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Application of Refractory Metals to Facilitate Hot Chamber Aluminum Die Casting

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Abstract

The hot chamber die casting process is capable of producing castings of superior mechanical properties and internal integrity. However, this process cannot be used for die casting of aluminum alloys because the molten aluminum erodes ferrous alloy tooling such as the gooseneck. Ceramic gooseneck was tested, but was not accepted commercially. This work evaluates the feasibility of using refractory metals for the tooling of the hot chamber die casting process. Experiments were performed to measure the weight loss of selected materials in molten aluminum at die casting temperatures. Refractory metals with excellent aluminum erosion resistance were selected and used for making gooseneck and nozzle. These components were installed in a hot chamber die casting machine. The world’s first hot chamber die casting machine equipped with refractory metal tooling is now running at Purdue University for making aluminum alloy castings.

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Acknowledgements

This research was sponsored by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) under the Purdue-FCA Partnership Program (Grant No. 00059683). The authors thank Astaras for providing the Anviloy nozzle, IBC Coatings for work on coating the plungers, Dr. W. Xu and Mr. H. Zhu for performing the dissolution test, Mr. Daniel Isenburg and Mr. Clayton Kibbey for setting up and running the hot chamber die casting machine, and Mr. Corbin Kuntz for his design and sourcing support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Q. Han

  2. Kokomo Casting Plant, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Kokomo, IN, USA

    C. Vian & J. Good

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  1. Q. Han
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  2. C. Vian
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  3. J. Good
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Correspondence to Q. Han.

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Han, Q., Vian, C. & Good, J. Application of Refractory Metals to Facilitate Hot Chamber Aluminum Die Casting. Inter Metalcast 15, 411–416 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-020-00482-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-020-00482-7

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