An aluminium die casting alloy with only 0.13 % or less iron offers high mechanical properties and does not solder to dies. Vacuum die casting and heat treatment improve properties. The die castings can be welded and heat treated. In 1992, Silafont-36 (Sf-36) was developed by Aluminium Rheinfelden to provide an aluminium die casting alloy for safety parts in automotive body construction and for suspension parts. Today the new alloy is used to make 35 space frame nodes, for Audi AG's A8 aluminium-intensive car, and for more applications including steering wheels and others. The advance in alloy design has been supplemented by progress in die casting technology. The combination results in ductile die castings of low porosity that can be heat treated and welded. Water-based, environment friendly release agents are used. Casting quality depends highly on the composition and the microstructure of the alloy used. Both parameters influence castability, feeding, mechanical properties and die service life. On the basis of more than a year of commercial production, this paper describes experience with the manufacture of the die castings, which normally are vacuum cast.
Producing low-iron ductile aluminum die castings
Herstellung dehnbarer Aluminium-Druckgußteile mit niedrigem Eisengehalt
1995
5 Seiten, 7 Bilder, 2 Tabellen
Conference paper
English
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