Cooling slope casting to produce EN AW 6082 forging stock for manufacture of suspension components

The potential of cooling slope casting process to produce EN AW 6082 forging stock for the manufacture of EN AW 6082 suspension components was investigated.EN AW 6082 billets cast over a cooling plate offer a fine uniform structure that can be forged even without a separate homogenization treatment.This is made it possible by the limited superheat of the melt at the start of casting and the fractional solidification that occurs already on the cooling plate.Suspension parts forged from cast and homogenized billets with or without Cr all showed a umform structure,and the hardness reached HV 110 after the standard artificial ageing treatment.

Comparison of microstructure and wear resistance of A356-SiC_p composites processed via compocasting and vibrating cooling slope

The influences of SiC content on the microstructure, porosity, hardness and wear resistance of A356？SiCp composites processed via two different methods of compocasting and vibrating cooling slope （VCS） were compared with each other. In the as-cast condition, the matrix of VCS and compocast processed composites exhibited globular and dendritric structures, respectively. While a more uniform distribution of SiC particulates in the matrix alloy as well as higher hardness values were obtained for the VCS processed samples, the composites produced via compocasting exhibited less porosity. The increased SiC content （up to 20% in volume fraction） resulted in a more uniform distribution of SiC particles within the matrix alloy and improved wear resistance for both the composite series. However, for the VCS processed composites, the increased SiC content, resulted in the decreased size and shape factor of globules as well as better tribological properties when compared with compocast composites. It was concluded that the improved properties of the VCS processed composites when compared with their compocast counterparts was a consequence of a more uniform distribution of SiC particulates in the matrix alloy as well as the globular microstructure generated during the VCS process.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Mg_2Si composite fabricated in-situ by vibrating cooling slope

An innovative semisolid technique termed as vibrating cooling slope(VCS)has been applied to producing in-situ Al-25%Mg2Si(mass fraction)composite.The molten Al-16.5Mg-9.4%Si(mass fraction)alloy with 100°C superheat was poured on the surface of an inclined copper plate(set at 45°inclined angle)while it was vibrated at a frequency of 40 Hz and an amplitude of 400μm.After travelling the length of 40 cm on the slope,the resultant semisolid alloy was cast into a steel mold.For the purpose of comparison,reference composite samples were made by gravity casting(GC)and conventionally still cooling slope casting(CS)methods using the same alloy under identical conditions.The samples were hot extruded at 500°C.It was concluded that the size of Mg2Si particles was decreased by about 50%and 70%for the CS and VCS produced samples respectively when compared to that of the GC produced sample.Despite of their higher porosity contents,both the as-cast and hot-extruded VCS processed samples exhibited higher hardness,shear yield stress(SYS)and ultimate shear strength(USS)values as compared with their GC produced counterparts.These results were attributed to the refined and modified microstructure obtained via this newly developed technique.

Modeling and optimization of cooling slope process parameters for semi-solid casting of A356 Al alloy

Semi-solid processing （SSP） of A356 aluminum alloy was discussed via cooling slope （CS） method. The D-optimal design of experiment （DODE） was employed for experimental design and analysis of results. 38 random experiments obtained by software were carried out. In experimental stage, the molten aluminum alloy was poured on an inclined plate with different lengths of 100, 300 and 500 mm set at 30°, 45° and 60° of slope angles respectively. Three different pouring temperatures of 660, 680 and 700 ℃ were also used. After the casting process, the partial re-melting treatment was carried out at 590 ℃ for different isothermal time of 5, 8 or 12 min. The combined effect of these factors on globularity of the primary α（Al） crystals was investigated and optimized using DODE. The results indicated that the primary dendritic phase in the conventionally cast A356 alloy was transformed into a non-dendritic one in ingots cast over a cooling plate. The CS processed samples exhibited a globular structure only after re-heating to semi-solid region. The optimum values of pouring temperature, cooling length, slope angle and isothermal holding time were found to be 660 ℃, 360 mm, 48°, and 9 min, respectively. In this case, the globularity of primary crystals was obtained, about 0.91. The obtained model is highly significant with a correlation coefficient of 0.9860.

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.

Impact of ultrasonic power on liquid fraction,microstructure and physical characteristics of A356 alloy molded through cooling slope

This study involves A356 alloy molded through ultrasonically vibrated cooling slope.The slope alongside ultrasonic power enables indispensable shear for engendering slurry from which the semisolid cast/heat treated billets got produced.An examination demonstrates ultrasonically vibrated cooling slope influencing the liquid fraction/microstructure/physical characteristics of stated billets.The investigation encompasses five diverse ultrasonic powers(0,75,150,200,250 W).The ultrasonic power of 150 W delivers finest/rounded microstructure with enhanced physical characteristics.Microstructural modifications reason physical transformations because of grain refinement and grain boundary/Hall-Petch strengthening.A smaller grain size reasons a higher strength/shape factor and an increased homogeneity reasons a higher ductility.Microstructural characteristics get improved by reheating.It is owing to coalescence throughout temperature homogenization.The physical characteristics is improved by reheating because of a reduced porosity and enhanced dissolution besides augmented homogeneity.A direct comparison remains impossible owing to unavailability of researches on ultrasonically vibrated cooling slope.

Effect of pouring temperature on cooling slope casting of semi-solid Al-Si-Mg alloy

Present trend of semi-solid processing is directed towards rheocasting route which allows manufacturing of near-net-shape cast components directly from the prepared semi-solid slurry. Generation of globular equi-axed grains during solidification of rheocast components, compared to the columnar dendritic structure of conventional casting routes, facilitates the manufacturing of components with improved mechanical properties and structural integrity. In the present investigation, a cooling slope has been designed and indigenously fabricated to produce semi solid slurry of A1-Si-Mg （A356） alloy and successively cast in a metallic mould. The scope of the present work discusses about development of a numerical model to simulate the liquid metal flow through cooling slope using Eulerian two-phase flow approach and to investigate the effect of pouring temperature on cooling slope semi-solid slurry generation process. The two phases considered in the present model are liquid metal and air. Solid fraction evolution of the solidifying melt is tracked at different locations of the cooling slope, following Schiel＇s equation. The continuity equation, momentum equation and energy equation are solved considering thin wall boundary condition approach. During solidification of the liquid metal, a modified temperature recovery scheme has been employed taking care of the latent heat release and change of fraction of liquid. The results obtained from simulations are compared with experimental findings and good agreement has been found.

Microstructure and Property of Hypereutectic High Chromium Cast Iron Prepared by Slope Cooling Body-Centrifugal Casting Method

In this paper, the ring-type ingot of hypereutectic high Cr cast iron was obtained by slope cooling bodycentrifugal casting method （SC-CCM）, and its microstructure and impact toughness were investigated, respectively. The results indicated that, first, the primary carbides in the microstructure are prominently finer than those in the hypereutectic high Cr cast iron prepared by conventional casting method. Second, in the ring-type ingot, the primary carbides near radial outer field are finer than those near radial inner field; furthermore, there is dividing field in the microstructure. Finally, the impact toughness values of the specimens impacted on the radial outer face and on the radial inner face are improved respectively about 36% and 138% more than that of the hypereutectic high Cr one prepared by conventional casting method.

Three-dimensional analysis of the modified sloping cooling/shearing process

A self-designed setup of modified sloping cooling/shearing process was made to prepare the semisolid Al-3wt%Mg alloy. A three-dimensional simulation model was established for the analysis of preparing the semisolid Al-3wt%Mg alloy. Through simulation and experiment, it is shown that the sloping angle of the plate greatly affects temperature and velocity distributions, and the temperature and velocity of the alloy at the exit of the sloping plate increase with the increase of the sloping angle. The alloy temperature decreases linearly from the pouring mouth to the exit. The alloy temperature at the exit increases obviously with the increase of pouring temperature. To prepare the semisolid Al-3wt%Mg alloy with good quality, the sloping angle θ=45° is reasonable, and the pouring temperature is suggested to be designed above 650-660℃ but under 700℃.

Coarsening rate of microstructure in semi-solid aluminium alloys

The rate of microstructural coarsening of recrystallisation and partial melting (RAP) and cooling slope (CS) processed materials in the semi-solid state is compared with rates found in the literature.The rate of coarsening depended on the liquid fraction but RAP route 2014 alloy with 37% liquid coarsened slightly more slowly than the CS route 2014 alloy with a lower liquid fraction of 17%, contrary to expectations.For the CS route, an increase in liquid fraction resulted in faster coarsening.A modified 2014 alloy with Fe, Mn and Zn stripped out of the composition gave a relatively high coarsening rate.The coarsening rate was also relatively high for CS 201 alloy in comparison with either RAP 2014 or CS 2014.Low coarsening rates are thought to be associated with the presence of particles which inhibit the migration of liquid film grain boundaries.This could be the result of pinning or of the liquid film impeding diffusion at the boundary.