Thermal and mechanical behavior of casting copper alloy wheel during wheel and belt continuous casting process

To investigate the thermal and mechanical behavior of casting wheel,a two-dimensional thermoelastic-plastic finite element model was used to predict the temperature,stress and distortion distribution of the casting wheel during the wheel and belt continuous casting process.The effects of grinding thickness and casting speed on the thermal and mechanical behaviors of the center of the hot face of the casting wheel were discussed in detail.In each rotation,the casting wheel passes through four different spray zones.The results show that the temperature distribution of the casting wheel in different spray zones is similar,the temperature of the hot face is the highest and the temperature reaches the peak in the spray zoneⅢ.The stress and distortion depend on the temperature distribution,and the maximum stress and distortion of the hot face are 358.2 MPa and 1.82 mm,respectively.The temperature at the center of the hot face decreases with increasing grinding thickness and increases with increasing casting speed.

A simple route for preparation of TRIP-assisted Si-Mn steel with excellent performance using direct strip casting

The complex producing procedures and high energy-consuming limit the large-scale production and application of advanced high-strength steels(AHSSs).In this study,the direct strip casting(DSC)technology with unique sub-rapid solidification characteristics and cost advantages was applied to the production of low-alloy Si-Mn steel with the help of quenching&partitioning(Q&P)concept to address these issues.Compared this method with the conventional compact strip production(CSP)process,the initial microstructure formed under different solidification conditions and the influence of heat treatment processes on the final mechanical properties were in-vestigated.The results show that the initial structure of the DSC sample is a dual-phase structure composed of fine lath martensite and bainite,while the initial structure of the CSP sample consists of pearlite and ferrite.The volume fraction and carbon content of retained austenite(RA)in DSC samples are usually higher than those in CSP samples after the same Q&P treatment.DSC samples typically demonstrate better comprehensive mechanical properties than the CSP sample.The DSC sample partitioned at 300℃ for 300 s(DSC-Pt300)achieves the best comprehensive mechanical properties,with yield strength(YS)of 1282 MPa,ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of 1501 MPa,total elongation(TE)of 21.5%,and product of strength and elongation(PSE)as high as 32.3 GPa·%.These results indicate that the excellent mechanical properties in low-alloy Si-Mn steel can be obtained through a simple process(DSC-Q&P),which also demonstrates the superiority of DSC technology in manufacturing AHSSs.

Irregular initial solidification by mold thermal monitoring in the continuous casting of steels:A review

Occasional irregular initial solidification phenomena,including stickers,deep oscillation marks,depressions,and surface cracks of strand shells in continuous casting molds,are important limitations for developing the high-efficiency continuous casting of steels.The application of mold thermal monitoring(MTM) systems,which use thermocouples to detect and respond to temperature variations in molds,has become an effective method to address irregular initial solidification phenomena.Such systems are widely applied in numerous steel companies for sticker breakout prediction.However,monitoring the surface defects of strands remains immature.Hence,indepth research is necessary to utilize the potential advantages and comprehensive monitoring of MTM systems.This paper summarizes what is included in the irregular initial solidification phenomena and systematically reviews the current state of research on these phenomena by the MTM systems.Furthermore,the influences of mold slag behavior on monitoring these phenomena are analyzed.Finally,the remaining problems of the formation mechanisms and investigations of irregular initial solidification phenomena are discussed,and future research directions are proposed.

Numerical simulation of melt flow and temperature field during DC casting 2024 aluminium alloy under different casting conditions

Casting speed,casting temperature and secondary cooling water flow rate are the main process parameters affecting the DC casting process.These parameters significantly influence the flow and temperature fields during casting,which are crucial for the quality of the ingot and can determine the success or failure of the casting operation.Numerical simulation,with the advantages of low cost,rapid execution,and visualized results,is an important method to study and optimize the DC casting process.In the present work,a simulation model of DC casting 2024 aluminum alloy was established,and the reliability of the model was verified.Then,the influence of casting parameters on flow field and temperature field was studied in detail by numerical simulation method.Results show that with the increase of casting speed,the melt flow becomes faster,the depths of slurry zone and mushy zone increase,and the variation of slurry zone depth is greater than that of mushy zone.With an increase in casting temperature,the melt flow rate increases,the depth of the slurry zone becomes shallower,and the depth of the mushy zone experiences only minor changes.The simulation results further indicate that the increase of the flow rate of the secondary cooling water slightly reduces the depths of both slurry and mushy zone.

Effect of phosphorus content on interfacial heat transfer and film deposition behavior during the high-temperature simulation of strip casting

The interfacial wettability and heat transfer behavior are crucial in the strip casting of high phosphorus-containing steel.A hightemperature simulation of strip casting was conducted using the droplet solidification technique with the aims to reveal the effects of phosphorus content on interfacial wettability,deposited film,and interfacial heat transfer behavior.Results showed that when the phosphorus content increased from 0.014wt%to 0.406wt%,the mushy zone enlarged,the complete solidification temperature delayed from1518.3 to 1459.4℃,the final contact angle decreased from 118.4°to 102.8°,indicating improved interfacial contact,and the maximum heat flux increased from 6.9 to 9.2 MW/m2.Increasing the phosphorus content from 0.081wt%to 0.406wt%also accelerated the film deposition rate from 1.57 to 1.73μm per test,resulting in a thickened naturally deposited film with increased thermal resistance that advanced the transition point of heat transfer from the fifth experiment to the third experiment.

I-DCGAN and TOPSIS-IFP:A simulation generation model for radiographic flaw detection images in light alloy castings and an algorithm for quality evaluation of generated images

The intelligent detection technology driven by X-ray images and deep learning represents the forefront of advanced techniques and development trends in flaw detection and automated evaluation of light alloy castings.However,the efficacy of deep learning models hinges upon a substantial abundance of flaw samples.The existing research on X-ray image augmentation for flaw detection suffers from shortcomings such as poor diversity of flaw samples and low reliability of quality evaluation.To this end,a novel approach was put forward,which involves the creation of the Interpolation-Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network(I-DCGAN)for flaw detection image generation and a comprehensive evaluation algorithm named TOPSIS-IFP.I-DCGAN enables the generation of high-resolution,diverse simulated images with multiple appearances,achieving an improvement in sample diversity and quality while maintaining a relatively lower computational complexity.TOPSIS-IFP facilitates multi-dimensional quality evaluation,including aspects such as diversity,authenticity,image distribution difference,and image distortion degree.The results indicate that the X-ray radiographic images of magnesium and aluminum alloy castings achieve optimal performance when trained up to the 800th and 600th epochs,respectively.The TOPSIS-IFP value reaches 78.7%and 73.8%similarity to the ideal solution,respectively.Compared to single index evaluation,the TOPSIS-IFP algorithm achieves higher-quality simulated images at the optimal training epoch.This approach successfully mitigates the issue of unreliable quality associated with single index evaluation.The image generation and comprehensive quality evaluation method developed in this paper provides a novel approach for image augmentation in flaw recognition,holding significant importance for enhancing the robustness of subsequent flaw recognition networks.

Microstructure and Hot Tearing Sensitivity Simulation and Parameters Optimization for the Centrifugal Casting of Al-Cu Alloy

Four typical theories on the formation of thermal tears:strength,liquid film,intergranular bridging,and solidifica-tion shrinkage compensation theories.From these theories,a number of criteria have been derived for predicting the formation of thermal cracks,such as the stress-based Niyama,Clyne,and RDG(Rapaz-Dreiser-Grimaud)criteria.In this paper,a mathematical model of horizontal centrifugal casting was established,and numerical simulation analysis was conducted for the centrifugal casting process of cylindrical Al-Cu alloy castings to investigate the effect of the centrifugal casting process conditions on the microstructure and hot tearing sensitivity of alloy castings by using the modified RDG hot tearing criterion.Results show that increasing the centrifugal rotation and pouring speeds can refine the microstructure of the alloy but increasing the pouring and mold preheating temperatures can lead to an increase in grain size.The grain size gradually transitions from fine grain on the outer layer to coarse grain on the inner layer.Meanwhile,combined with the modified RDG hot tearing criterion,the overall distribution of the castings’hot tearing sensitivity was analyzed.The analysis results indicate that the porosity in the middle region of the casting was large,and hot tearing defects were prone to occur.The hot tearing tendency on the inner side of the casting was greater than that on the outer side.The effects of centrifugal rotation speed,pouring temperature,and preheating temperature on the thermal sensitivity of Al-Cu alloy castings are summarized in this paper.This study revealed that the tendency of alloy hot cracking decreases with the increase of the centrifugal speed,and the maximum porosity of castings decreases first and then increases with the pouring temperature.As the preheating temperature increases,the overall maximum porosity of castings shows a decreasing trend.

Data-driven casting defect prediction model for sand casting based on random forest classification algorithm

The complex sand-casting process combined with the interactions between process parameters makes it difficult to control the casting quality,resulting in a high scrap rate.A strategy based on a data-driven model was proposed to reduce casting defects and improve production efficiency,which includes the random forest(RF)classification model,the feature importance analysis,and the process parameters optimization with Monte Carlo simulation.The collected data includes four types of defects and corresponding process parameters were used to construct the RF model.Classification results show a recall rate above 90% for all categories.The Gini Index was used to assess the importance of the process parameters in the formation of various defects in the RF model.Finally,the classification model was applied to different production conditions for quality prediction.In the case of process parameters optimization for gas porosity defects,this model serves as an experimental process in the Monte Carlo method to estimate a better temperature distribution.The prediction model,when applied to the factory,greatly improved the efficiency of defect detection.Results show that the scrap rate decreased from 10.16% to 6.68%.

Compression properties of cost-efficient porous expanded clay reinforced AA7075 syntactic foams fabricated by industrial-oriented die casting technology

In today’s manufacturing industries,hard competition between rival firms makes it compulsory for researchers to design lighter and cheaper machine components due to the megatrends of cost-effectiveness and anti-pollution.At this point,aluminum syntactic foams(ASFs)are new-generation engineering composites and come into the upfront as a problem-solver.Owing to their features like low density,sufficient elongation,and perfect energy absorption ability,these advanced foams have been considerably seductive for many industrial sectors nowadays.In this study,an industrial-oriented automatic die casting technology was used for the first time to manufacture the combination of AA7075/porous expanded clay(PEC).Micro evaluations(optical and FESEM)reveal that there is a homogenous particle distribution in the foam samples,and inspections are compatible with the other ASF studies.Additionally,T6 aging heat treatment was operated on one half of the produced foams to explore the probable impact of aging on the compressive responses.Attained results show that PEC particles can be an alternative to expensive hollow spheres used in the previous works.Besides,a favorable relationship is ascertained between the aging treatment and mechanical properties such as compression strength and plateau strength.

A Dual Closed-Loop Digital Twin Construction Method for Optimizing the Copper Disc Casting Process

The copper disc casting machine is core equipment for producing copper anode plates in the copper metallurgy industry.The copper disc casting machine casting package motion curve(CPMC) is significant for precise casting and efficient production.However,the lack of exact casting modeling and real-time simulation information severely restricts dynamic CPMC optimization.To this end,a liquid copper droplet model describes the casting package copper flow pattern in the casting process.Furthermore,a CPMC optimization model is proposed for the first time.On top of this,a digital twin dual closed-loop self-optimization application framework(DT-DCS) is constructed for optimizing the copper disc casting process to achieve self-optimization of the CPMC and closed-loop feedback of manufacturing information during the casting process.Finally,a case study is carried out based on the proposed methods in the industrial field.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.22C investment castings by current solution treatment

This study examined the impact of current solution treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.22C alloy investment castings.The findings reveal that the current solution treatment significantly promotes the dissolution of carbides at a lower temperature.The optimal conditions for solution treatment are determined as a solution temperature of 1,125°C and a holding time of 5.0 min.Under these parameters,the size and volume fraction of precipitated phases in the investment castings are measured as6.2μm and 1.1vol.%.The yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and total elongation of the Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.22C investment castings are 535 MPa,760 MPa,and 12.6%,respectively.These values exceed those obtained with the conventional solution treatment at 1,200°C for 4.0 h.The findings suggest a phase transformation of M_(23)C_(6)→σ+C following the current solution treatment at 1,125°C for 5.0 min.In comparison,the traditional solution treatment at 1,200°C for 4.0 h leads to the formation of M_(23)C_(6)and M_(6)C carbides.It is noteworthy that the non-thermal effect of the current during the solution treatment modifies the free energy of both the matrix and precipitation phase.This modification lowers the phase transition temperature of the M_(23)C_(6)→σ+C reaction,thereby facilitating the dissolution of carbides.As a result,the current solution treatment approach achieves carbide dissolution at a lower temperature and within a significantly shorter time when compared to the traditional solution treatment methods.

Effect of casting process on the inner-wall band segregation of high-strength antisulfur pipes

Controlling inner-wall band segregation is one of the difficulties in the production of high-strength antisulfur pipes.Comparative tests were carried out on different casting processes(superheat,mold electromagnetic stirring,end electromagnetic stirring,casting speed and soft reduction)for the smelting of high-strength antisulfur pipes.The microstructures of continuous-casting billets and hot-rolled or tempered pipes were analyzed using a metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope.The mechanism and evolution law regarding the inner-wall band segregation of high-strength antisulfur pipes were studied,and the influence of different casting processes was explored.

Application of Thermodynamic Database to Corrosion of ZrO_(2) Containing Submerged Entry Nozzle in Steel Continuous Casting Process

The CALPHAD thermodynamic databases are very useful to analyze the complex chemical reactions happening in high temperature material process.The FactSage thermodynamic database can be used to calculate complex phase diagrams and equilibrium phases involving refractories in industrial process.In this study,the FactSage thermodynamic database relevant to ZrO_(2)-based refractories was reviewed and the application of the database to understanding the corrosion of continuous casting nozzle refractories in steelmaking was presented.

Effect of the Density of Molten Metal on the Raining Phenomenon in Horizontal Centrifugal Casting

In this work the influence of the density of the molten metal on the emergence of the raining phenomenon in the horizontal centrifugal casting process is numerically studied. Transient 2D numerical simulations were carried out using Computational Fluid Dynamics software. Three molten metals with different density, namely aluminum, iron and lead, and three angular frequencies, namely 50, 66 and 77 rad/s were considered. It is found that the density of the molten metal significantly affects the emergence, transient or permanent, of the rain phenomenon. However, the magnitude and duration of the rain phenomenon depend on the angular frequency of the rotating mold. Likewise, since gravitational forces affect the metal according to its density, the value of the critical rotation speed of the mold is also affected.

Effect of austempering parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties of horizontal continuous casting ductile iron dense bars

In the present research, the orthogonal experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of different austempering process parameters （i.e. austenitizing temperature and time, and austempering temperature and time） on microstructure and mechanical properties of LZQT500-7 ductile iron dense bars with 172 mm in diameter which were produced by horizontal continuous casting （HCC）. The results show that the major factors influencing the hardness of austempered ductile iron （ADI） are austenitizing temperature and austempering temperature. The fraction of retained austenite increases as the austenitizing and austempering temperatures increase. When austenitizing temperature is low, acicular ferrite and retained austenite can be efifciently obtained by appropriately extending the austenitizing time. The proper austmepering time could ensure enough stability of retained austenite and prevent high carbon austenite decomposition. The optimal mechanical properties of ADI can be achieved with the fol owing process parameters： austenitizing temperature and time are 866 ＆#176;C and 135 min, and austempering temperature and time are 279 ＆#176;C and 135 min, respectively. The microstructure of ADI under the optimal austempering process consists of ifne acicular ferrite and a smal amount of retained austenite, and the hardness, tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and impact toughness of the bars are HBW 476, 1670 MPa, 1428 MPa, 2.93%and 25.7 J, respectively.

Microstructure and properties of ductile iron bars for plunger pump prepared by horizontal continuous casting process

Ductile iron bars(DIBs) with a diameter of 145 mm, used for plunger pump production, were made by the horizontal continuous casting(HCC). The microstructure of the samples cut at three locations with different distances away from the surface(~20 mm from the surface, half of the radius and the center of the HCCDIBs)were investigated. The mechanical properties were measured by tensile and torsion tests. Results show that after the spheroidization of graphite, the iron matrix incorporates the nodules of Format I, Size 8 close to the surface, Format I, Size 7 at the half of the radius from the surface, and Format II, Size 6 in the centre of the bar,according to the ASTM A247 standard. The content of pearlite in the matrix changes from 55%(~20 mm from the surface) to 70%(half of the radius) and 80%(the center of the HCCDIBs). The strengths in tension are 552, 607 and 486 MPa with the elongations of 12.5%, 10.5% and 5.8% in samples cut at these three locations from the surface to the centre, respectively. The strength in torsion is equal to 558, 551 and 471 MPa at corresponding torsion angles of 418°, 384° and 144° respectively to the same distance from the bar surface. Fracture in tension is manifested via crack propagation through the interface between graphite nodules and matrix(Mode I), while in torsion the fracture is caused by the shear of graphite nodules(Mode II). It is shown that the transition between two fracture modes is also dependent on the size of graphite nodule. Typically, fracture Mode I was observed for nodules of smaller diameter(less than 22.7 μm) and fracture Mode II was seen for nodules of greater diameter(more than 24.8 μm).

Squeeze casting for metal alloys and composites:An overview of influence of process parameters on mechanical properties and microstructure

Squeeze casting is a well-established and reliable process for fabricating high-integrity metallic alloys,bimetals,and composites.The quality and high performance of squeeze cast components are dependent on optimum casting conditions.Inappropriate selection of parameter values may adversely affect the quality of the casting.The squeeze cast components are generally subjected to secondary processing such as heat treatment,extrusion,and other bulk deformation processes to improve the microstructural features and mechanical properties.Heat treatment further refines the grains and reduces porosity,consequently improving tensile strength,and hardness;however,ductility decreases.This paper provides a comprehensive review on studies concerning the influence of processing parameters on porosity,density,percentage elongation,strength,hardness,wear,and fracture of squeeze casting alloys,aiming to provide sufficient information on the squeeze casting process and the effects of processing parameters on product quality.

A comparative study on Sn macrosegregation behavior of ternary Al-Sn-Cu alloys prepared by gravity casting and squeeze casting

A comprehensive study on Sn macrosegregation behavior in ternary Al-Sn-Cu alloys was carried out by comparative analysis between gravity casting and squeeze casting samples.The microstructure and Sn distribution of the castings were characterized by metallography,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX)spectroscopy,and a direct reading spectrometer.Results show that there are obvious differences in Sn morphology between gravity casting and squeeze casting alloys.Under squeeze casting condition,the grain size of the casting is smaller and the distribution ofβ(Sn)is uniform.This effectively reduces the segregation of triangular grain boundary as well as the segregation of Sn.The segregation types of Sn in gravity casting and squeeze casting samples are obviously different.The upper surfaces of gravity casting samples show severe negative segregation,while all the lower surfaces have positive segregation.Compared with gravity casting,squeeze casting solidifies under isostatic pressure.Due to the direct contact between the upper surface of the casting and the mold,the casting solidifies faster under higher undercooling degree and pressure.Consequently,the uniform distribution of Sn reduces the segregation phenomenon on the surface of the casting.

Effect of HEA/Al composite interlayer on microstructure and mechanical property of Ti/Mg bimetal composite by solid-liquid compound casting

In this study,HEA/AI composite interlayer was used to fabricate Ti/Mg bimetal composites by solidliquid compound casting process.The Al layer was prepared on the surface of TC4 alloy by hot dipping,and the FeCoNiCr HEA layer was prepared by magnetron sputtering onto the Al layer.The influence of the HEA layer thickness and pouring temperature on interface evolution was investigated based on SEM observation and thermodynamic analysis.Results indicate that the sluggish diffusion effect of HEA can effectively inhibit the interfacial diffusion between Al and Mg,which is conducive to the formation of solid solution,especially when the thickness of HEA is 800 nm.With the increase of casting temperature from 720 ℃ to 730 ℃,740℃,and 750 ℃,α-Al(Mg),α-Al(Mg)+Al3Mg2,Al3Mg2+Al12Mg17,and Al12Mg17+δ-Mg are formed at the interface of Ti/Mg bimetal,respectively.When the thickness of the HEA layer is 800 nm and the pouring temperature is 720 ℃,the bonding strength of the Ti/Mg bimetal can reach the maximum of 93.6 MPa.

Effect of melt-to-solid volume ratio and preheating temperature on Mg/Al bimetals interface by centrifugal casting

Compound casting is an efficient method for bonding dissimilar metals,in which a dramatic reaction can occur between the melt and solid.The centrifugal casting process,a type of compound casting,was applied to cast Al/Mg dissimilar bimetals.Magnesium melt was poured at 700 °C,with melt-to-solid volume ratios(Vm/Vs) of 1.5 and 3,into a preheated hollow aluminum cylinder.The preheating temperatures of the solid part were 320,400,and 450 °C,and the constant rotational speed was 1,600 rpm.The cast parts were kept inside the casting machine until reaching the cooling temperature of 150 °C.The result showed that an increase in preheating temperature from 320 to 450 °C led to an enhanced reaction layer thickness.In addition,an increase in the Vm/Vs from 1.5 to 3 resulted in raising the interface thickness from 1.2 to 1.8 mm.Moreover,the interface was not continuously formed when a Vm/Vs of 3 was selected.In this case,the force of contraction overcame the resultant acting force on the interface.An interface formed at the volume ratio of 1.5 was examined using scanning electron microscopy(SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS),and the results demonstrated the formation of Al_(3)Mg_(2),Al_(12)Mg_(17) and(δ+Al_(12)Mg_(17)) eutectic structures in the interface.