TY - JOUR N2 - The paper presents results of initial research on the possibility of applying microwave radiation in an innovative process of making casting moulds from silica sand, where gypsum CaSO4∙2H2O was acting as a binding material. In the research were compared strengths and technological properties of moulding mixture subjected to: natural bonding process at ambient temperature or natural curing with additional microwave drying or heating with the use of microwaves immediately after samples were formed. Used in the research moulding sands, in which dry constituents i.e. sand matrix and gypsum were mixed in the ratio: 89/11. On the basis of the results of strength tests which were obtained by various curing methods, beneficial effect of using microwaves at 2.45 GHz for drying up was observed after 1, 2 and 5 hours since moisture sandmix was formed. Applying the microwaves for hardening just after forming the samples guarantees satisfactory results in the obtained mechanical parameters. In addition, it has been noted that, from a technological and economic point of view, drying the silica sand with gypsum binder in microwave field can be an alternative to traditional molding sand technologies. L1 - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/102055/PDF/afe-2017-0098.pdf L2 - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/102055 PY - 2017 IS - No 3 DO - 10.1515/afe-2017-0098 KW - Foundry industry KW - Materials and Foundry Technology KW - Microwave heating KW - Gypsum KW - Binding material A1 - Stachowicz, M. A1 - Paduchowicz, P. A1 - Granat, K. PB - The Katowice Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences VL - vol. 17 DA - 2017 T1 - Effect of Microwave Heating on Moulding Sand Properties with Gypsum Binder UR - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/dlibra/publication/edition/102055 T2 - Archives of Foundry Engineering ER -