Aluminium casting methods

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Source:
Aluminium Automotive Manual – Manufacturing – Casting Methods

Aluminium casting methods

Aluminium casting methods are differentiated according to (Figure 1):

(A) mould filling and
(B) moulding technologies.

1) Green sand casting
2) Modified DISAmatic casting
3) Core package casting
4) Gravity die casting
5) Low pressure die casting
6) High pressure die casting
7) Vacuum die casting
8) Squeeze casting
9) Thixocasting
10) Vacuum riserless casting
11) Lost foam casting

Green sand castings

Green sand casting (Horizontal moulding)
Moulding process
DISAmatic casting

Core package casting

Introduction
Design features
Process description – Core manufacturing
Process description – Mould filling
Process description – Roll-over and solidification
Process description – Process features

Gravity die casting

Characteristics of process
Process description
Rotacast®

Low pressure die casting

LPDC description and product examples
LPDC machine

High pressure die castings

The HPDC process
HPDC process cycle
Typical automotive applications of aluminium High Pressure Die Castings
Design considerations
Common and special purpose HPDC alloys

Vacuum die castings

Characteristics of VDC
VDC Process
Examples of VDC parts
Vacuum Die Casting product examples
Mechanical properties

Squeeze castings

Squeeze Casting – Characteristics
UBE squeeze-casting machines and particular tilting-docking shot unit

Thixocastings

Semi-solid forming
Suitable alloys and their mechanical properties
Examples of part produced for the automotive industry using semi-solid forming processes
Main process parameters of semi-solid forming and their influence on quality
Possible defects and ways to avoid them

Vacuum riserless castings

VRC/ PRC – Introduction
VRC / PRC – Process
VRC / PRC – Processing of chassis parts
VRC / PRC – Mechanical Properties
VRC / PRC – Examples of parts
Ultra Large Caster (ULC)

Lost foam castings

Introduction
Pattern making & cluster assembly
Coating & embedding
Pouring & finishing
Advantages and disadvantages

Some very usuful figures from this Manual

Figure 1
Automotive aluminium casting methods
ordered for casting and moulding technology,
size shows market importance
(Source: VAW)
1) Green sand casting 2) Modified DISAmatic casting 3 )Core package casting
4) Gravity die casting 5) Low pressure die casting 6) High pressure die casting
7) Vacuum die casting 8) Squeeze casting 9) Thixocasting
10) Vacuum riserless casting 11) Lost foam casting

Figure 2
Above: Separation of metal drops and folding of metal surface
Below: If critical velocity is exceeded, metal drops separate
(Source: Alcoa)
(For molten aluminum, the critical velocity is around 500 mm/s)

Figure 3
The Automated green sand casting (AGSC) Process:
Complete Control of Mold Filling Combined With High Productivity
(Source: Alcoa)

Figure 4
Gravity die aluminium casting method

Figure 5
Low pressure die aluminium casting method
Schematic drawing of a typical cold-chamber diecasting machine
This is the only HPDC-type used with aluminium

Table – Comparing aluminium casting methods