Excellent Castability Research Articles

AZ31 Magnesium Alloy in the Aerospace Industry: A Review on the Effect of Composition, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties on Alloy Performance

This comprehensive review article overviews AZ31, a highly researched magnesium alloy known for its exceptional mechanical properties, lightweight nature, and corrosion resistance. It covers the alloy's composition, microstructure, mechanical properties, applications, and prospects. AZ31's microstructure is influenced by its aluminum (Al) and zinc (Zn) composition, resulting in significant magnesium-aluminum intermetallic phase formation, critical for tailoring the alloy's properties to meet specific application needs. AZ31 exhibits impressive specific strength, excellent castability, and favorable ductility influenced by alloying elements, microstructure, and processing methods. The article discusses manufacturing processes like casting, rolling, and extrusion, which impact the alloy's microstructure and mechanical properties. It also explores the corrosion behavior of AZ31, emphasizing factors affecting corrosion resistance and strategies for improvement. Due to its lightweight properties, high strength-to-weight ratio, and electromagnetic shielding capabilities, AZ31 is widely used in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, and biomedical. Ongoing research focuses on alloy modifications, surface treatments, and additive manufacturing to enhance AZ31's properties and address challenges like limited formability and corrosion resistance. This review article is a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and professionals exploring AZ31's potential for lightweight materials and diverse applications in different industries.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Ni alloys with excellent twin-roll castability

This paper proposes a new high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Ni alloy with excellent twin-roll castability compared with conventional Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys. Thermodynamic calculations were carried out to identify the solidification range and amount of residual liquid phase in the Al-Zn-Mg-(Cu, Ni) alloys, which are factors exerting significant influence on the formation of defects in the final strips. The designed Al-Zn-Mg-Ni alloys exhibited a narrower solidification range and smaller amount of residual liquid at the final solidification temperature, resulting in excellent surface quality after twin-roll casting compared with Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys. A series of rolling and heat treatment processes was performed on the Al-Zn-Mg-Ni alloy strips, and the mechanical properties of the final sheets were evaluated. The results showed that the yield and tensile strength were increased without affecting the elongation up to approximately 1.0wt.% Ni addition. Additionally, compared with conventional Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, equivalent or higher tensile properties were achieved after T6 tempering. In conclusion, the Al-Zn-Mg-Ni alloy exhibits high-strength with excellent twin-roll castability.

Investigation of the effects of contour process parameters on mechanical properties and part quality in SLM

AlSi10Mg is an aluminium alloy preferred in the automotive, medical, and aerospace industries due to its engineering properties such as lightness, high corrosion resistance, and excellent castability. In metal-based additive manufacturing, offset value, laser power, and scanning speed are important manufacturing parameters. These parameters significantly impact the formation of defects that adversely affect the microstructure, mechanical properties, surface quality, and dimensional accuracy of the final product. Therefore, it is imperative to select these parameters correctly during the manufacturing process. In this context, the study focuses on improving product quality in the additive manufacturing of AlSi10Mg alloy, and samples were produced using different contour process parameters. The production of samples was carried out according to the Taguchi L27 orthogonal experimental design. Three different offset values (0.140–0.175–0.210 mm), three different laser powers (160–200-240 W), and three different scanning speeds (280–350-420 mm/s) were utilized as contour process parameters. At the conclusion of the study, it was determined that there are ideal process parameters for achieving high mechanical properties, low surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy according to nominal values. It was observed that the product quality decreased in samples produced with non-ideal parameters. Yield strength decreased by 4.12 % with an increase in the offset value from 0.140 mm to 0.175 mm, and by 3.83 % with an increase from 0.175 to 0.210 mm. Increasing the offset value from 0.140 mm to 0.175 mm resulted in a decrease in tensile strength by 1.94 % and increasing it from 0.175 mm to 0.210 mm resulted in a decrease of 2.83 %. The decrease in mechanical properties was attributed to the occurring defects. The lowest Ra value (2.011 µm) was measured at a 0.140 mm offset value, with a laser power of 200 W, and a scanning speed of 280 mm/s. For all offset values, the deviation in thickness measurement varies between approximately −5.13 % and + 4.96 %, and the deviation in width measurement varies between −1.89 and + 1.33. Multi-response optimization was conducted for mechanical properties, surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy using the Taguchi-based gray relational analysis method. According to the experimental results, the optimal contour process parameters for additive manufacturing of AlSi10Mg alloy were obtained as 0.140 mm offset value, 200 W laser power, and 280 mm/s scanning speed.

Worldwide Research Trend on Steel Casting: A Visualization and Future Research Directions

Aims: In this study, we conducted a bibliometric study about steel casting between the year 2000-2023. We carried out a bibliometric analysis of sand casting, investment casting, die casting, and squeeze casting in which optimization and simulation models are available and have been thoroughly developed to enhance the quality of the casting product, according to the keyword co-occurrence network and word cloud generated by the bibliometric analysis and text mining of the publications. Methods: By delving further into the optimisation and simulation models, this study finds multiple casting procedures with various process parameters that have a major effect on the process results. Defects of the mechanical kind are the most prevalent, and factors taken into consideration are emissions, yield, dimensional tolerances, and qualities. Results: The necessity for data-driven modelling in new casting environments has been identified in this study, which will allow for a dynamic casting process and fine-tuning and aid in attaining desirable results in today's competitive markets. In order to illustrate the future prospects of this sector, this research focuses on potential technical interventions in steel casting processes that could enhance the efficiency of the process and the quality of the products produced by steel casting. Conclusion: This study examines the body of literature on various researchers' contributions to the production of excellent casting components and performs a bibliometric examination of the publications. However, the literature study examines research publications from high-quality essential sources to determine the essential criteria influencing steel casting quality.

High-Performance 3D Sand Printing Process Using Interlayer Heating

Sand mold 3D printing technology has been recognized as a digital, high-quality, and promising sand mold forming method. However, sand mold 3D printing technology has drawbacks, such as single molding material and long curing time, which limit its further industrial application. Therefore, this study proposes a method for forming composite sand molds based on a layer-stacking structure and a strengthening method based on interlayer heating. The influence of the process parameters on the properties of traditional and composite sand molds was systematically studied. Experimental results demonstrated that when the heating temperature was 150 °C, the enhancement of the sand mold was obvious, with an increase of approximately 20% compared to untreated sand mold. When the composite sand mold with a laminated thickness of 1.5 mm was heated at this temperature, its tensile strength reached 1.53 MPa, and compressive strength reached 5.80 MPa, which met the casting requirements. The composite sand mold printed by interlayer heating has excellent casting performance and economic advantages, which provide theoretical guidance for the high-performance printing of sand molds.

Development of Low-Pressure Die-Cast Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy Propellers-Part Ⅰ: Hot Tearing Simulations for Alloy Optimization.

Recent advances in the leisure boat industry have spurred demand for improved materials for propeller manufacturing, particularly high-strength aluminum alloys. While traditional Al-Si alloys like A356 are commonly used due to their excellent castability, they have limited mechanical properties. In contrast, 7xxx series alloys (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu based) offer superior mechanical characteristics but present significant casting challenges, including hot-tearing susceptibility (HTS). This study investigates the optimization of 7xxx series aluminum alloys for low-pressure die-casting (LPDC) processes to enhance propeller performance and durability. Using a constrained rod-casting (CRC) method and finite element simulations, we evaluated the HTS of various alloy compositions. The results indicate that increasing Zn and Cu contents generally increase HTS, while a sufficient Mg content of 2 wt.% mitigates this effect. Two optimized quaternary Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with relatively low HTS were selected for LPDC propeller production. Simulation and experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed alloy compositions, highlighting the need for further process optimization to prevent hot tearing in high Mg and Cu content alloys.

Effect of Strontium Modification on Microstructure and Mechanical Property Al12SiCuMgNi Alloy in Squeeze Casting

Abstract The Al-Si series alloys, which have excellent fluidity and castability, are the most common aluminum material in the casting industry. However, the coarse eutectic Si phase with laminar morphology leads to the stress concentration of material and has a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy components. In this study, the Strontium (Sr) modifier was added to Al12SiCuMgNi alloy and the effect of Sr on microstructure and performance of Al12SiCuMgNi in squeeze casting was investigated. The experimental results show that the eutectic Si phase was well modified to fibrous morphology. Although the yield strength (YS) was leveled, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation (EL) of the alloy were obviously enhanced after Sr addition. When the 0.012wt.% Sr was added to Al12SiCuMgNi alloy. The YS, UTS, and EL of alloys were up to 311 MPa, 401 MPa, and 3.4%, respectively. Moreover, the microstructure and performance of Al12SiCuMgNi alloy in the hot forging process were also compared to Al12SiCuMgNi alloy with and without Sr addition in squeeze casting. It is concluded that the Al12SiCuMgNi alloy in hot forging shows higher ductility (4.7%) and lower strength than Al12SiCuMgNi alloy in squeeze casting.

The eutectic compositional space in Al-Cr-Fe-Ni system utilizing the high-throughput Calphad approach

Eutectic High-Entropy Alloys (EHEAs) show promise in balancing strength and ductility, along with excellent castability and chemical homogeneity. However, identifying optimal eutectic compositions in HEAs has been a persistent challenge, primarily due to the lacuna of multi-component phase diagrams. In addressing this challenge, the eutectic compositional space in Al-Cr-Fe-Ni is unveiled for the first time as a case study using the High-Throughput Calphad methodology. By integrating the Python application programming interface into Thermo-Calc, Latin Hypercube Sampling generated 100,000 compositions examined for eutectic formation based on thermodynamic parameters. This analysis revealed the significant correlation of valence electron concentration, enthalpy of mixing, and atomic size difference on eutectic formation. Moreover, the predictions of the proposed design methodology were compared with reported eutectic compositions, exhibiting excellent agreement. Further, a novel dual-phase eutectic alloy featuring an FCC+B2 combination predicted through the proposed design framework has been successfully cast, providing further experimental validation.

Cold spray processing of AA2024/Al2O3 coating on magnesium AZ31B alloy: Process parameters optimization, microstructure and adhesive strength performance of coating

The automotive and aerospace sectors are progressively employing the magnesium (Mg) alloy of the grade AZ31B because of its excellent castability, low density, and high ratio of strength to weight. Nevertheless, the limited ability of AZ31B alloy to withstand corrosion limits their use in several fields of technology. In order to solve this problem, the AZ31B alloy is coated utilizing an AA2024/Al2O3 metal matrix composite (MMC) coating that is applied by the cold spray coating (CS) method. The primary goal of this work is the parametric optimization of CS process for maximizing adhesive strength of MMC-coated Mg-alloy substrate. Response surface methodology (RSM) is implemented to find the optimum CS parameters, including feed rate of powder – FRP (g/min), standoff distance of gun – SDG (mm) and processing temperature – TEMP (°C). The regression-based parametric adhesion strength prediction (ASP) model was formulated using the RSM and statistically validated using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Employing 3D surface of responses, the influence of CS parameters on the adhesion strength of an MMC-coating was assessed. The findings revealed that when the MMC-coating was cold sprayed on the Mg-alloy using FRP of 22 g/min, SDG of 12 mm, and TEMP of 520 °C, the maximum adhesion strength of MMC-coating was 70 MPa (actual). Given less than 2% error at 95% confidence, the parametric ASP model correctly predicted the adhesion strength of the MMC-coating. The ANOVA findings showed that FRP (g/min) had significant effect on adhesive strength of MMC-coating followed by SDG (mm) and TEMP (°C). The MMC-coating applied using the RSM optimized CS parameters showed 70.73% superior adhesive strength owing to the lower porosity formation of 2 vol% which offers greater interfacial area. The ASP equation was formulated using the “best fitting line” approach and validated using ANOVA for predicting the adhesive strength (MPa) from the porosity formation (vol%) in the MMC-coating.

A New Strategy for the Design of Triple-Phase Eutectic High-Entropy Alloys Based on Infinite Solid Solution and Pseudo-Ternary Method.

Eutectic high-entropy alloys (EHEAs) have combined both high-entropy alloys and eutectic alloy contributions, with excellent castability and high-temperature application potential. Yet, multielement/triple-phase eutectic high-entropy alloy (TEHEA) designs remain puzzling. This work proposed a new strategy based on an infinite solid solution and pseudo-ternary model to reveal the puzzle of TEHEAs. The designed triple-phase eutectic high-entropy alloys (TEHEAs) with more than seven elements were identified as face-centered cubic (FCC), ordered body-centered cubic (B2), and Laves phase structures. In this work, the alloy C showcases outstanding comprehensive mechanical properties, offering a novel avenue for the design of high-performance EHEAs.

Strength-ductility balance of AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy via additive manufacturing

AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA), with its distinctive heterogeneous structure, not only overcomes the drawback of insufficient strength of FCC single-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs), but also overcomes the drawback of insufficient ductility of BCC single-phase HEAs, making it a promising candidate for engineering application. In addition, EHEAs possessing excellent castability are considered to be suitable for additive manufacturing (AM). The AlCoCrFeNi2.1 EHEA prepared by direct energy deposition (DED) exhibits a dual-phase structure consisting of FCC(L12) and BCC(B2) phases. With the increase of deposition height, its morphology transforms from columnar and dendrite structures to lamellar structure. Furthermore, the tensile strength and yield strength of the DED-ed EHEA samples increase, while the ductility decreases with the increase of deposition height. Especially, the middle region of the DED-ed samples achieves a good strength-ductility balance. The lamellar structure composed of soft FCC(L12) phase and hard BCC(B2) phase produces a hetero deformation induced (HDI) hardening, which improves the strength of the samples and promotes plastic deformation. The FCC(L12)/BCC(B2) phase interfaces not only hinder the movement of a large number of dislocations and cause dislocation pile-up, but also allow some dislocations to slip across, which helps to plastic co-deformation of two phases in the EHEA samples. This work provides useful guidance for the performance improvement of EHEAs using laser additive manufacturing.

Metallurgical characteristics of AA6061 aluminium and AZ31B magnesium dissimilar joints by fusion welding technique.

Aluminium (Al) and magnesium (Mg) alloys are extensively used in the automobile sector because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent castability low density and simplicity of recycling. Al-Mg structures used in the automotive sector can potentially reduce their weight. Although there is a significant opportunity for substantial cost reduction, the use of magnesium in aluminium structures remains restricted. This study aims to weld 3 mm-thick rolled sheets of AA6061 Al and AZ31B Mg alloy using the cold metal transfer (CMT) arc welding process. Three different filler wires (ER1100, ER4043, and ER5356) were used in the experiment. In this article, the mechanical and microstructure characteristics of Al/Mg dissimilar joints manufactured by CMT are evaluated and discussed in detail. Optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the CMT-welded Al/Mg dissimilar joints. Of the three filler wires used, ER4043 (Al-5%Si) filler wire yielded defect-free sound joints due to the presence of Si, which improves the flow ability of molten filler during welding. The presence of Mg-rich intermetallics-Al12Mg17)and Al-rich intermetallics-Al3Mg2 were observed. The fractured area of the CMT-welded Al/Mg dissimilar joints revealed the presence of the Mg-rich intermetallics (Al12Mg17), which is responsible for the decrease in tensile strength. The reduction of intermetallics, particularly of Mg-rich intermetallics (Al12Mg17) is important for improving joint strength. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Cold metal transfer (CMT) arc welding was used to control the Al-Mg-rich intermetallics in the Al/Mg dissimilar joints. The microstructure, morphology and phase composition of the welded joints were studied by OM, SEM, TEM, EDS and XRD. The weld metal and AL substrate bonded with a strong interface, while weld metal and Mg substrate were joined at the epitaxial solidification area where the intermetallic compounds of Mg2Al3, Mg17Al12 and Mg2Si are generated. The weld metal on the Mg side experienced brittle fracture, with a continuous distribution of Mg2Al3, Mg17Al12 and Mg2Si.

Effect of trace rare earth La on microstructure and properties of Al-7%Si-0.6%Fe alloy

<sec>Al-Si alloys have been widely used in electronic information, communication, and other fields because of their high specific strength, excellent castability and good thermal conductivity. In recent years, with the rapid development of 5G communication technology, electronic communication equipment is gradually developing towards high integration and lightweight. The power of related equipment is higher and higher, which puts forward higher requirements for thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of materials.</sec><sec>Si can improve the fluidity and strength of the Al-Si alloy, but a large amount of Si will aggravate the lattice distortion and increases amount of eutectic Si. This will reduce the plasticity of the alloy, increase the electron scattering and reduce the thermal conductivity. In order to improve the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of Al-Si alloys, chemical inoculation is generally used. Sr is usually used as modifier and Al-B serves as grain refiner. However, the simultaneous addition of Sr and B into Al-Si alloy results in “poisoning” phenomenon, it becomes impossible to refine <i>α</i>-Al grains and modify eutectic Si simultaneously.</sec><sec>In recent years, rare earth La has attracted more and more attention in improving the properties of aluminum alloys. However, previous studies mainly focused on the effects of La addition, consequently, the research on the effects of combined addition of La, Sr, B on the microstructure and properties of Al-7%Si-0.6%Fe alloy is lacking. In this work, solidification experiments are performed to investigate the effects of combined addition of La, Sr, B on the microstructure and properties of Al-7%Si-0.6%Fe alloy. The results show that the addition of trace rare earth La can effectively eliminate the poisoning effect of Sr and B, and enhance the modification effect of eutectic Si. Besides, the addition of La can promote the formation of <i>α</i>-Al heterogeneous nucleation substrate LaB<sub>6</sub> and La can be used as a surfactant to reduce the undercooling of <i>α</i>-Al nucleation, thus it refines <i>α</i>-Al grains. The thermal conductivity of the alloy is significantly improved when the addition of La ranges from 0.02% to 0.06%; with the further increase of La addition, LaAlSi intermetallic compounds are formed in the alloy, leading the thermal conductivity of the alloy to decrease.</sec>

Study on Rheological Squeeze Casting Process of Ultra-high Strength Al-11Zn-1.8Mg-0.9Cu-0.15Zr-0.15Sc Alloy

7xxx series Al alloys with excellent mechanical properties are widely applied in aerospace, automotive, and defense industries. However, the casting performance of the alloy is relatively poor, and defects such as shrinkage porosity and thermal cracking are easy to occur during the solidification process. In this study, Al-11Zn-1.8Mg-0.9Cu-0.15Zr-0.15Sc alloy with excellent casting and strength performance developed by our research group, was studied by combining numerical simulation with experimental research. The simulation results show that hot joints appear in the thick wall of the wheel parts as the melt temperature increases. The increase of mold temperature and the decrease of squeeze pressure lead to the increase of the existence time of hot joints, which will aggravate the shrinkage and micro-segregation of castings. The experimental results show that electromagnetic stirring melt treatment can significantly improve melt uniformity, refine grain, and a wheel-shaped part with high performance can be obtained when the melt temperature, the mold temperature, the squeeze pressure are chosen as 660 °C, 200 °C, 50MPa, respectively.

Exploring Microstructure, Wear Resistance, and Electrochemical Properties of AlSi10Mg Alloy Fabricated Using Spark Plasma Sintering

Al-Si-Mg alloy has excellent casting performance due to its high silicon content, but the coarse eutectic silicon phase can lead to a decrease in its mechanical properties. Samples of AlSi10Mg alloy were prepared by using a spark plasma sintering method, and it was found that sintering temperature has a significant impact on the grain size, eutectic silicon size and wear and corrosion properties after heat treatment. At a sintering temperature of 525 °C, the alloy exhibits the best wear performance with an average friction coefficient of 0.29. This is attributed to the uniform precipitation of fine eutectic silicon phases, significantly improving wear resistance and establishing adhesive wear as the wear mechanism of AlSi10Mg alloy at room temperature. The electrochemical performance of AlSi10Mg sintered at 500 °C is the best, with Icorr and Ecorr being 1.33 × 10−6 A·cm−2 and −0.57 V, respectively. This is attributed to the refinement of grain size and eutectic silicon size, as well as the appropriate Si volume fraction. Therefore, optimizing the sintering temperature can effectively improve the performance of AlSi10Mg alloy.

Design and Optimization of Heat Treatment Process Parameters for High-Molybdenum-Vanadium High-Speed Steel for Rolls.

High-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel is a new type of high-hardenability tool steel with excellent wear resistance, castability, and high-temperature red hardness. This paper proposes a composition design of high-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel for rolls, and its specific chemical composition is as follows (wt.%): C2%, Mo7.0%, V7.0%, Si0.3%, Mn0.3%, Ni0.4%, Cr3.0%, and the rest of the iron. This design is characterized by the increase in molybdenum and vanadium in high-speed steel to replace traditional high-speed steel rolls with the tungsten element in order to reduce the heavy elements' tungsten-specific gravity segregation caused by centrifugal casting so that the roll performance is uniform and the stability of use is improved. JMatPro (version 7.0) simulation software is used for the composition design of high-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel. The phase composition diagram is analyzed under different temperatures. The content of different phases of the organization in different temperatures is also studied. The martensitic transformation temperature and different tempering temperatures with the different types of compounds and grain sizes are calculated. The process parameters of heat treatment of high-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel are optimized. The selection of carbon content and the temperature of M50 are calculated and optimized, and the results show that the range of pouring temperatures, quenching temperatures, annealing temperatures, and tempering temperatures are 1360~1410 °C, 1190~1200 °C, 818~838 °C, and 550~600 °C, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the samples obtained by using the above heat treatment parameters is consistent with the simulation results, which indicates that the simulation has important reference significance for guiding the actual production.

Estimation of Anomalous Portion in Gray Cast Iron Using Non-Contacting Electromagnetic Sensor

The gray cast iron is used in many mechanical parts due to its excellent damping force, wear resistance and castability. Inspection of the tensile strength of this cast iron is important for quality assurance of the machine products. The areas of reduced tensile strength in the cast iron are defined as abnormal areas in the cast iron. The tensile strength of gray cast iron is affected by its microstructure. The gray cast irons with low tensile strength contain a high percentage of ferrite and a low percentage of pearlite. The electromagnetic properties of the cast iron are affected by the content of these components. In this paper, an electromagnetic sensor is proposed in which the tensile strength of the gray cast iron is measured from changes in these electromagnetic properties. The electromagnetic FEM analysis using a play model method and the verification experiment show that the abnormal part of the tensile strength can be estimated from the difference in the hysteresis magnetic curve and conductivity in the cast iron.

Casting Simulation of Large-Volume Fluid Cementitious Materials: Effect of Material Properties and Casting Parameters.

The increasing pressure of traffic congestion on socio-economic development has made the construction of cross-water transportation ever more crucial. The immersed tunnel method is among the most extensively employed. However, a critical challenge of the immersed tunnel technique is to ensure the compactness and stability of concrete during the casting process. Conventional laboratory methods face challenges in achieving large-volume concrete casting, resulting in the notable waste of human and material resources. Hence, this study employs a simulation approach to investigate the casting parameters and the fresh properties of concrete, exploring their impacts on concrete stability and compactness. The results indicate that when the surface tension of concrete exceeds 0.03 N/m, and the yield stress and plastic viscosity are 50 Pa and 50 Pa·s, respectively, the concrete exhibits excellent casting compactness. A design incorporating three large and six small outlets, paired with a casting speed of 3 cm/s, achieves superior compactness. Additionally, when the yield stress of concrete exceeds 3 Pa, there is no segregation of aggregates. In cases where segregation occurs, the thixotropic property of the cement paste contributes to a significant reduction in the velocity of aggregate segregation.

Performance and Fundamental Differences between Rheocast and High-Pressure Vacuum Die Cast Al-Si-Mg Alloys

The Al-Si-Mg family is the preferred group of casting alloys due to their excellent castability, good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The ENAC-AlSi7Mg0.3 (A356) alloy has been used for decades to produce structural parts such as automotive wheels or suspension parts. However, this alloy cannot be used for high pressure die casting (HPDC) due to die soldering issues. Casting parameters in rheocasting differs greatly from those in HPDC. The lower injection temperature and lower intensification pressure reduce the reactivity between the mould and the aluminium. This lower interaction allows the injection of permanent mould alloys using HPDC. The objective of this work is to compare current structural alloys with rheocasting. A wide range of alloys in the Al-Si-Mg (-Mn) family were cast using the RheometalTM semi-solid technology in addition to ENAC-AlSi7Mg0.3 (A356) used as a comparison basis. Firstly, it was proven that ENAC-AlSi7Mg0.3 (A356) can successfully be cast using rheocast HPDC. Secondly, the impact of magnesium and manganese were studied. Magnesium has a great impact on strength while manganese can further improve the strength by controlling the iron phase morphology. This work proves that various types of alloys can be cast using rheocast HPDC.

RAFFMETAL EN AB-Al Si10Mg(Fe) (EN AB-43300)

Abstract Raffmetal EN AB-Al Si10Mg(Fe) (EN AB-43400) is an aluminum-silicon-magnesium casting alloy in ingot form for remelting. It is used extensively for producing high pressure die castings and low pressure die castings for applications requiring a combination of excellent casting characteristics, good strength with fair ductility, and good corrosion resistance. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, hardness, elasticity, and tensile properties. It also includes information on casting and heat treating. Filing Code: Al-501. Producer or source: Raffmetal S.p.A.