Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating the flowability of a core-forming material in which an airborne core-forming material is blown downwardly into a first, downwardly extending, long and confining passageway for a predetermined time, and the airborne core-forming material is allowed to escape the first long, confining passageway by diverting it into a short, transverse passageway, and further diverting it into a second, upwardly extending confining passageway, and the flowability of the core-forming material is evaluated from the quantity of core-forming material that has entered the second, upwardly extending confining passageway.

Abstract: Thermal expansion of sand cores and the formation of vein defects during metal casting operations can be substantially eliminated, with substantially reduced costs, by using an anti-veining material comprising less than about 4% by weight of a lithia-containing material, and at least about 1% by weight of ferric oxide (Fe2O3), said anti-veining material preferably comprising 2.5% LiO, 10-25% of TiO2, 15-25% Al2O3, 10-25% of Fe3O4, and 60-70% of SiO2 mixed with about 1% by weight of Fe2O3, preferably red iron oxide.