Detection technology of micro residual core in small inner cavity of complex castings

A new technology for detecting a tiny residual core in the small inner cavity of complex castings is proposed. The residual core is identified by using image recognition technology. Tracer processing and image signal processing are combined to enhance the image contrast. The relationships between the concentration of tracer, the size of the residual core, the wall thickness of the castings and the contrast were obtained. Based on the experimental data, the minimum detectable amount of residual core under different conditions was obtained. The results show that the minimum detectable amount decreases from 4.398 mg to 0.438 mg for the 1.0 mm wall thickness casting when the concentration of tracer increases from 0% to 20%. The signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of the detection results increases by 27.010 by means of average filtering and linear point operation. The subtraction of image and image background was performed, and then the boundary extraction was carried out to obtain a clear and reliable result. The experimental results show that the non-traced residual core cannot be detected for a blade with a thickness less than 5 mm. The residual core of 1 mm thickness can be barely identified by artificial recognition after tracer processing and image processing, while the residual core of 0.6 mm thickness can be detected clearly using image recognition technology.

Mechanism of burst feeding in ZL205A casting under mechanical vibration and low pressure

The burst feeding behavior of ZL205 A casting under mechanical vibration and low pressure was investigated by casting experiment and physical model. Experimental results indicated that the burst feeding appeared repeatedly during solidification and left a shrinkage cavity with layered structure under mechanical vibration. The castings with less shrinkage and higher density could be achieved through the vibration. The calculation results of physical model showed that the burst feeding could perform spontaneously under vibration while difficultly without vibration in low-pressure die casting. The obstruction of a casting could be broken and the grains could be rearranged by the vibration. And the obstruction could be carried away due to the inner and outer pressure difference, causing a burst feeding.

Effect of vibration on seepage feeding during low-pressure casting of ZL205A alloy

Appropriate vibration can promote the feeding capacity of gravity casting, but the effect of vibration on the feeding of low-pressure casting is not clear. The effect of vibration on the seepage feeding of ZL205A alloy was investigated by vibration casting experiment and physical simulation. The aqueous solution of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose(CMC) with the same rheological characteristic of metal melt was used. The results show that vibration can improve the feeding capacity and reduce shrinkage defects of ZL205A alloy in lowpressure casting. The orthogonal physical simulation experiments indicate that vibration with low frequency and great exerted force can significantly improve the seepage velocity of non-Newtonian fluid with solid particles in porous medium. The seepage phenomenon in CMC solution shows that vibration can change the structure of accumulated particles at the seepage entrance, and thus open the blocked feeding channel. The numerical simulation of one-dimensional semisolid fluid seepage reveals that vibration can form a wave field in the porous medium, which can reduce the adhesion force between fluid and capillary wall and destroy the boundary layer of fluid, and thus promote the seepage velocity.

Optimization of investment casting process for K477 superalloy aero-engine turbine nozzle by simulation and experiment

In order to reduce the shrinkage porosity of nickel-based superalloy castings in the investment casting process,the effects of different gating systems on mold filling,solidification process,and prediction of shrinkage porosity of aero-engine turbine nozzle castings were investigated by simulation and experimental methods.Results show that the design of the vertical runner would cause greater turbulence of the melt in the riser during the mold filling process,and the outer runner is not necessary.With the decrease in number of runners,the hot spot moves down towards the casting,and the shrinkage and porosity defects are formed in the casting below the riser.In the original designs,a certain tendency of shrinkage and porosity defect is found in the vanes,inner rings,and outer rings of the castings by both simulation prediction and experiment.Finally,based on the processing optimization,the aero-engine turbine nozzle casting with no shrinkage and porosity defects is obtained.

Filling mode and regularity of vertical centrifugal casting process of titanium alloy in thin-walled cylinder cavity

The mold filling process of titanium alloy in a thin-walled cylinder cavity under vertical centrifugal casting process was studied by means of the hydraulic simulation experiments. Results show that the filling mode of the melt in the cylinder cavity varies with casting wall-thickness. When the casting wall-thickness is less than or equal to the thickness of the first layer during the filling process, the melts fill the cavity from the bottom to the top.When the casting wall-thickness is greater than the thickness of the first layer during the filling process, the melts first fill the largest radius parts of the cavity with a certain thickness of the first layer from the bottom to the top of the cavity, and then they fill the cavity from the larger radius part to the smaller radius part. The melt filling ability increases with the increment of the mold rotational speed and the pouring temperature. In another aspect, the melt filling ability rises with the decrement of the melt viscosity, and the melt with the better filling ability is prone to fill the cylinder cavity layer by layer.

Reduction of shrinkage porosities in aluminum alloy castings by external pressure fluctuation under gravity field

A novel method to improve the feeding capacity of ZL205 A alloy castings by pressure fluctuation during its solidification process under gravity field was proposed. The experiments were done in the graphite mould by applying the fluctuation pressure at the top of the riser. Results of the X-ray inspection of castings and simulations of flow velocity of alloy melt and temperature field show that the new method can effectively improve the feeding capacity and significantly reduce the shrinkage in the castings. The mechanism of improving the feeding capacity by pressure fluctuation is that the fluctuating pressure can make the ZL205 A alloy melt form a vibration wave in the melt. The vibration wave can intensify the convection of the melt, and therefore, break down the barrage from the feeding channel which forms during the solidification process of the ZL205 A alloy, improving the feeding capacity.

Introduction of rare-earth element Sc in alloy design to modify wear features of dual-phase high-entropy alloy

Tailoring the alloy composition,which induces the hard secondary phase to increase hardness and strength to improve the wear features,is a feasible approach for developing wear-resistant metal materials.Here,a group of(AlCoCrFeNi)_(100–x)Sc_(x)(x=0–2.0,at%)high-entropy alloys(HEAs)are designed and the phase compositions and wear behaviors are explored.Sc-doped HEA series contain the primary body-centered cubic(BCC)and eutectic phases,in which the eutectic phase is composed of the alternately grown BCC and Laves phases.Sc addition promotes the diffusion of Ni atoms from BCC phase to form the Sc-rich Laves phase at the grain boundaries.Vickers hardness increases due to solid solution strengthening and second phase strengthening.And the second phase strengthening plays a more significant role relative to solid solution strengthening.Laves phase and the oxides caused by wear heating prevent the direct contact between friction pair and HEAs,thus inducing a decreased wear rate from 6.82×10^(−5) to 3.47×10^(−5)m^(3)·N^(−1)·m^(−1).Moreover,the wear mechanism changes from adhesive wear,abrasive wear and oxidative wear to abrasive wear and oxidative wear.

A Hf-doped dual-phase high-entropy alloy: phase evolution and wear features

Initially defined high entropy alloys(HEAs)usually exhibit a single-phase solid-solution structure.However,two and/or more types of phases in HE As possibly induce the desired microstructure features,which contribute to improving the wear properties of HE As.Here,we prepare a series of(AlCoCrFeNi)_(100-x)Hf_(x)(x=0,2,4and 6;at%) HEAs and concern their phase compositions,micro structures and wear properties.Hf leads to the formation of(Ni,Co)_(2)Hf-type Laves phase and tailors the microstructure from a body-centered cubic(BCC) singlephase structure to a hypoeutectic structure.An increased hardness from~HV 512.3 to~HV 734.1 is due to solid-solution strengthening,grain refinement strengthening and precipitated phase strengthening.And a few oxides(Al_(2)O_(3)+Cr_(2)O_(3)) caused by the wear heating contribute to an 85.5% decrease in wear rate of the HEA system from6.71×10^(-5) to 0.97×10^(-5) m^(3)·N^(-1)·m^(-1).In addition,Hf addition changes the wear mechanism from abrasive wear,mild oxidative wear and adhesive wear to oxidative wear and adhesive wear.

Maternal exposure to antibiotics increases the risk of infant eczema before one year of life:a meta-analysis of observational studies

Background There are some conflicting evidences showing that maternal exposure to antibiotics may increase the risk of infant eczema.The present study aims to estimate the effect of prenatal antibiotics administration on infant eczema.Methods According to the established inclusion criteria,eligible observational studies were collected by comprehensive database search.The qualities of the included studies were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.Effect sizes that were adjusted by multivariable models were extracted and combined.Publication bias was evaluated by visual inspection of funnel plot.Results A total of seven observational studies were included.The qualities of the included studies were at moderate or high level.Prenatal antibiotics use was positively associated with eczema before one year of age[odds ratio(OR)=1.93,95%confidence interval(CI)1.35-2.76].In addition,antibiotics exposure in utero was likely to be related to eczema after one year of age(OR 1.21,95%CI 0.98-1.49).The exposure to antibiotics during third trimester was not associated with infant eczema(OR0.97,95%CI 0.86-1.09).Conclusions Maternal exposure to antibiotics is associated with eczema by one-year age and may have a prolonged effect on eczema after 1-year age.The influence of timing of antibiotics exposure during pregnancy needs more studies to clarify.