Papers focusing on magnesium metallurgy and casting, compiled from the Transactions of the American Foundry Society and the International Journal of Metalcasting, and articles from Modern Casting and Metal Casting Design & Purchasing (2001-2013).
Published and distributed by the Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4555 www.afsinc.org Copyright 2009, 2014 ISBN: 978-0-87433-421-0 Printed in the United States of America This CD contains papers that were previously published and copyrighted by the American Foundry Society. All rights reserved. No part of this CD may be reproduced in any form or by any means electronic, graphic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, information storage and retrieval systems without the prior written permission of the publisher. The American Foundry Society, as a body, is not responsible for the statements and opinions advanced in this publication. Nothing contained in any publication of the Society is to be construed as granting right, by implication or otherwise, for manufacture, sale or use in connection with any method, apparatus or product covered by letter patent, nor as insuring anyone against liability for infringement of letters patent. Disclaimer Trademarks/Company names used in this publication are for informational purposes only and do not imply that the products in question are licensed, endorsed or approved by AFS. In no event shall AFS be liable for any damage whatsoever arising out of or in connection with the use of the products recommended within this publication.
TABLE OF CONTENTS MAGNESIUM CASTING MARKET TRENDS Charting a Course for Magnesium Modern Casting, V95, N10, P 39-43, Oct 2005 Magnesium Driving To Permanent Mold Modern Casting, V95, N9, P 26-29, Sep 2005 Magnesium Vision 2020: A North American Automotive Strategic Vision for Magnesium Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-156, P827-839, 2008 Magwerks, Aristocast Prove the Magic of Magnesium Metal Casting Design & Purchasing, V14, N5, P30-33, Sept/Oct 2012 Maintaining Competitiveness through Tech Development Modern Casting, V96, N2, P41-44, Mar 2006 METALLURGY & MICROSTRUCTURE A Microstructural and Mechanical Property Study of an AM50 HPDC Magnesium Alloy International Journal of Metalcasting, V 6, I1, P15-26, 2012 A Study on Hot-Tear Resistance of Magnesium Diecasting Alloys Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-092, P729-736, 2006 Casting Characteristics of Permanent Mold Cast Mg-Alloy AZ91E Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V110, Paper 02-122, P1181-1189, 2002 Casting Fluidity of Magnesium Alloy AZ91 in Gravity and Low Pressure Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-107, P747-753, 2006 Comparing Low Pressure and Gravity Permanent Mold Casting of Magnesium AZ91E Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V119, Paper 11-002, P441-451, 2011 Developing an Improved Zirconium Grain Refiner for Magnesium Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V119, Paper 11-067, P453-459, 2011 iii
Effect of Aluminum-Titanium-Boron Based Grain Refiners on AZ91E Magnesium Alloy Grain Size and Microstructure International Journal of Metalcasting, V5, P29-42, 2011 Effect of C 2 Cl 6 on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Gravity Permanent Mold Cast AZ91E Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V112, Paper 04-121, P995-1006, 2004 Effect of Ca Addition on Grain Microstructure Development of Mg Alloy AM60 Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V111, Paper 03-053, P1019-1029, 2003 Effect of Ca and Mn Additions on the Castability and Mechanical Properties of AZ91D Mg Alloy Permanent Mold Castings Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V117, Paper 09-085, P659-672, 2009 Effect of Cooling Rate on Grain Size of Magnesium Alloys Cast in a Permanent Mold Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-163, P841-848, 2008 Effect of Cooling Rate on the Microstructure of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V117, Paper 09-025, P 617-626, 2009 Effect of Silicon on the Hot Tearing Susceptibility of AZ91E Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V119, Paper 11-080, P 461-468, 2011 Electrical Resistivity and Thermal Conductivity of Magnesium Alloy AE42 Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V110, Paper 02-049, P1171-1179, 2002 Electrical Resistivity and Thermal Conductivity of Magnesium Alloy AZ91E by Contactless Measurement Technique Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V111, Paper 03-050, P1009-1018, 2003 Evaluation of the Hot Tearing Susceptibility of Selected Magnesium Casting Alloys in Permanent Molds Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-154, P761-766, 2007 Grain Refinement and Fading of Aluminum-Titanium-Boron Based Refiner on AZ91E Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V118, Paper 10-072, P311-317, 2010 Grain Refinement of AZ91E with TiB2 and Al4C3 Additions Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V118, Paper 10-071, P319-329, 2010 Grain Refinement of Magnesium by Zirconium: Characterization and Analysis Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V119, Paper 11-066, P469-479, 2011 iv
Hardness and Yield Strength in Cast Mg-Al Alloys Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V110, Paper 02-001, P1163-1169, 2002 Influence of Aging Time on the Tensile Properties of AZ91E Alloy Definition of a Quality Index Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-095, P785-793, 2008 Influence of Calcium on the Castability, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Lost Foam Cast AE42 Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V117, Paper 09-071, P651-658, 2009 The Influence of Potential Grain Refiners on Magnesium Foundry Alloys Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V111, Paper 03-141, P1061-1075, 2003 Influence of Silicon on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Lost Foam Cast AE42 Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V118, Paper 10-044, P331-338, 2010 Microstructure Evolution of Cast Mg AZ31B Alloy at Low Superheat International Journal of Metalcasting, V7, I1, P 39-48, 2013 Microstructure and Performance of Four Casting Processes for Magnesium Alloy AZ91 International Journal of Metalcasting, V5, I4, P 37-46, 2011 Modification of As-Cast Microstructure of AZ91-1Si Magnesium Alloy Using Al-5Ti-1B Master Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V118, Paper 10-070, P347-353, 2010 Modification of Mg 2 Si Precipitates in Si Added AZ91 Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-098, P737-746, 2006 Observations on Fillability and Metal Velocity of AZ91E Magnesium Alloy Cast by the LFC Process Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-032, P857-866, 2005 Optimization of an Aluminum Cylinder Head Alloy of the AlSi7Cu3MnMg Type Reinforced by Additions of Peritectic Elements International Journal of Metalcasting, V5, I3, P17-24, 2011 Precipitation During the Solidification of Mg-3wt%Al-1wt%Zn-(0.001-1%) Sr Alloys Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 10-114, P353-361, 2010 v
Prediction of Hot Tear Formation in a Magnesium Alloy Permanent Mold Casting International Journal of Metalcasting, V2, I1, P41-54, 2008 Quality Index Charts for Sand-Cast Mg-Al and Mg-Zn Alloys Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V109, Paper 01-032, P1-8, 2001 Real-Time Monitoring of Hot Tearing in AZ91E Magnesium Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-034, P667-681, 2007 Reconstruction, Visualization and Characterization of Three-Dimensional Microstructure of High Pressure Die-Cast AE44 Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-088, P719-727, 2006 Recycling and Degassing of AZ91E Magnesium Alloy Castings and Its Effects on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V120, Paper 12-032, P423-429, 2012 Reduction of Hot-Tears in Permanent Mold Casting of AZ91D Magnesium Alloy: Effect of Mold Temperature Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-109, P795-803, 2008 Semisolid Microstructure of AZ91D Magnesium Alloy Refined by MgCo3 International Journal of Metalcasting, Winter 2012 Shrinkage Behavior of AM50, AM60 and AZ91D Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-028, P849-855, 2005 Strain Rate as a Predictor of Hot Tearing in AZ 91 Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society V121, Paper 13-1340, P467-473, 2013 Thermal Gradient Needed for Soundness during Solidification of Various Magnesium Alloys Including AZ91E, AM50, AM60, ZE41 and MRI230D Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-017, P 683-694, 2006 Thermophysical properties of Magnesium Alloys AE42, AJ52xand AM60B Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V111, Paper 03-098, P1031-1051, 2003 vi
CASTING PROCESS DEVELOPMENTS Comparison of Gas Evolution Results from Chemically Bonded Cores In Contact with Magnesium and Aluminum Melts Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-048, P769-783, 2008 Comparison of Lost Foam Casting of AM60B Alloy and A356 Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-147, P 753-760, 2007 Comparing Low Pressure Permanent Mold Casting of Magnesium AZ91E and Aluminum A356 Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V117, Paper 09-028, P627-639, 2009 Conversion of a Machined Aluminum 6061 Housing to a Magnesium AZ91E Sand Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-007, P 689-701, 2007 Design and V-Process Production of Cast Magnesium Component Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-051, P879-886, 2005 Determination of Optimal Vacuum Condition for Defect-Free Casting of AZ91 and A356 Alloys via the LFC Process Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-076, P733-745, 2007 Development of New Coating for Magnesium Permanent Mold Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V112, Paper 04-094, P971-983, 2004 Effect of EPS Bead Fusion on the Fillability of AZ91D Mg Alloy LFCs Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-044, P721-732, 2007 Effect of Processing Parameters on Mold Filling in Magnesium Alloy EPC Process Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V109, Paper 01-014, P1-14, 2001 Effects of Solid Fraction and Operating Pressure on the Heat Transfer Coefficient at the Casting/Mold Interface for AZ91D Magnesium Alloy Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-150, P 901-910, 2005 Experience in Casting Magnesium AE44 in Sand and Permanent Molds Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V117, Paper 09-029, P641-650, 2009 First V-Process Casting of Magnesium Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V112, Paper 04-028, P959-970, 2004 vii
Hot Core Distortion Studies during Magnesium Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-032, P867-878, 2005 Hot Tearing in Magnesium AZ91E Bell Housings Produced by the Low Pressure Permanent Mold Process Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V120, Paper 12-022, P415-422, 2012 Influence of Mold and Pouring Temperatures on Hot Tearing Susceptibility of AZ91D Magnesium Alloy. International Journal of Metalcasting, V2, I1, P43-54, 2008 Lost Foam Casting of Magnesium Alloys AZ91D and AM50 Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-079, P707-718, 2006 Low Pressure Casting Process Simulation and Tooling Design for HIMAC s Magnesium Automotive Control Arm Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-148, P769-783, 2008 Low Pressure Casting of Magnesium Alloys AZ91 and AM50 Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V112, Paper 04-120, P985-994, 2004 Low Pressure Die Casting of AZ91 and AM50 Magnesium Alloys Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V116, Paper 08-147, P805-815, 2008 Magnesium Casting Process Development: Designing an Engine Cradle for Magnesium Semi-Permanent Mold Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-217, P911-924, 2005 Mould Coatings for Magnesium Permanent Mould Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V111, Paper 03-184, P1077-1087, 2003 New High-Yield, High-Integrity, Magnesium Permanent Mold Casting Process Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-074, P695-706, 2006 Numerical Simulation and Process Development for Low Pressure Diecasting of Magnesium Alloy Wheels Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V118, Paper 10-077, P355-362, 2010 Permanent Mold Casting of Magnesium AZ91E vs. Aluminum A356 Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-010, P 667-681, 2006 Process Development and Characterization of Overcasting Systems Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V119, Paper 11-081, P481-486, 2011 viii
Production of Magnesium Thin-Wall Cellular Castings through Lost Foam Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V117, Paper 09-051, P857-865, 2009 Selection and Application of Permanent Mold Coatings for Magnesium Casting Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-022, P703-707, 2007 Simulation Case Histories: Solving Problems While Optimizing Processes Modern Casting V 91 N 8 P 34-36, Aug 2001 Structural Cast Magnesium Engine Cradle Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V114, Paper 06-127, P755-767, 2006 Ultrasonic Cavitation Based Solidification Processing of Bulk Mg Matrix Nanocomposite Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V115, Paper 07-135, P747-752, 2007 Vacuum Assisted Lost Foam Casting of Magnesium Alloy AZ91E Transactions of the American Foundry Society, V113, Paper 05-053, P887-900, 2005 ix
FOREWORD Magnesium is about 30 % lighter than aluminum (and 60% lighter than steel). Magnesium alloy metal castings can be produced with less weight but comparable strength as aluminum alloy castings. Optimized casting designs can reduce this weight savings even further. This impressive strength to weight ratio is one of magnesium s greatest benefits as a material for automobiles, trucks, military, aerospace and commercial applications. Interest in magnesium alloy casting technologies has grown significantly in this decade. Driven primarily by the desire to reduce weight in automotive vehicles (with the subsequent benefit of reduced emissions), the amount of magnesium components in passenger vehicles in the US market has increased to approximately 10 lbs. by 2005 and is forecast to increase to as much as 350 lbs by 2020. In addition to this growing automotive market produced primarily through high pressure die casting (HPDC) there remains a strong market for sand cast military and aerospace components, power tools, sporting goods and other commercial castings. Yet for all this growth, barriers still inhibit the application of magnesium castings. Unstable world wide magnesium prices and U.S. trade tariffs have caused interest in magnesium to wane, and lack of large scale applications in the past resulted in limited research and development activities. Additional limitations include: high cost tooling and inconsistent HPDC functional properties; few alternative casting processes other than HPDC; corrosion and joining issues; lack of enabling infrastructure and science; need for improved magnesium recycling technologies, and the need for additional alloy development. These barriers and others are being addressed through research and development activities lead by the American Foundry Society Magnesium Division and its foundry, academic and research partners. It is our hope that the ongoing developments of these dedicated individuals and groups will lead to sustainable growth for cast magnesium far into the future. Steve Robison Senior Technical Director American Foundry Society x
PREFACE This compilation contains papers that were previously published from 2001 though 2013 in the Transactions of the American Foundry Society, volumes 109-121. Articles from Modern Casting magazine, Metalcasting Design & Purchasing magazine, and the International Journal of Metalcasting were also included. For more information on this and other metalcasting topics, visit the AFS library, http://www.afslibrary.com. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to Sue Thomas and Katie Matticks for gathering the papers and articles used in this compilation. xi