Metallurgy and Processing of High-Integrity Light Metal Pressure Castings

Very sophisticated pressure casting equipment, such as High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) machines with hydraulic shot control, Vertical Squeeze Casting machines and various Semi-solid Casting machines are used in modern foundries today. Nevertheless, the increasing geometrical complexity and technical requirements of light metal pressure castings have rendered process stability and castability a permanent issue for foundry men. The castings should be simultaneously light, strong, ductile, weldable, heat treatable, and pressure tight. In order to achieve these goals a process chain approach comprising a significant materials science component must be applied to aid product, alloy and process improvement. The contents of this book involve just such a process chain approach. In addition to the principles of pressure casting, the effects of melt quality, alloy composition, filling conditions, and even post-processing aspects such as heat treatment are addressed. Parameters affecting process stability and productivity are also discussed. It is hoped that this book will help foundry management and foundry men on the shop floor to achieve future improvements in pressure casting.

Autorentext

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Helmut Kaufmann is Managing Director of the ARC Light Metals Competence Center Ranshofen (LKR) in Austria, and a lecturer in light metals technologies at RWTH Aachen (Germany) and ETH Zurich (Switzerland).

Prof. Dr. Peter J. Uggowitzer was appointed Ad Hominem Professor at the Department of Materials of ETH Zurich in 1996. Since 2002 he has been a member of the Laboratory of Metal Physics and Technology, where he is in charge of the Light Metals field.

Inhalt

Executive Summary

1. Introduction
2. Component requirements for HPDC parts
3. About the effect of pressure on the solidifying melt
4. Turbulent and laminar flow
5. High Pressure Casting Processes with Liquid Melts
6. High Pressure Casting Processes with Semi-solid Melts
7. The Metallurgy of Semi-solid Melts
8. Al and Mg Alloys for Pressure Die Casting Processes
9. Process Stability in HPDC and Semi-solid Casting
10. Summary and Outlook
11. Bibliography