A CSIRO heat treatment process for High-Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) of aluminium car components will double the component’s mechanical strength, increase fatigue resistance, and improve energy absorption.
“Our heat treatment methods offer major improvements in tensile mechanical properties and enhancement of a range of other material properties for HPDC components,” CSIRO Light Metals Flagship metallurgist Dr Roger Lumley said.
“Components treated with the new process do not show surface blistering or dimensional changes, they retain an as-cast appearance.”
Fatigue resistance of aluminium HPDC components heat-treated with the new process can be as high as some wrought aluminium products, tending towards limiting behaviour usually observed in steel.
New procedures developed by the Light Metals Flagship may also substantially raise energy absorption during fracture, which has significant implications for crash-sensitive structural components made by high pressure die-casting.
For example, one common secondary alloy almost doubles in energy absorption, when heat treated specifically for this purpose.
“This process will make it possible to use HPDC components more widely in load-carrying structural and safety applications,” Lumley said.
Additionally, treated parts exhibit thermal conductivity about 20% above their as-cast status.
This means that heat can be transferred or removed more efficiently and quickly for engine or transmission applications.
Potentially, since heat extraction operates more effectively, heat-treated HPDC parts could operate with lower amounts of fluid in cooling and lubrication systems.
The heat treatment process can easily be implemented in existing manufacturing facilities using conventional heat treatment equipment such as continuous belt furnaces, fluidised beds, or furnace systems designed specifically for rapid heat treatment.
“It’s an attractive option because the HPDC process is more cost-effective than other manufacturing methods in mass production, and the net increase in design strength post-treatment may allow castings to be made using up to 30% less metal. As a result, there is significant potential for cost reduction per part,” Lumley said.
The researchers have also discovered a range of HPDC aluminium alloy compositions that display extraordinarily rapid strengthening behaviour, which has major cost and energy usage implications in manufacturing.
These alloys can be heat treated to high-strength levels during a total cycle time of only 30 minutes.
According to the CSIRO, these alloys develop properties superior to conventional aluminium casting alloys requiring heat treatment in thermal cycles of up to 24 hours.
The CSIRO-led Light Metals Flagship is now seeking partners for a published case study.
“Following our success with evaluations conducted on HPDC parts more than 30 kg, we would like to hear from OEM or Tier 1 suppliers who would be interested in submitting a component for heat treatment, and jointly publishing the results as a case study,” Lumley said.
Key contact:
Roger Lumley
Light Metals Flagship
roger.lumley@csiro.au
www.csiro.au/science/ps1f1.html
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