Performance analysis of an Aluminum alloy for the production of commercial high pressure diecastigs

Defects, particularly inclusions, in High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) can seriously damage the in-service performance and the durability of products subjected to static or cyclic loadings. The influence of geometrical discontinuities, defect location and their orientation on the mechanical properties of a high-pressure die cast AlSi12(b) (EN-AC 44100) commercial component is reported. The performance analysis started from the identification, by means of a Finite Element (FE) simulation model, of the stress distribution that appears in the component under static loadings. Subsequently the non-destructive X-Ray technique was used to examine the general distribution of porosities and qualitatively classify the castings. Finally, static tests were performed by using a testing framework specifically designed to determine the mechanical behavior of the components. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and image analysis techniques were used to quantitatively assess porosity and oxide distribution on the fracture surfaces of the tested components and to analyze the microstructure. An experimental damage criterion was formulated in order to consider the influence of the oxide position and orientation on the component lifetime. Many correlations between experimental results, microstructure and defect content were evaluated by means of the damage criterion.