Trends in automotive aluminum castings

Sie sind hier: Homepage > Suche

Trends in automotive aluminum castings

Jorstad, J.L.

High pressure die casting, with its capability to produce relatively thin-walled and dimensionally accurate parts from less-pure alloys, is currently the preferred method for making most automotive aluminum castings. Variations of the process, such as PORE-FREE and vacuum, are being tested to decrease the amoung of 'trapped gas' porosity inherent in conventional die castings. Other techniques are required to reduce or eliminate 'shrinkage' porosity; designing to avoid isolated thick casting sections, and high-pressure feeding methods are effective. High-pressures are being used for such parts as intake manifolds that require disposable internal cores. The 'Lost Foam' process is an emerging method for such castings, eliminating much of the cost associated with core making, shakeout and trimming. The common alloys 380, 332, 319 and 356 continue to be used for most automotive castings. A 356 alloy is preferred for cast aluminum wheels, The use of the hypereutectic Al-Si alloy 390 has dramatically increased recently for transmission pump components and A/C compressor components.