At Fowler & Holden, we believe that every casting should meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and performance. But even in the most advanced foundries, defects can occur if processes aren’t controlled. This guide explores common casting defects and their prevention, offering practical insight into how we achieve defect-free casting in the UK.
Why Do Casting Defects Happen?
Casting defects occur when there are inconsistencies or failures in the casting process. These issues can arise from the design stage through to solidification. Understanding how and why defects happen is the first step in preventing them.
As an ISO-certified foundry, Fowler & Holden uses documented procedures and quality systems to reduce risk and ensure consistent production.
Most Common Casting Defects
1. Shrinkage Cavities
Shrinkage happens when molten metal reduces in volume as it solidifies, leaving internal or external cavities.
Prevention: Use properly designed risers and feeders to ensure directional solidification. Control pouring temperature to avoid premature solidification.
2. Porosity
Gas bubbles trapped in the metal create tiny holes that affect strength and finish.
Prevention: Improve mould permeability, de-gas the metal, and maintain clean melting practices.
3. Cold Shuts
When two streams of metal do not fuse completely, they form a weak seam.
Prevention: Ensure correct pouring temperature and gating design for smooth flow.
4. Inclusions
Non-metallic particles such as sand or slag get trapped in the casting.
Prevention: Use clean moulds, filter the metal, and monitor furnace practices.
5. Misruns
The metal cools before filling the entire cavity, leading to incomplete castings.
Prevention: Optimise gating system, raise metal temperature, or redesign pattern.
6. Warping
Irregular cooling rates can cause deformation.
Prevention: Maintain even wall thickness and controlled cooling.
The Cost of Poor Quality
Defective castings lead to rework, delays, lost contracts, and safety risks. For sectors like power, infrastructure, and marine, failure is not an option.
That’s why we take iron casting failure prevention seriously—through design, tooling, pouring, and post-processing.
How We Ensure Defect-Free Casting UK
At Fowler & Holden, our reputation depends on our quality. We follow a rigorous quality management approach:
- ISO-certified foundry standards.
- Pattern inspection before moulding.
- Melt monitoring and temperature control.
- Core setting verification.
- Pouring process control.
- Non-destructive testing (NDT).
We also provide full documentation with test results and metallurgical reports.
Design to Prevent Defects
Much of casting quality begins at the design stage. We offer:
- Design for manufacturability (DfM) support.
- CAD file optimisation.
- Gating and riser design reviews.
We work closely with clients to identify potential issues before tooling is made.
FAQs
What is the most common casting defect?
Shrinkage and porosity are two of the most frequent issues found in iron castings.
Can defects be fixed after casting?
Some can be repaired, but prevention is more cost-effective and reliable.
What is your casting defect rejection rate?
Very low. Our internal QA ensures high acceptance rates, especially for repeat batches.
Are your castings tested for defects?
Yes. We conduct visual, dimensional, and non-destructive testing based on customer needs.
Can you help improve our casting design?
Absolutely. We offer design input to improve yield and reduce defect risk.
Why Choose Fowler & Holden?
If you need defect-free casting UK-wide, our team delivers confidence alongside castings. As an ISO-certified foundry, we back up our promises with process discipline and traceability.
From pattern design to final inspection, we support iron casting failure prevention with every part we pour.
To discuss your project requirements today:
Contact us
Call: +44 (0)1472 355 316
Email: admin@fowlerandholden.co.uk
