Casting Aluminum Alloys

Casting Aluminum Alloys, Second Edition, the follow up to the fall 2007 work on the structure, properties, thermal resistance, corrosion and fatigue of aluminum alloys in industrial manufacturing, discusses findings from the past decade, including sections on new casting alloys, novel casting technologies, and new methods of alloys design. The book also includes other hot topics, such as the implementation of computational technologies for the calculation of phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of alloys, the development of software for calculation of diffusion processes in aluminum alloys, computational modeling of solidification microstructure and texture evolution of multi-component aluminum materials. In addition to changes in computational predictive abilities, there is a review of novel casting aluminum alloy compositions and properties, as well as descriptions of new casting technologies and updates to coverage on the mechanical properties of aluminum casting alloys. Presents a discussion of thermodynamic calculations used for assessing non-equilibrium solidifications of casting aluminum alloys Expands coverage of mathematical models for alloy mechanical properties, helping facilitate the selection of the best prospective candidate for new alloy development Contains a new section that describes the self-consistent evaluation of phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of aluminum alloys

Casting Aluminum Alloys summarizes research conducted at Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloy during many decades in part together with Alcoa Inc. The research covered areas of the structure, properties, thermal resistance, corrosion and fatigue of aluminum alloys in industrial manufacturing. Emphasis on interconnection among phase equilibria, thermodynamics and microstructure of alloys Systematic overview of all phase diagrams with Al that are important for the development of casting aluminium alloys Diagrams ("processing windows") of important technological properties such as castability, molten metal fluidity, tendency to hot pre-solidification cracking, porosity Mathematical models for alloy mechanical properties facilitating the down-selection of best prospect candidates for new alloy development New principles of design of eutectic casting aluminium alloys Examples of successful novel casting alloy development, including alloys for high-strength applications, alloys with transition metals, and novel alloys utilizing aluminium scrap

J. G. (Gil) Kaufman is currently president of his consulting company, Kaufman Associates.

Pulling together information previously scattered throughout numerous research articles into one detailed resource, this book connects the fundamentals of structure formation during solidification with the practically observed structure and defect patterns in billets and ingots. The author examines the formation of a structure, properties, and defects in the as-cast material in tight correlation to the physical phenomena involved in the solidification and the process parameters. Compiling recent results and data, the book discusses the fundamentals of solidification together with metallurgical and technological aspects of DC casting. It gives new insight and perspective into DC casting research.

This atlas provides an in-depth understanding of the metallurgy and fracture behavior of aluminum-silicon casting alloys, which are used in a wide variety of automotive, aerospace, and consumer product applications. The atlas includes over 300 high-definition microfractographs of fracture profiles and fracture surfaces, accompanied with detailed descriptions and analysis of the fracture features and their significance in the selection, processing, properties, and performance of the alloy. The microfractographs are described and classified according to criteria described in detail in the introductory chapters in the book. The factors determining the fracture mechanism in these alloys, on the basis of their physical and mechanical properties and fracture mechanics, are described and analyzed. The set of micrographs in this atlas include several unique features: classification according to the alloy and its processing history, detailed analysis of selected microregions of the fracture surface, reference of the fracture features to the phase constituents of the alloy, and high resolution and high microscopic magnification of the SEM images. This book will be of great value to anyone involved in the selection, processing, application, testing, or evaluation of aluminum-silicon castings. The target audience includes metallurgists, foundry personnel, failure analysts, purchasers of castings, researchers in physical and mechanical metallurgy, students, and educators.

This practical guide to product and process engineering of various aluminum castings emphasizes process and material characteristics; product-process-alloy integration; manufacturing aspects of aluminum casting; product design features; tooling design, feeding and gating design; product quality needs and specifications; product launches; and successful conversions of aluminum from steel and iron.

Annotation Examines characteristics of wrought and cast aluminum alloys, then presents basic aluminum alloy and temper designation systems, as developed by the Aluminum Association, and explains them with examples. Wrought and cast aluminum designations are treated in a similar fashion. Processes used to produce aluminum alloy products are described briefly, and representative applications for aluminum alloys and tempers are detailed, in areas such as electrical markets, building and construction, marine and rail transportation, packaging, and petroleum and chemical industry components. A final chapter presents 65 pages of bandw micrographs illustrating the microstructure of a range of aluminum alloys and tempers, to assist in understanding consequences of applying the production technology implied by the temper designations. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR