Papers by Keyword: HPDC

Abstract: The current market change of aluminium HPDC castings started with the “Dieselgate”. First, there was a shift from diesel to petrol engines. In the second step, hybrid and battery-powered cars gained significant market shares in sales statistics. Therefore, lucrative powertrain components are falling away. As powertrain foundries still want to utilize their machines to capacity, they are pushing into the structural castings market. As a result, there is an oversupply of casting machines here, which massively depresses prices and, thus, margins for tenders. With rising energy costs, these declining margins were eaten up, bringing foundries into crisis. Implementing Rheocasting at the existing die-casting cells is the solution to move into new market shares that are now not accessible in conventional HPDC.One of the new applications is electronic housings, high wall thickness parts, and fatigue bearing parts. These parts are commonly manufactured in sand or gravity castings because of their high wall thickness and low tolerance of porosity. Rheocasting is the perfect process for high-wall thickness components. Because of the semisolid melt preparation and the lamellar filling behavior, these components can be manufactured from the same alloy without pores or voids.This flow behavior of the semisolid slurry also results in a longer flow length. Slower casting speeds and lower pressure settings result in lower clamping forces. This gives an advantage in production costs and targets battery constructions made of castings and sheet metal. Structural battery housings must be leak-tight, even in a crash event. Having it in one casting instead of an assembly reduces the leakage area and improves crash performance.Another industry that relies on Rheocasting is the telecommunications industry. The power electronics in these 5G modules are significantly larger and generate much more waste heat. Until now, many antennas have been actively cooled or milled from a block of aluminum. The milled housings are significantly too expensive to enable series production. Therefore, the goal is to reproduce the passively cooled modules in die casting. Due to the process, the thermal conductivity in conventional HPDC is around 120 to 130 W/m*K. Similarly, no slim cooling fins can be formed. Only the Rheocasting process makes it possible to cast other alloys with low proportions of alloying elements, such as AlSi2Mn. This allows fins with a wall thickness of down to 0.4 mm and thermal conductivity of up to 190 W/m*K.Rheocasting enables access to market segments out of reach. These bring an unbeatable cost advantage against the current suppliers: gravity and sand casters. The low cycle time in Rheocasting brings back the high margins needed to sustain the business. Also, these products can be delivered with even better properties on smaller casting machines.

Abstract: Both experimental method and numerical method are used to analyze the large variation in the material ductility of high pressure die casting (HPDC) Aural-2 alloy in the present work. The X-ray tomography (XRT) technique is used to characterize and reveal the significant variation of the internal porosity for the investigated material. The Mises plasticity model in conjunction with a mixed Swift-Voce hardening law, and a stress state dependent fracture initiation criterion are used to accurately describe the deformation response of the material. Very good agreement with the experimental results is obtained in the predicted average force-displacement responses for the calibrated stress states. A probabilistic damage mechanics model is put forward to depict the apparent stochastic ductile fracture behavior over a wide range of stress states. The 5^th and 95^th percentiles of the fracture initiation locus are recalibrated based on the proposed probabilistic ductile fracture model, which could provide an almost perfect prediction of the maximum and minimum bounds of force-displacement curves.

Abstract: Nowadays, one of the most crucial focus in the aluminium-foundry sector is the production of high-quality castings. Mainly, High-Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) is broadly adopted, since by this process is possible to realize aluminium castings with thin walls and high specific mechanical properties. On the other hand, this casting process may cause tensile states into the castings, namely residual stresses. Residual stresses may strongly affect the life of the product causing premature failure of the casting. Various methods can assess these tensile states, but the non-destructive X-Ray method is the most commonly adopted. Namely, in this work, the residual stress analysis has been performed through Sinto-Pulstec μ-X360s. Detailed measurements have been done on powertrain components realized in aluminium alloy EN AC 46000 through HPDC processes to understand and prevent dangerous residual stress state into the aluminium castings. Furthermore, a comparison with stresses induced by Rheocasting processes is underway. In fact, it is well known that Semi-Solid metal forming combines the advantages of casting and forging, solving safety and environmental problems and possibly even the residual stress state can be positively affected.

Abstract: Fabrication of aluminum alloy components by traditional high-pressure die casting (HPDC) requires cost- and time-consuming tooling of steel dies, which makes HPDC uneconomic for producing low-volume components or prototypes. In comparison, powder bed-based additive manufacturing, e.g. selective laser melting (SLM), enables rapid prototyping and production of even complex-shaped components directly from computer-aided design models without needing expensive tools. However, SLM prototype components must have almost identical mechanical properties to HPDC serial components in order to emulate their functionality under different load conditions. In this work uniaxial tensile properties of cast alloy AlSi10MnMg (EN AC-43500) in condition T7, i.e. with 120-170 MPa yield stress, 200-240 MPa tensile strength and 9-12 % strain at fracture, shall be attained using selective laser melting of powder alloy AlSi10Mg (EN AC-43000). These properties were achieved by tailored heat treatment. Furthermore, the effect of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) was investigated. The results of the tensile tests confirmed the basic feasibility of substituting HPDC components with SLM components for prototyping. In particular, similar tensile strength and uniform strain were achieved for SLM samples in condition O, i.e. for SLM samples which were only annealed.

Abstract: AZ91, as one the most popular magnesium alloys is widely employed for various engineering applications in the automotive industry. They are primarily made from high pressure die cast processes (HPDC) with different wall stocks, which affect their engineering performance. Understanding the effect of thick wall stocks on mechanical behaviors of HPDC AZ91 is crucial for proper design of lightweight components to meet desired engineering requirement. In this research, a conventional high pressure die casting process was utilized to prepare rectangular specimen of AZ91 with wall thicknesses of 10 mm, 6 mm and 2 mm. Tensile testing, porosity measurement and microstructure analyses were carried out on prepared specimens at room temperature. The mechanical testing evaluation reveals that, as the wall stocks of AZ91 deceases, their tensile properties including yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation (e_f) increase. The porosity content caused by air entrapment and the dendritic structure due cooling mechanisms should be responsible for the resultant mechanical properties.

Abstract: In this research, Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) simulation was performed by using the simulation software (AnyCasting) in order to optimize casting design of an automobile part (Oil Pan_7G9E) which is well known and complicated to achieve a good casting layout. The simulation results were analyzed and compared carefully in order to apply them into the production die-casting mold. During the filling process, internal porosities caused by air entrap were predicted and reduced remarkably by the modification of the gate system and the configuration of overflow. With the solidification analysis, internal porosities caused by the solidification shrinkage were predicted and reduced by the modification of the gate system.

Abstract: A general lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) to simulate filling process of high pressure die casting (HPDC) is investigated. Boundary conditions are studied and the free surface model is established by combine the LBM with VOF method. The final model was substantiated by simulating filling process in HPDC in three dimensions. The simulated results from LBM and finite difference method (FDM) were compared with the experiments. The results show the former is in a better agreement with experiments. It demonstrates the efficiency and precision of this LBM model in describing flow pattern in filling process.

Abstract: In this research, in order to optimize casting design of an automobile part (Gear Box), Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) was performed by using the simulation software (Z-Cast). The simulation results were analyzed and compared with experimental results. During the filling process, internal porosities caused by air entrap were predicted and reduced remarkably by the modification of the gate system and the configuration of overflow. With the solidification analysis, internal porosities caused by the solidification shrinkage were predicted and reduced by the modification of the gate system. For making better permanent High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) mold, cooling systems on several thick areas are proposed in order to reduce internal porosities caused by the solidification shrinkage.

Abstract: In this research, Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) simulation was performed by using the simulation software (Z-Cast) in order to optimize casting design of an automobile part (steering wheel housing) which is well known and complicated to achieve a good casting layout. The simulation results were analyzed and compared with experimental results. During the filling process, internal porosities caused by air entrap were predicted and reduced remarkably by the modification of the gate system and the configuration of overflow. With the solidification analysis, internal porosities caused by the solidification shrinkage were predicted and reduced by the modification of the gate system.

Abstract: The high pressure die casting (HPDC) process of an ADC12 aluminum alloy auto part is researched by the software ProCAST and FLOW-3D, respectively. The possible HPDC defects of the auto part are analyzed. The difference of the filling process with the same technological parameter is studied. Compared with the simulation result of ProCAST, FLOW-3D software simulation result is closer to the die casting of the actual production.