The ultimate clearance secret for casting aluminum alloy

Casting aluminum alloy is a material that carefully injects molten aluminum alloy liquid into a specific mold, cools and solidifies it, and precisely shapes metal products into the desired shape. Its density is relatively low, usually between 2.6-2.8g/cm ³, and its advantages are more obvious compared to traditional metals such as steel.

Application of Casting Aluminum Alloy

1. In the automotive industry

Using cast aluminum alloy to manufacture engine cylinder blocks, body frames, and other components can significantly reduce the weight of the entire vehicle, thereby reducing energy consumption and exhaust emissions, which is in line with the current trend of environmental protection and energy conservation.

2. In the field of aerospace

Reducing the weight of key equipment such as spacecraft by 1 gram is of great significance, and casting aluminum alloy has become a key material for spacecraft manufacturing, providing strong support for exploring the universe.

1. Excellent conductivity and heat dissipation. Cast aluminum alloy has good conductivity and plays a key role in the manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment. From the motherboard of a smartphone to the radiator of a computer, its excellent heat dissipation performance can quickly dissipate the heat generated by device operation, ensuring stable and efficient operation of the device and extending its service life.

Through clever alloying and heat treatment processes, cast aluminum alloys have higher strength and better processing performance, which can better meet the manufacturing needs of various structural components.

At the same time, it has good processing performance and is convenient for casting, cutting, welding and other processing operations, which provides great convenience for large-scale industrial production, reducing production costs and improving production efficiency.

In most natural environments, cast aluminum alloys exhibit excellent corrosion resistance, especially in harsh environments such as seawater. In the fields of ocean engineering and shipbuilding, it can effectively resist seawater erosion, ensure the safety and stability of ships and marine facilities, and significantly reduce maintenance costs and frequency.

Four major classifications and their characteristic applications

Aluminum silicon alloy

Aluminum silicon alloys are the "big family" of cast aluminum alloys, with silicon content ranging from 10% to 25%. It has excellent casting performance, good melt flowability, and can accurately fill complex mold cavities, thereby obtaining high-precision castings. It has excellent wear resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient, and good dimensional stability. When the silicon content is low (such as 0.7%), the alloy has good ductility and is suitable for manufacturing products that require deformation processing; When the silicon content is high (such as 7%), the melt filling properties are excellent, making it an ideal casting alloy material. If the silicon content exceeds the Al Si eutectic point (12.6%) and the silicon particle content reaches 14.5% to 25%, adding elements such as Ni, Cu, Mg, etc. can significantly improve the comprehensive mechanical properties.

In the aerospace field, it has become an ideal material for manufacturing key components such as aircraft wings, engine blades, and spacecraft shells due to its low density, high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance.

In the automotive manufacturing industry, it is widely used in the production of engine components (such as cylinder blocks, pistons), body structural components, and wheel hubs. A356 aluminum silicon alloy has continuously expanded its application range from traditional components to important parts such as chassis and body due to its alignment with the trend of automotive energy conservation and lightweighting.

Aluminum copper alloy

Aluminum copper alloys are typically composed of 97% aluminum and 3% copper, with a melting point of 640 ℃.

Its most prominent advantage is its high mechanical properties at room temperature and high temperature, and it can maintain good strength and hardness even in high temperature environments. In aerospace engine manufacturing, it can withstand high-temperature gas shock and huge mechanical stress, ensuring reliable operation of the engine.

In addition, its casting process is relatively simple, with good cutting performance and ease of large-scale production and processing. However, the casting performance of solid solution type alloys is poor, and the potential difference between the copper rich phase and the matrix is large, resulting in low corrosion resistance and relatively high density. Therefore, its application is limited in some scenarios that require strict weight and corrosion resistance.

Aluminum magnesium alloy

Aluminum magnesium alloys are mainly composed of magnesium as the alloying element, with a magnesium content ranging from 3% to 10%. It has the lowest density among cast aluminum alloys, about 2.55g/cm ³, but its strength is considerable, reaching up to around 355MPa.

It has excellent corrosion resistance in the atmosphere and seawater, and is a "darling" in the field of navigation. It is widely used in the manufacture of ship hulls, decks, and internal structural components of cabins.

In the aerospace field, some non critical components used to manufacture aircraft that require high resistance to corrosion and lightweight requirements, such as interior parts, ducts, etc. In terms of daily necessities, it is commonly used as high-end building decoration materials, such as curtain walls, door and window frames, which are not only aesthetically pleasing but also durable.

Aluminum zinc alloy

Aluminum zinc alloys often add silicon and magnesium elements, known as "zinc silicon aluminum alloys". Under casting conditions, it can be self quenched and used without heat treatment, greatly reducing production processes and costs.

After undergoing metamorphic heat treatment, the strength of the castings is significantly improved; After stabilization treatment, the dimensional stability is good. It has good castability and processability, and relatively low production costs.

In the manufacturing of daily necessities, it is widely used in the production of small hardware, decorations, etc., such as door handles, lamp housings, etc. In the field of industrial equipment manufacturing, it is used to make structural components and enclosures, such as electrical equipment enclosures, mechanical protective covers, etc., which can meet performance requirements and control costs

The future of casting aluminum alloys

In today's rapidly developing technology, the application of cast aluminum alloys is constantly evolving. Especially in the aerospace field, the pursuit of lightweight and high-strength materials is endless. In the future, aluminum silicon alloys and other materials are expected to further optimize their composition design by adding trace rare elements, while combining advanced casting processes such as semi-solid forming technology to further enhance performance and meet the higher performance requirements of aircraft.

(Thanks - Shanghai Shuaiyichi Aluminum Alloy New Materials Co., Ltd. for providing pictures) Nowadays, with the booming development of new energy vehicles, higher requirements are put forward for battery range and vehicle performance. Casting aluminum alloys will continue to innovate towards reducing weight, improving strength, and lowering costs. Develop new aluminum alloy materials, improve casting processes, increase production efficiency, reduce waste rates, and promote the development of the automotive industry towards a more environmentally friendly and efficient direction.