Word of the Day
20 August 2026
hot top
nounMetalworking
In casting, a live open riser with a hot ceramic liner, designed to counteract the formation of harmful hollows when casting objects of materials such as metals into molds.
Why this one
Insulation doing a structural job. It keeps a riser molten so the shrinkage void forms in scrap metal instead of inside the casting.
In use
We lost the last two ingots to centreline piping, so put a hot top on the mould before the next pour.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.Sources
- Definition sourceWiktionary
- Supporting sourceDefinition of hot topMindat.org