Investigation of carbon contamination in lost foam castings of low carbon steel

Lost foam casting(LFC) process is a special casting method in which polymeric foam patterns with refractory coatings are utilized as a mould component. In this work, four types of foam: expandable polyethylene(EPE), expandable polypropylene(EPP) and expandable polystyrene(EPS) foams with two different densities were employed as pattern materials. LFC and conventional green sand mould casting methods were used to cast a low carbon steel, A216 Grade WCB. Both casting processes were carried out at 1,580 °C. Chemical analysis results showed that the carbon contamination level was high and was influenced by pattern type. Metallographic investigations revealed a significant increase in the percentage of pearlite phase in all LFC samples. Densities of manufactured samples were calculated in order to evaluate porosity of the products. It was determined that the densities of the LFC samples were lower than the green sand mould cast reference sample(RS). Vickers hardness tests were also carried out and increments in hardness values with increased carbon content was observed.

Infiltration of A6063 aluminium alloy into SiC-B_4C hybrid preforms using vacuum assisted block mould investment casting technique

Production of A6063/SiC-B4C hybrid composite using vacuum assisted block mould investment casting was investigated. Firstly,SiC-B4C hybrid preforms were fabricated in cylindrical shape.The preferred mean particle size of the SiC and B4C powders were 60μm and 55μm respectively.In early experiments,single powder ratio of 85%SiC and 15%B4C was selected to produce the tough preforms.Subsequently,the preforms were placed into the cylindrical shape gypsum bonded block investment moulds and A6063 alloy was infiltrated into the preforms using vacuum assisted（-10 5 Pa）casting machine.Porosity fraction of preforms was determined using Archimedes’test.The fabricated cast specimens were characterized using hardness tests,image analysis and SEM observations and EDX analysis.The result indicates that,by the vacuum assisted block mould investment casting technique,the infiltration of the preforms by molten metal was successfully realized.

Influence of T6 heat treatment on A356 and A380 aluminium alloys manufactured by thixoforging combined with low superheat casting

The effects of T6 heat treatment on thixoforged A356 and A380 aluminium alloys were studied.Low superheat casting(LSC)technique was carried out to prepare proper specimens for thixoforging process.The samples were poured at 20°C above their liquidus temperatures which provided the formation of equiaxed grains instead of dendritic growth.Produced billets were reheated for varied time from 20 to 80 min and thixoforged with 50%deformation rate.After thixoforging process,the samples were T6 heat treated for both A356 and A380 alloys.The microstructural evaluation and hardness alteration of thixoforged,solution treated and aged specimens were examined comparatively by using optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Brinell hardness equipment.T6 heat treatment provided relatively uniform microstructure with newly formed precipitates that are Mg2Si and Al2Cu for A356 and A380 billets,respectively.Accordingly,hardness after artificial aging was increased considerably and reached HB 93 for A356 and HB 120 for A380 alloys.

Cooling slope casting of AA7075 alloy combined with reheating and thixoforging

Cooling slope casting has been applied to aluminium casting alloys for producing ingots with non-dendritic microstructure.Semi-solid forming of the AA7075 was studied via cooling slope casting,reheating and thixoforging processes in order to determine the effect of semi-solid casting on the microstructure of the alloy.AA7075 ingots with non-dendritic microstructure were produced with cooling slope pouring.Castings were characterized by light microscopy,image analysis,scanning electron microscopy and EDS analysis.The resulting structures are promising in terms of grain size and sphericity.It was realized that grain coarsening may occur very suddenly in the reheating process.Cooling slope castings were obtained with 30°and 60°inclination angles,and in comparison,60°castings showed better results.Moreover,by using short reheating periods,semi-solid forging causes trace formation in the solid grains.