The Effect of Porosity on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Die Cast Mg Alloys

Abstract

High pressure die casting (HPDC) is the dominant process for the production of magnesium components with complex configuration having typically thin to medium wall thickness. The growing use of die cast Mg alloys in the automotive industry, particularly for the production of drive-train components, has led to the development of creep resistant alloys, MRI153M and MRI230D, which were launched into the market several years ago. The present paper aims at exploring the effect of the HPDC process parameters on the porosity and, as a result, on the properties of the two MRI’s developed alloys in comparison with common alloys AZ91D and AM50A that are usually considered as benchmark die casting alloys. The outcome of the research performed includes processing guidelines and recommendations, which allow obtaining high quality sound castings. These recommendations should be implemented in the course of design, optimization and production of highperformance components for various applications.