Paper Title:

Characterization of Magnesium Automotive Components Produced by Super-Vacuum Die Casting Process

Periodical Materials Science Forum (Volumes 618 - 619)
Main Theme Light Metals Technology 2009
Edited by M.S. Dargusch & S.M. Keay
Pages 381-386
DOI 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.618-619.381
Citation K. Sadayappan et al., 2009, Materials Science Forum, 618-619, 381
Online since April, 2009
Authors K. Sadayappan, W. Kasprzak, Zach Brown, L. Quimet, Alan A. Luo
Keywords Heat Treatment, High Pressure Die Casting, High Vacuum, Material Characterisation
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Abstract

Magnesium automotive components are currently produced by high pressure die casting. These castings cannot be heat-treated to improve the strength and ductility mainly due to the casting imperfections such as porosity and inclusions created by the air entrainment during the turbulent mold filing. These imperfections also prevent magnesium components to be used for highly stressed body components. Efforts were made to produce high integrity magnesium castings through a Super-Vacuum Die Casting process. The AZ91D castings were found to have very low porosity and can be heat-treated without blisters. The tensile properties of the castings were satisfactory. The mechanical properties and thermal analysis indicate that the conventional heat treatment procedure needs to be optimized for such thin sectioned and rapidly solidified castings which have very fine microstructures.