Application of Combined Casting-Forging Process for Production of Durable Lightweight Aluminum Parts

Abstract

Due to the constant development in the automotive industry, where high performance shared with the maximal comfort and safety at low car body weight are the primary goals, gains the lightweight construction in importance. Materials with light weight, high strength and toughness are being engaged. With this background the material aluminum and its alloys become highly attractive to manufacturers. There are mainly two ways of forming the metal materials: casting or forming. Apart from substitution of one method by another there are also many examples of combining of casting and forging processes in practice. Such approach allows using the advantages of both methods, shortening the process chains and saving energy and resources at the same time. Furthermore the form flexibility can be increased and the product quality can be improved. For higher process efficiency a direct transition from casting to forging operation should be applied, so that the heat loss decreases and no additional heat treatment between these operations is necessary. There are processes known, which allow producing the final parts by casting and forging from one a single heat. The application of such processes requires materials, which have simultaneously good casting and forging properties. The Institute of Metal forming TU Freiberg works intensively on development of combined casting-forging technologies for lightweight aluminum parts. A technological chain for this coupled process followed by precipitation hardening heat treatment was developed (Figure 1). Heat treatable aluminum cast and wrought alloys with 1 – 7 % silicon were applied. By the variation of silicon content the optimal cast, forging and hardening properties were achieved. This technology with high energy efficiency allows producing durable light weight parts from aluminum alloys while the mechanical properties of the final parts are equal to or even higher than those in the conventional processes.