
dimensional accuracy of hip joint has been proposed and applied. International tolerance (IT) grade of cast components was
tested and found acceptable as per ISO standard UNI EN 20286-I (1995) and further at proposed parametric settings, process has
been found to be statistically controlled.
2014
2014Elsevier
The Authors.
Published
Elsevier
Ltd.

Ltd. This
is an openbyaccess
article
under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology (GRIET).
Selection and peer review under responsibility of the Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology (GRIET)
Keyword: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; wax; hardness; dimensional accuracy; investment casting; hip joint

1. Introduction
The area of biomedical implants is expanding at high rate, Singh and Singh (2013a). These implants should be
highly compatible physically and chemically with human body, Gibson et al. (2006). No compromise can be made
regarding properties like surface quality and dimensional accuracy of implants, Gu and Li (2002). Hip joint in
human body with an aid to rapid prototyping techniques have been developed satisfactorily by many researchers,

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91-987-225-7575; fax: +91-161-250-2700.

E-mail address: rupindersingh78@yahoo.com

2211-8128 2014 Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer review under responsibility of the Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology (GRIET)
doi:10.1016/j.mspro.2014.07.102

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Rupinder Singh et al. / Procedia Materials Science 6 (2014) 851 858

Singh et al. (2013), Singh and Singh (2013b). Investment casting (IC) process is always preferred in order to
produce extremely good surface quality and with close tolerance, Babu et al. (1990), Beeley and Smart (1995),
Amira et al. (2011). Therefore, IC has occupied a key position in the range of modern metal casting techniques,
Jones and Yuan (2003a), Jones and Yuan (2003b), Konrad et al. (2011). Fused deposition modelling is one of the
rapid prototyping technology by which physical object (replica) is created directly from CAD data, Singh (2013).
The literature review reveals that lot of research work has been reported on hip joint, FDM and IC process, Cheah et
al. (2005), Chhabra and Singh (2011), Pattnaik et al. (2012), Cheng et al. (2012) and Singh and Singh (2013c) but
hitherto very less work has been reported to compare IC prepared with conventional wax based patterns and
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) based patterns for bio-medical implant (hip joint). In the present study, a biomedical implant (hip joint) has been selected as the benchmark. The detailed drawing (Ref. Fig.1) for the benchmark
was made using CAD software (solid works).

Fig. 1. CAD created hip joint.

The drawing has serves as the input to the FDM machine and ABS pattern for IC process has been generated. Fig.
2-4 respectively shows STL file format, cross section layers and pattern assembly of hip joint.

Fig. 2. STL format of hip joint

Fig. 3. Cross sectional layers of hip joint

Fig. 4.Pattern assembly

As regards to wax pattern the same has been prepared with conventional die. These replicas of wax and ABS were
dipped into the slurry and sprinkled with coarse refractory. The process is repeated again and again with suitable
drying time, until mould of specific thickness was attained.
2. Experimentation
In pilot experimentation it has been found that by changing number of layers and pattern material, strength of cavity/
shell was affected. Observations made from pilot experimentation are shown in Table1. The parameters selected for
pilot experimentation includes number of slurry layers, three type of pattern material (namely: wax, ABS and
ABS+wax). Based upon trial runs of pilot experimentation, selected levels of input parameter for final
experimentation are shown in Table 2. The number of slurry layers has been kept minimum 8 in order to be on
safer size for shell wall thickness. Fig. 5-7 respectively shows pattern prepared after final coating, mould cavity
prepared after de-waxing and components prepared during shakeout stage of IC.

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Fig.5 Pattern prepared after final coating

Fig.6 Mould cavity after de-waxing

Fig.7 Component during shakeout stage

Table 1. Observations from pilot Experimentation.

Pattern material

Number of layers

Result

Wax
Wax
Wax
ABS
ABS
ABS
ABS + Wax
ABS + Wax
ABS + Wax

5
6
7
5
6
7
5
6
7

Shell cracked
Shell cracked
Not cracked
Shell cracked
Not cracked
Not cracked
Shell cracked
Not cracked
Not cracked

The experiments are conducted in accordance to Taguchi L9 orthogonal array. Control log of experimentation is
shown in Table 3. Mild steel has been used for casting and casted hip joint is shown in Fig. 8.
Table 2. Input parameter.
Parameter 1
Number of layers
L2
L1
9
8

L3
10

L1
Wax

Parameter 2
Pattern material
L2
ABS

L3
ABS dipped in
wax
(ABS + Wax)

Experiments are conducted in accordance to Taguchi L9 orthogonal array. Control log of experimentation is shown
in Table 3.
Table 3. Control log of experimentation.
S. no.

Number of layers

Pattern material

1.

Wax

2.

Wax

3.

10

Wax

4.

ABS

5.

ABS

6.

10

ABS

7.

ABS + Wax

8.

ABS + Wax

9.

10

ABS + Wax

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Fig. 8. Casted hip joint.

3. Result and Discussion

The dimensional accuracy (d) was measured as deviation of cast component dimensions from original drawing
(Ref. Fig.9). Out of three critical dimensions, shown in Fig. 9, dimension D=10.00mm was selected. Coordinate
Measuring Machine (CMM) has been used to measure cast component dimensions. Results for dimensional
accuracy/ deviation are shown in Table4.

Fig. 9. Benchmark dimensions.

Table 4. Results for dimensional accuracy.
S. No.

Pattern material

Number of layers

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Wax
Wax
Wax
ABS
ABS
ABS
ABS + Wax
ABS + Wax
ABS + Wax

8
9
10
8
9
10
8
9
10

d (mm)
R1
0.56
0.62
0.6
0.03
0.05
0.04
0.19
0.22
0.2

R2
0.5
0.59
0.58
0.01
0.03
0.05
0.24
0.2
0.18

R3
0.53
0.55
0.61
0.02
0.07
0.03
0.19
0.26
0.24

Best parametric setting for d shown in Table-6. Statistical nature of process has been studied for six experiments
(shown in Table 6). For this, critical dimension shown in Fig. 9 has been measured. Here R1, R2 and R3 are three
repetitions for experimentation in order to reduce the experimental error. Based upon Table 4, it has been observed
that 8 number of slurry layers results into minimum deviation for all type of pattern materials and ABS pattern
resulted into minimum deviation. Finally 06 samples of ABS patterns were casted with 8 no. of slurry layers. The
results of dimensional measurements have been used to evaluate the tolerance unit n that derives starting from the

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standard tolerance factor i, defined in standard UNI EN 20286-i (1995). Standard tolerances were calculated for a
range of nominal sizes. For a generic nominal dimension DJN, the number of the tolerance units is evaluated as:
n = 1000(DJN - DJM)/i, Where DJM is a measured dimension.
Tolerance factor, i = 0.45 (D)1/3 + 0.001D,
Where, D is the geometric mean of the limiting values. The calculated value of n was checked with respect to
size of dimension in a standard table to find the corresponding IT grades.
n = 1000(DJN - DJM)/i, Where DJM is a measured dimension,
Tolerance factor, i = 0.45 (D)1/3 + 0.001D. Where, D is the geometric mean of the limiting values.
In this case nominal dimension D =10, therefore the value of i = 0.89. The IT grades, values of DJN, DJM, i and n for
nominal dimension 10mm is shown in Table 5 as per ISO standard UNI EN 20286-I (1995).
Table 5. IT grades for nominal dimension DJN = 10mm.
Sample No.

DJM

1
2
3
4
5
6

10.0201
10.0116
10.0251
10.0301
10.0303
10.0352

0.89

IT grade

22.50
13.00
28.20
33.80
34.00
39.50

IT8
IT6
IT8
IT8
IT8
IT9

The observations in Table5 have been further used for statistical analysis (Ref. Table 6). Based upon Table6, Fig.10
shows run chart of measured values.
Table 6. Dimensional value obtained for IC of MS.
S. No.

Observation

Mean

Above or Below
of Mean

1
2
3
4
5
6
MEAN

10.0201
10.0116
10.0251
10.0301
10.0303
10.0352
10.0254

10.0254
10.0254
10.0254
10.0254
10.0254
10.0254
10.0254

B
B
B
A
A
A
RUN = 1

Up or Down

D
U
U
U
U
U&D=1

Where: A=above the mean, B=below the mean, U=Up from previous reading, D=Down from previous reading

Meadured dimensional value

10.04
10.035
10.03
10.025

Observed
dimensions

10.02

Mean Value

10.015
10.01
1

No. of observations
Fig. 10. Run chart of measured values of dimension DJN = 10mm.

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3.1. Calculation of Standard normal derivate (Z)

If the mean and standard of population that is having normal distribution is and respectively then for variable
data X the standard normal deviate Z is defined as:
Z = (Xi- )/

(1)

Where: Xi is the variable data obtained, is the mean of data, is the standard deviation.
Calculation for Z (standard normal derivate) above and below
E (run)AB = N/2+1

(2)

Where N is the number of observations and E(run)AB is the expected number of run above and below
E (run)AB = 6/2+1 = 4

(3)

AB = (N-1/4), Where AB is the standard deviation of above and below

(4)

AB = (6-1/4) =1.118

(5)

ZAB = (1-4) / 1.118 = -2.6834

(6)

| ZAB | = 2.6834

(7)

Calculation for Z up and down

E(run)UP = 2N -1/3, E(run)UD is the expected number of run up and down.

(8)

E(run)UP = 26-1/3 = 3.667

(9)

UD =16N-29/90, Where UD is the standard deviation for up and down.

(10)

UD = (166-29/90)

(11)

UD = 0.8628

(12)

ZUD = (1-3.667)/0.8628

(13)

ZUD = -3.091

(14)

| ZUD | = 3.091

(15)

Calculation for Z critical

Critical value of Z has been obtained from Microsoft Excel (applying formula = NORMSINV(1-/2)). Normally
decision making is done with certain margin of error () and taken equal to 0.05 i.e. there can 5% chances in
arriving at wrong conclusion.
Zcritical = 1.959963

(16)

Decision making, If | ZAB | > Zcrit OR | ZUD | > Zcrit, then non-random pattern exist, In present case | ZAB | &| ZUD |
are > Zcrit indicates existence of non-random pattern.

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Finally, exercise of prediction of various statistical or drawing conclusions should not be undertaken unless the
normality of distribution has been verified. In order to calculate normality of distribution, cumulative probability
and standard normal deviate is calculated.
Cumulative probability plot (Pi) = (S.N-0.5)/N

(17)

Where, S.N is serial number of observation of data arranged in ascending order, N is Total number of observations
in the data set.
(18)
The standard normal deviate (Z) = (Xi- )/
The standard normal deviate follows normal distribution that has mean, = 0 and standard deviation, = 1,
equation follows normal probability curve.
Z is calculated by Microsoft Excel formula = NORMINV(Pi). Standard normal deviate and dimension (10.00mm)
shown in Table 7.
Table 7. Standard normal deviate and dimensional value
S. No.

Pi (Cumulative probability)

Standard normal deviate, Z

Dimensional value (mm)

1
2
3
4
5
6

0.083
0.25
0.416
0.583
0.75
0.916

-1.38299
-0.67449
-0.21043
-0.21043
-0.67449
1.38299

10.0116
10.0201
10.0251
10.0301
10.0303
10.0352

The normal probability curve (Ref. Fig.11) has been drawn for data calculated as per Table7. As observed from
Fig.11, the aforesaid data follow non-random pattern and are under normal probability curve, hence chances of
process to be under statistical control are very strong.
10.04
10.035
y = 0.0084x + 10.025
R = 0.9458

10.03
10.025
10.02
10.015
10.01
-2

-1

Standard normal deviate (Z)

Fig. 11. Normal probability curve of selected component for DJN = 10mm

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4. Conclusions
For the present research work it has been concluded that ABS based patterns can be gainfully employed in place of
conventional wax patterns as regards to dimensional accuracy for development of bio-medical implant is concerned.
The results drawn in light of ABS pattern material satisfy required dimensional accuracy values. The pattern made
of ABS shows minimum dimensional deviation i.e. 0.01-0.03mm, with 8 No. of slurry layers. Further there are
strong possibilities of process to be under statistical control at proposed settings and cast components are acceptable
as per ISO standard UNI EN 20286-I (1995) hence ABS patterns can be used for batch production of bio-medical
implants.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to All India Council for Technical Education, New Delhi under NCP.
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