Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of the controlled atmosphere of semisolid metal processing of A356 aluminium alloy

  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The cooling slope (CS) method is one of the semi-solid methods in which the molten alloy with a suitable amount of superheat is poured on a cooling slope to achieve a fine and non-dendritic structure. After pouring, the melt, which becomes semisolid at the end of the plate, is subsequently poured into a cylindrical steel mold with different mold temperatures. Also, the process has been done in different cooling slopes and different cooling lengths. This work, at first discusses the effect of these parameters on the final microstructure of A356 aluminum alloy and then the effect of the controlled atmosphere is discussed. Also, in this research, the advantages of using the controlled atmosphere system are discussed by tests such as XRD, SEM and ultrasonic test. Results indicate that the pouring temperature, mold temperature, cooling slope and cooling length have significant effects on the size and morphology of α-Al phase. Also, the controlled atmosphere could optimize the process as well and increase the mechanical properties of alloy.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. C. Flemings, Behavior of metal alloy in the semi-solid state, Metallurgy and Material Transaction A, 22 (1991) 957–981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. K. Sukumaran, B. B. Pai and M. Chakraborty, The effect of isothermal mechanical stirring on an Al-Si alloy in the semisolid condition, Materials science and engineering A, 369 (2004) 275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Z. Fan, Semi solid metal processing, International materials reviews, 47(2) (2002) 1–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. B. S. Lee, D. H. Joo and M. H. Kim, Extrusion behavior of Al-Cu Alloy in the semi-solid state, Materials science and engineering A, 402 (2005) 170–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Vogel and K. Zhang, The formation of rosette phase structural evolution during the reheating and semisolid casting of AlSi7Mg Alloy, Journal of materials processing technology, 137 (2003) 195–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. T. Hellawel, D. Stjohn and T. Steiberg, The shear behaviour of partially solidified Al-Si-Cu alloys, Materials Science and Engineering A, 286 (2000) 18–29.

    Google Scholar 

  7. A. M. Mullis, Growth induced dendritic bending and rosette formation during solidification in a shearing flow, Acta Materials, 47 (1999) 1783.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. F. Taghavi, H. Saghafian and Y. H. K. Kharrazi, Study on the ability of mechanical vibration for the production of thixotropic microstructure in A356 aluminum alloy. Materials and Design, 30(1) (2009) 115–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. F. Taghavi and A. Ghassemi, Study on the effects of the length and angle of inclined plate on the thixotropic microstructure of A356 aluminum alloy, Materials and design, 30(5) (2009) 1762–1767.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Y. Birol, A357 thixoforming feedstock produced by cooling slope casting, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 186 (2006) 94–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. H. Baseri, S. Nourouzi, A. Kolahdooz and S. M. Ghavamodini, Optimization of semi-solid metal processing of A356 aluminum alloy, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 27(12) (2013) 3869–3874.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. T. Haga, R. Nakamura, R. Tago and H. Watari, Effects of casting factors of cooling slope on semisolid condition, Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 20 (2010) 968–972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. N. K. Kund and P. Dutta, Numerical simulation of solidification of liquid aluminum alloy flowing on cooling slope, Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 20 (2009) 898–905.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. T. Wang, B. Pustal, M. Abondano, T. Grimmig, A. Buhrig-Polaczek, M. Wu and A. Ludwig, Simulation of cooling channel rheo-casting process of A356 aluminum alloy using three-phase volume averaging model, Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 15 (2005) 389–394.

    Google Scholar 

  15. S. Nourouzi, S. M. Ghavamodini, H. Baseri, A. Kolahdooz and M. Botkan, Microstructure evolution of A356 aluminum alloy produced by cooling slope method, Advanced Materials Research, 402 (2012) 272–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. S. S. Hosseini, S. Nourouzi, S. J. Hosseinipour and A. Kolahdooz, Effect of slope plate variable and pouring temperature on semi-solid microstructure of A356 aluminum alloy, Steel Metal Research, Special Issue of Metal Forming (2012) 779–782.

    Google Scholar 

  17. S. Nourouzi, M. Bakhshi, A. Kolahdooz and S. J. Hosseinipour, Effect of temperature on the Microstructure of semisolid casting in cooling slope method, Aerospace Mechanics Journal, 9(3) (2012) 55–65.

    Google Scholar 

  18. H. H. Kim and C. G. Kang, Vacuum-assisted rheo-forging process of A356 aluminum alloys, International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, 48 (2008) 1626–1636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Y. J. Chen, Relationship between ultrasonic characteristics and relative porosity in Al and Al-XSi alloys, Materials Transactions, 509 (2009) 2308–2313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Babol University of Technology, Babol, 47148-71167, Iran

    A. Kolahdooz, S. Nourouzi, M. Bakhshi & S. J. Hosseinipour

Authors
  1. A. Kolahdooz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Nourouzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Bakhshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. J. Hosseinipour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Nourouzi.

Additional information

Recommended by Editor Sung-Lim Ko

Salman Nourouzi is an associate professor of metallurgy and materials engineering at Babol University of Technology in Iran. His subjects of interest include semi-solid forming, thermal spray coating, and heat treatment of metallic alloys.

Amin Kolahdooz is a Ph.D. student of Mechanical Engineering at Babol University of Technology in Iran. His research interests are in area machining, Design and manufacturing, and semisolid forming.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kolahdooz, A., Nourouzi, S., Bakhshi, M. et al. Investigation of the controlled atmosphere of semisolid metal processing of A356 aluminium alloy. J MECH SCI TECHNOL 28, 4267–4274 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-014-0940-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-014-0940-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation