Quiz: What Happened Here?

Mistakes are expensive, but metallurgists and QC technicians aim to profit from them by investigating how casting defects develop. That has resulted in a terminology for classifying casting defects. How many defects can you identify?
Sept. 8, 2025
Porosity in castings results when mold gases are generated during pouring. This may result in blowholes (spherical or ovular cavities in the casting surface or within the casting) or pinhole porosity, the result of hydrogen trapped during in the mass of molten metal.
Porosity in castings results when mold gases are generated during pouring. This may result in blowholes (spherical or ovular cavities in the casting surface or within the casting) or pinhole porosity, the result of hydrogen trapped during in the mass of molten metal.

Even a mistake can be instructive. Because not every cast part can be perfect, foundries and diecasters invest a lot effort to understand the causes of casting imperfections. That has resulted in a classification process that helps metalcasters trace the origins of the defects in their operations – from mold design and preparation to molten metal handling and pouring

There is a dedicated terminology for casting defects. How well do you understand the pathology of casting defects?

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