Quality Of Aluminum Silicon Casting Alloys

Casting Aluminum Alloys, Second Edition, the follow up to the fall 2007 work on the structure, properties, thermal resistance, corrosion and fatigue of aluminum alloys in industrial manufacturing, discusses findings from the past decade, including sections on new casting alloys, novel casting technologies, and new methods of alloys design. The book also includes other hot topics, such as the implementation of computational technologies for the calculation of phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of alloys, the development of software for calculation of diffusion processes in aluminum alloys, computational modeling of solidification microstructure and texture evolution of multi-component aluminum materials. In addition to changes in computational predictive abilities, there is a review of novel casting aluminum alloy compositions and properties, as well as descriptions of new casting technologies and updates to coverage on the mechanical properties of aluminum casting alloys. Presents a discussion of thermodynamic calculations used for assessing non-equilibrium solidifications of casting aluminum alloys Expands coverage of mathematical models for alloy mechanical properties, helping facilitate the selection of the best prospective candidate for new alloy development Contains a new section that describes the self-consistent evaluation of phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of aluminum alloys

Quality indices and quality charts were used as evaluation tool for selecting the optimum conditions to be applied in practice in order to develop superior tensile properties and optimum quality in Al-Si casting alloys. The right alloy quality in engineering applications involves reaching a suitable compromise between numerous factors so as to present the maximum performance combined with cost efficiency. Alloy composition, solidification rate, and heat treatment procedures, are all parameters which closely affect alloy quality since they also influence the tensile properties of the casting. The quality of aluminum alloy castings may be defined using numerical values which correlate to their mechanical properties. Several models were proposed to correlate the quality of the Al-Si castings to the mechanical properties of these alloys.

This atlas provides an in-depth understanding of the metallurgy and fracture behavior of aluminum-silicon casting alloys, which are used in a wide variety of automotive, aerospace, and consumer product applications. The atlas includes over 300 high-definition microfractographs of fracture profiles and fracture surfaces, accompanied with detailed descriptions and analysis of the fracture features and their significance in the selection, processing, properties, and performance of the alloy. The microfractographs are described and classified according to criteria described in detail in the introductory chapters in the book. The factors determining the fracture mechanism in these alloys, on the basis of their physical and mechanical properties and fracture mechanics, are described and analyzed. The set of micrographs in this atlas include several unique features: classification according to the alloy and its processing history, detailed analysis of selected microregions of the fracture surface, reference of the fracture features to the phase constituents of the alloy, and high resolution and high microscopic magnification of the SEM images. This book will be of great value to anyone involved in the selection, processing, application, testing, or evaluation of aluminum-silicon castings. The target audience includes metallurgists, foundry personnel, failure analysts, purchasers of castings, researchers in physical and mechanical metallurgy, students, and educators.

J. G. (Gil) Kaufman is currently president of his consulting company, Kaufman Associates.

Premium-quality castings are those which are guaranteed to show a specified high level of mechanical properties. The properties currently being achieved represent significant improvements over those which can be achieved in conventional aluminum-alloy castings and approach the properties currently obtainable in wrought aluminum alloys. These property advances are largely the result of improved casting technique and design. These castings are gradually finding acceptance and usage in aerospace applications, thanks to integrated efforts between the casting producers and their customers. (Author).

Casting Aluminum Alloys summarizes research conducted at Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloy during many decades in part together with Alcoa Inc. The research covered areas of the structure, properties, thermal resistance, corrosion and fatigue of aluminum alloys in industrial manufacturing. Emphasis on interconnection among phase equilibria, thermodynamics and microstructure of alloys Systematic overview of all phase diagrams with Al that are important for the development of casting aluminium alloys Diagrams ("processing windows") of important technological properties such as castability, molten metal fluidity, tendency to hot pre-solidification cracking, porosity Mathematical models for alloy mechanical properties facilitating the down-selection of best prospect candidates for new alloy development New principles of design of eutectic casting aluminium alloys Examples of successful novel casting alloy development, including alloys for high-strength applications, alloys with transition metals, and novel alloys utilizing aluminium scrap