Skip to main content
Log in

Forming conditions of blisters during solution heat treatment of Al–Si alloy semi-solid die castings

  • Published:
Rare Metals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the present study, numerical simulation method was used to analyze the conditions, resulting in the formation of blisters during solution heat treatment. Blister formation is considered to occur as the height of blister reaches 5 μm. The effects of process parameters on the magnitude of the forming temperatures of blister (Tb) were discussed. Two kinds of Al–Si alloys were used to analyze the effect of mechanical properties of the alloys on blister forming conditions. Simulation results show that decreasing the initial pressure in gas hole, the long-short axial ratio of gas hole and the size of gas hole, as well as increasing the depth of gas hole and the strength of alloy are helpful to increase the critical temperature of forming blister. These conclusions are helpful for casters to understand the conditions controlling blister formation during solution heat treatment and take actions to avoid the blister defects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Midson SP. Industrial applications for aluminum semi-solid castings. Solid State Phenom. 2015;217:487.

    Google Scholar 

  2. NADCA product specification standards for die castings produced by the semi-solid and squeeze casting processes. Wheeling, Illinois, USA: North American Die Casting Association. 2009. 12.

  3. Vinarcik EJ. High Integrity Die Casting Processes. Hoboken: Wiley; 2002. 67.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kirkwood DH, Suéry M, Kapranos P, Atkinson HV, Young KP. Semi-Solid Processing of Alloys. Heidelberg: Springer; 2010. 5.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. Nafisi S, Ghomashchi R. Semi-Solid Processing of Aluminum Alloys. Basel: Springer; 2016. 6.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Hirt G, Kopp R. Thixoforming: Semi-Solid Metal Processing. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH; 2009. 4.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. Midson SP. Minimizing blistering during T6 heat treating of semi-solid castings. Die Cast Eng. 2011;55(6):40.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Walkington W, Midson S. Surface Defects: A Guide to Correcting Problems. Wheeling: North American Die Casting Association; 2014. 21.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Donahue R. T6 heat treatment of real high pressure die castings an alternative to the high cost of permanent mold casting. In: Proceedings of the 2012 NADCA Die Casting Congress. Indianapolis, USA; 2012. 22.

  10. Xia Y, Wolfgang B, Barnes C, Olson R. Techniques applied in squeeze casting defect reduction. In: Proceedings of the 2003 NADCA Die Casting Congress. Indianapolis; 2003. 61.

  11. Franetovic V, Carter JT. Defects in semi-solid-formed aluminum alloys. In: Proceedings of the 2003 NADCA Die Casting Congress. Indianapolis; 2003. 33.

  12. Kopper A. Die casting plunger lubricant success story: T6 heat treatable die castings. In: Proceedings of the 113th NADCA Metal Casting Congress. Las Vegas; 2009. 7.

  13. Righi J, LaCamera AF, Jones SA, Truckner WG, Rouns TN. Integration of experience and simulation based understanding in the die design process. In: Proceedings of the 1995 NADCA Die Casting Congress. Rosemant; 1995. 23.

  14. Brown Z, Szymanowski B, Musser M, Saha D, Seaver S, Hartlieb M. Manufacturing of thin wall structural automotive components through high vacuum die casting technology. In: Proceedings of the 2007 NADCA Die Casting Congress. Houston; 2007. 22.

  15. Lumley RN, O’Donnell RG, Gunasegaram DR, Givord M. Blister free heat treatment of high pressure die-casting alloys. Mater Sci Forum. 2006;519:351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lumley RN, O’Donnell RG, Gunasegaram DR, Givord M. Heat treatment of high-pressure die castings. Metall Mater Trans A. 2007;38(10):2564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Toda H, Qu P, Ito S, Shimizu K, Uesugi K, Takeuchi A, Suzuki Y, Kobayashi M. Formation behaviour of blister in cast aluminium alloy. Int J Cast Metal Res. 2014;27(6):369.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. He YF, Xu XJ, Zhang F, Li DQ, Midson S, Zhu Q. Influence of process parameters on blistering during T6 heat treatment of semi-solid castings. In: Proceedings of the Shape Casting: 5th International Symposium. Louisville; 2013. 27.

  19. Ozhoga-Maslovskaja O, Gariboldi E, Lemke JN. Conditions for blister formation during thermal cycles of Al–Si–Cu–Fe alloys for high pressure die-casting. Mater Des. 2016;92:151.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hu XG, Zhu Q, Midson S, Atkinson HV, Dong H, Zhang F, Kang YL. Blistering in semi-solid die casting of aluminium alloys and its avoidance. Acta Mater. 2017;124:446.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. ASM Handbook Volume 8: Mechanical Testing and Evaluation. Russell Town, Ohio, USA: ASM International; 2000, 77.

  22. Hatch JE. Aluminum: Properties and Physical Metallurgy. Russell Town: ASM International; 1984. 110.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kaufman JG, Rooy EL. Aluminum Alloy Castings: Properties, Processes, and Applications. Russell Town: ASM International; 2004. 217.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  24. He YF, Midson S, Zhu Q. Impact of die and plunger lubricants on blistering during T6 heat treatment of semi-solid castings. In: Proceedings of the 2013 NADCA Die Casting Congress. Louisville; 2013. 66.

  25. Lu HX, He YF, Midson S, Li DQ, Zhu Q. Controlling and minimizing blistering during T6 heat treating of semi-solid castings. Solid State Phenom. 2016;256:192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Cai B, Karagadde S, Yuan L, Marrow TJ, Connolley T, Lee PD. In situ synchrotron tomographic quantification of granular and intragranular deformation during semi-solid compression of an equiaxed dendritic Al–Cu alloy. Acta Mater. 2014;76:371.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Zabler S, Ershov A, Rack A, Garcia-Moreno F, Baumbach T, Banhart J. Particle and liquid motion in semi-solid aluminium alloys: a quantitative in situ microradioscopy study. Acta Mater. 2013;61(4):1244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Janudom S, Wannasin J, Basem J, Wisutmethangoon S. Characterization of flow behavior of semi-solid slurries containing low solid fractions in high-pressure die casting. Acta Mater. 2013;61(16):6267.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Flemings MC. Behavior of metal alloys in the semisolid state. Metall Trans B. 1991;22(3):269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Spencer D, Mehrabian R, Flemings MC. Rheological behavior of Sn-15 pct Pb in the crystallization range. Metall Trans. 1972;3(7):1925.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Liu T, Atkinson H, Kapranos P, Kirkwood D, Hogg S. Rapid compression of aluminum alloys and its relationship to thixoformability. Metall Mater Trans A. 2003;34(7):1545.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Hu XG, Zhu Q, Atkinson HV, Lu HX, Zhang F, Dong H, Kang YL. A time-dependent power law viscosity model and its application in modelling semi-solid die casting of 319 s alloy. Acta Mater. 2017;124:410.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFB0301003) and Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission under Projects (Nos. JCYJ20170307110223452, KQJSCX20170328155402991 and KQTD20170328154443162).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qiang Zhu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lu, HX., Zhu, Q., Midson, S.P. et al. Forming conditions of blisters during solution heat treatment of Al–Si alloy semi-solid die castings. Rare Met. 42, 3851–3858 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-018-1085-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-018-1085-z

Keywords

Navigation