Development of aluminium alloys for the thixoforming process

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URI: https://hdl.handle.net/11556/4657
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2004
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The aluminium alloys A356 and A357 remain, up to the present, the most used alloys for the semisolid processing of components. Nevertheless, several authors have pointed out the gain in properties or economics that other alloy families could provide. In the present work two complementary alloy families are considered. From an economical point of view, modifications necessary to increase the properties of second fusion alloys are carried out. From the point of view of the potential of their properties, wrought alloys are modified and tested. A New Rheocasting pilot unit is used for obtaining the alloys with thixotropic characteristics. Previous work on the identification of the microstructural variables which determine the properties of the components allow to reduce those variables to the variation of the solid-liquid fraction as a function of the temperature, the particle size distribution, the particle aspect ratio and the esqueletonization. The composition variations in both alloy families are thus considered under the point of view of the control and optimisation of those parameters. In addition to the metallographic studies, thermodynamic calculations and calorimetry experiments have been performed to determine the optimum process window of the new alloys. A "direct squeeze casting method" with a preheated die has been used to obtain samples for the determination of mechanical properties.
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Aluminium , Second fusion , Semisolid forming , Thixoforging , Wrought alloys , General Engineering
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Azpilgain , Z , Hurtado , I , Basterrechea , G , Gandarias , E , Goñi , J , Eguizabal , P , Lakehal , M , Sarriés , I , Landa , I & Wielanek , L 2004 , ' Development of aluminium alloys for the thixoforming process ' , Paper presented at 8th International Conference on Semi-Solid Processing of Alloys and Composites, S2P 2004 , Limassol , Cyprus , 21/09/04 - 23/09/04 pp. 935-942 .
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