Metalcasting Industry Funded & Monitored Research
American Metalcasting Consortium/U.S. Dept. of Defense/ Defense Logistics Agency Funded Projects
Castings for Improved Readiness (CIR) Program E-357 Aluminum Statistical Properties
The E-357 Aluminum Statistical Properties Project has re- ceived funding as part of the CIR program. The E-357 proj- ect will produce cast A&B design property allowables for this aluminum alloy for inclusion in the MMPDS (old Mil Spec Handbook 5) to meet FAA requirements. This will allow aero- space design engineers to specify castings without using design safety factors. Various working groups are actively looking at melt practices, test casting gating and filling, heat treatment pa- rameters, testing protocol and weld repair standards. The initial casting trials were conducted for 1.5 x 2.5-in. plate cast in both horizontal and vertical gating approaches, and a heat treat study was conducted at various participating foundries. These plates have been tested for tensile properties and undergone micro- structural evaluation. Mechanical testing work is now complet- ing for all test plate thickness sizes, with completion by October 2011. The results will be reviewed at AFS 2012 Metalcasting Congress and presented to MMPDS for incorporation into the standards. For more information, contact Steve Robison, AFS, at
stever@afsinc.org.
Casting Standards and Specifications
Accessing state-of-the-market technical, specification and train- ing materials for castings is challenging. AFS is working to pro- vide current and qualified information in a network friendly form to users of castings. The effort includes both archival and recent technical information in searchable databases. Specifi- cations and standards are summarized, and the user is guided in their application. Tutorials covering the fundamental design concerns are also presented. The development of an online ma- terial design property database will greatly enhance the ability for the next generation of component designer to create the lightest weight and most efficient parts quicker and at lower cost. These tools facilitate more effective and efficient procure- ment to both DoD and industry in the support of weapon systems. Along with data from various AFS research projects, like the recently completed 08-09#01 & 08-09#03 projects for the Development of Fatigue Properties Database for Use With Modern Design Methods, AFS has also incorporated the USAMP Light Metals Materials Database properties into the AFS Casting Alloy Data Search (CADS) website:
www.metal-
castingvirtuallibrary.com/cads/cads.aspx.
For more information, contact Thomas Prucha, AFS, at tpru-
cha@afsinc.org or AFS Information Resource Assistant Katie Doherty Matticks at
katie@afsinc.org.
76 Superior Weapons Thru Casting (SWC) Program
Three new AFS projects were started under the Superior Weap- on Systems Thru Castings (SWC) Program. This program has funding secured for both FY09 and FY10 and is under a co- operative agreement obtained by Advanced Technology Insti- tute (ATI) for American Metalcasting Consortium (AMC) with Benet Labs. The AFS projects include High Strength & High Toughness Cast Aluminum Alloy at UAB, Developing an Im- proved Combination of Strength and Permeability for Invest- ment Shells used with Foam Patterns at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Visual Inspection of Casting (joint sponsorship with Steel Founders’ Society of America and North American Die Casting Association) at Iowa State Uni- versity and Schorn Associates. Updates on these projects and others under this AMC slate of projects were given during the JDMTP Benet Technology Review held June 6-7, 2011. Those interested in information on the program or attending should contact Thornton C. White, ATI, Senior Program Manager, at
whitet@aticorp.org or visit the ATI website to register online at:
amc.aticorp.org/techreview.html.
High Strength, High Toughness Cast Aluminum Alloy
There is an ongoing need to reduce the weight and cost of mili- tary weapon systems. High strength, high toughness cast alumi- num alloys could meet this need in applications such as armor and structural components. During the first year of research the chemistry was optimized for an existing high strength alu- minum alloy (BAC 100), which may be suitable for mortar base applications, and develop a mechanical property database for designers. This alloy was developed for military applications as a potential substitute for wrought aluminum alloy 2519 but needs to be optimized for specific applications. After this optimiza- tion, the statistical variation in mechanical properties (strength, toughness) was measured to assist in obtaining properties for design purposes. The goal of this material development pro- gram was to produce an aluminum casting alloy with proper- ties that meet MIL-DTL-46192C, aluminum alloy armor, rolled plate and weldable standards. In the second year, the focus of the research is to develop ultra-high strength (>600 MPa yield strength), cast aluminum alloys with reasonable tensile ductility (>8%) based on the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu system. These advanced, ultra high strength, cast aluminum alloys can have exception- ally high strength but suffer from a lack of ductility (essentially zero). It is hypothesized that the lack of ductility is caused by the combination of two microstructural features; an interden- dritic network of intermetallic particles and randomly dispersed
International Journal of Metalcasting/Fall 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80