Primary aluminium casting alloys

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS

General

Table of contents RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS

General

5 Aluminium Rheinfelden GmbH

6 Contacts
7 Forms of delivery
8 9 Customer support and research and development
10 Service throughout the process
11 RHEINFELDEN FAST ALLOYS
12 13 Publications

An overview of alloys

14 17 Overview of the alloys

18 19 Quick finder
20 21 Using tables to select alloys
22 32 good reasons for using aluminium casting

Alloys

23 30 Anticorodal AlSi5 7Mg

31 40 Silafont AlSi9 11 13 17Mg
41 44 Castasil AlSi9MnMoZr
45 48 Unifont AlZn10Si8Mg
49 50 Castadur AlZn
51 54 Peraluman AlMg
55 60 Magsimal AlMg5Si2Mn
61 62 Aluman AlMn
63 66 Alufont AlCu
67 69 Thermodur AlMg7Si3Mn AlSi11Cu2

Processing data sheets

71 Anticorodal-70
72 Silafont-36
73 Castasil-37
74 Castadur-30
75 Unifont-90
76 Peraluman-56
77 Magsimal-59
78 Alufont-52

Technical information

80 81 Compositions
82 83 Mechanical properties
84 85 Physical properties
86 87 Properties at different temperatures
88 89 Mechanical properties under various influences
90 91 Grain refinement
92 97 Modification
98 99 Quality of melt and casting defects
100 101 Refining aluminium casting alloy melts
102 103 Melt testing
104 109 Artificial ageing heat treatment self-hardening
110 Heat treatment for high pressure die castings
111 Fatigue strength
112 113 Corrosion and corrosion protection
114 115 Welded designs with aluminium castings
116 Welding high pressure die castings
117 Machining aluminium castings
118 Company details

Aluminium Rheinfelden GmbH

A well cast history

Our policy

The history of aluminium in Germany started at Rheinfelden.

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS GmbH & Co. KG is an innovative

In 1898 Europe's first river power station brought about the

manufacturer of aluminium casting alloys, able to rapidly adapt

establishment of the first aluminium smelter in Germany, at

to changing market requirements. The company is sited at the

Rheinfelden, Baden. The company has always operated in three

heart of Europe's heterogeneous casting market, a market which

business segments and in October 2008 restructuring turned

places very varied requirements on aluminium. This location

Aluminium Rheinfelden GmbH into a holding company and the

offers benefits, as does the agility of this owner-managed com-

former ALLOYS , SEMIS and CARBON divisions became inde-

pany and the wealth of experience which staff have gained over

pendent GmbH & Co. KGs (the German equivalent to a limited

the years.

partnership with a limited liability company as general partner).

When we develop new materials we always aim to achieve
RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS GmbH & Co. KG: RHEINFELDEN

efficient and careful use of aluminium casting. Through the

ALLOYS can be found wherever steel designs or iron castings

use of materials tailored and refined to increase performance,

can be replaced by light aluminium castings. RHEINFELDEN

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS is constantly striving to help reduce

ALLOYS is a strong partner, especially to the automotive and

vehicle weight and therefore cut fuel consumption and emissions.

mechanical engineering sectors, providing alloys tailored to

the process and cast part in line with the customer's particular
application.
RHEINFELDEN SEMIS GmbH & Co. KG: Primary aluminium

slugs, blanks and pre-cut parts in a great variety of dimensions

form the primary material for collapsible tubes, cans and containers as well as technical applications.
RHEINFELDEN CARBON GmbH & Co. KG: Ramming pastes

for the aluminium and ferro-alloy industry, Soederberg pastes for

the manufacture of high-purity ferro-alloys, silicon and gas calcined anthracite.

Panoramic view of the entire complex

Contacts
We have a team of experienced staff standing by to help you select the best alloy, if you need to produce a very challenging part or if
you have any questions about the nature of the production process. Our staff have years of experience in working with aluminium and
all the opportunities it brings with it. Tap into this experience by phoning or emailing us or even inviting us to your foundry.

Sales in Germany/Austria/Switzerland
Anita Mller

Ruth Dehm

Vice President of Sales & Marketing

Deputy Head of Sales

Head of Sales & Marketing,

Sales in German-speaking countries

Key Account Supervisor

amueller@rheinfelden-alloys.eu

rdehm@rheinfelden-alloys.eu

Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-338

Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-490

Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-546

Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-546

"I never miss an opportunity to chat with customers: on the phone,

at trade fairs or on visits to customers. You can learn an incredible

"We never say something isn't possible or doesn't work and we

always want to help out wherever we can. "

amount and it keeps our team up to speed with the market. "

Exports
Federico Casarotto

Loredana Lembo

International Sales and Technical

International Sales

Customer Support

llembo@rheinfelden-alloys.eu

fcasarotto@rheinfelden-alloys.eu

Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-390

Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-317

Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-546

Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-546

"I love working with customers from all over the world, being able

"I come from Verona in Italy. It's a real challenge for me to work in

to converse with them in their own language and doing my bit to

Germany and I am making best use of the experience to become

help. "

a real citizen of Europe. "

Technical Support
Ralf Klos

Peter Kohlmann

Technical Support

Process & Materials Engineering

rklos@rheinfelden-alloys.eu

pkohlmann@rheinfelden-alloys.eu

Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-407

Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-342

Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-546

Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-573

"Aluminium is a wonderful material. It's my job to take the techni-

"Given my years of experience in casting and product develop-

cal centre's latest developments out to users it's a highly varied

ment, I'm happy to discuss material development, quality

and fascinating job."

assurance and foundry processes. "

Forms of delivery
Since the new RHEINFELDEN Production System came on line, all our materials have been supplied in the form of RHEINFELDEN ingots. This ingot form is replacing the continuous cast ingot
yet retains all the advantages of the old form of delivery.
Liquid metal. If you want us to deliver metal to go straight into production, we can also supply liquid
metal.
Analysis. The delivery slip contains the average actual batch analysis.
Stack labelling. Each stack features an information box containing the brand name and/or alloy
group name, internal material number, stack weight and on request a colour marking. The batch
number consists of the year in the decade and a sequential production number. Machine-readable
bar codes can be printed in this box.

Ingot

Stack

Weight

8 kg

Stack weigth

13 layers of 760 kg

Surface

716 mm x 108 mm

Stack surface

716 mm x 716 mm

Height

52 mm

Stack height

780 mm

Rheinfelden ingot

Individual ingot marking

Stack of 13 layers of ingots ready for shipping

Customer support and research and development

Every product and every customer has individual requirements of the material. The customer
support team at RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS has the job of anticipating these needs and designing
tailored materials.
Customer support
The customer support team at RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS has always helped customers with material selection, problem-solving, casting issues and advice on the melting and casting process. Our
customer advisors can be contacted by phone and e-mail, but will also gladly visit you at your foundry. The technical customer advisors are the right people to turn to whenever you need advice on
aluminium alloys and their application.
RHEINFELDEN technical centre
We operate a casting materials tech-centre in Rheinfelden to enable us to provide a high-class customer service and to develop our casting alloys in line with the market's needs. The RHEINFELDEN
Tech-Centre is located right next to our casting alloy production area. Time is increasingly of the
essence when our customers experience casting technology problems. It is therefore crucial that
we have the facilities to allow us to quickly solve problems through experimentation and immediately
incorporate new findings into production. This technical support, renowned throughout the industry,
is available exclusively to RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS customers.

Simon Laible, Casting Materials Engineering

Material testing in the RHEINFELDEN technical centre

The goals of research and development

The RHEINFELDEN Tech-Centre assists the customer support team and runs development
projects with the following goals:
To optimise the mechanical and casting properties of our aluminium casting alloys
To develop alloys under consideration of the appropriate casting method
To collaborate with designers on use of our casting alloy most suited to the materials, including
testing mechanical properties
To simplify metallurgical work in our customers' foundries
Our technical centre is equipped with labs for metallography, spectrometer analysis and casting
material testing, enabling structural analyses, tensile testing, component testing and other analyses
to be performed.
International links, for example with Worcester Polytechnical Institute, Vincenza university, RW TH
Aachen, TU Clausthal, Fraunhofer Institut, STZ Esslingen and Friedrichshafen, allow further
analyses to be undertaken. These include dynamic material and component testing, mechanical
properties at elevated temperatures, corrosion behaviour, quantitative structural analysis and electron-optical analysis (scanning electronmicroscope, micro probe etc.).
We want to offer the heterogeneous market a wide range of customised aluminium casting alloys
which satisfy customers' specific application and processing requirements. RHEINFELDEN
ALLOYS has set itself the goal of supplementing aluminium's natural lightness with the strength

and forming properties required to enable it to help cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in
automotive engineering.

High pressure die casting machine for the production of plates for material testing

Thermal analysis diagram

A full service
We continue to base our service portfolio on our customers' needs. Our sales team will help you
develop your purchasing strategy. RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS can provide pricing and delivery models to
suit your requirements.
Technical consultancy
When it comes to technical matters, you can benefit from the advice of our specialist engineers and
the opportunities afforded by our technical centre. We can advise on the use of aluminium casting, the
design of castings and the choice of alloy. We can help you overcome casting problems and shed
light on why you are producing rejects. We also share our knowledge of the processing, welding and
surface treatment of aluminium casting. We can conduct metal analyses, microstructural analyses and
mechanical strength measurements on your behalf. A wide range of publications and processing data
sheets are also available. In short, we can assist with everything between selecting the alloy and the
finished cast part.
Internet portal
Our Internet portal is our latest innovation. On our user-friendly website you will find plenty of useful resources including every single one of our publications, detailed information on our alloys and of
course the Alloy Toy which will help you select the right alloy. The contact details of all our contacts
and an enquiry form simplify your purchasing process.

The Alloy Toy will help you select the right material

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS Internet portal online since 1st of September 2009

10

Naturally perfect RHEINFELDEN FAST ALLOYS

Why RHEINFELDEN FAST ALLOYS ?

Seven good reasons for RHEINFELDEN FAST ALLOYS

Customers will be pleased to hear that in January 2009

Individually configured alloys

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS launched a service that will offer

Short delivery times

them new ways to optimise their supply chain. With response

Outstanding quality

and delivery times becoming ever shorter, they can order exactly

Flexibility for your production

the quantity they require at any particular time and increasingly

Expert advice

reduce their need for warehousing. Exceptionally short delivery

Easier cash flow

times, variable order quantities upwards of one tonne to suit cus-

Improves your supply capability

tomer requirements and materials manufactured strictly to your

specification will make you more competitive and at the same

With our innovative supply chain management system, customers

time ease your cash flow.

receive cast alloys in the composition they need, at the time they
need them and in the quantities they require. This cuts down on

A back-to-back purchasing strategy allows you to avoid the risk

the expense of keeping large inventories in the supply chain that

of price speculation and offers you better protection against the

would otherwise tie up your cash flow and increase the capital

negative impact of fluctuations on the stock market.

cost of working assets.

RHEINFELDEN FAST ALLOYS is a byword for short delivery

times, and also for meeting customer requirements with individually tailored processes. Our flexibility becomes yours.

Stacking robots in the RHEINFELDEN Production System

Freshly produced ingots on the conveyor belt

11

Publications
blic

se publications can be ordered by quoting the code numb

These
number. The available languages are indicated in parentheses:
RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS GmbH & Co. KG . Sales & Market
Marketing

Friedrichstrasse 80 . 79618 Rheinfelden . Germany . Tel. + 49 . 76 23 . 93-316 . Fax + 49 . 76 23 . 93-546

alloys @ rheinfelden-alloys.eu . www.rheinfelden-alloys.eu

Catalogues/manuals

Code

Primary aluminium casting alloys (EN, DE, IT)

Manual

Primary aluminium casting alloys (EN, DE, IT)

Leporello

Primary Aluminium Alloys for Pressure Die Casting (EN, DE, IT)

Manual

Ductile Aluminium Pressure Die Casting (EN)

Brochure

Processing data sheets

Anticorodal-04 (DE)

Ac-04

507

Anticorodal-50 (DE)

Ac-50

504

Anticorodal-70/72 (DE)

Ac-70, Ac-72

501

Anticorodal-71 (DE)

Ac-71

508

Silafont-30 (DE)

Sf-30

511

Silafont-36 (DE)

Sf-36

518

Silafont-09 (DE)

Sf-09

516

Silafont-13 (DE)

Sf-13

513

Silafont-20 (DE)

Sf-20

512

Silafont-70 (DE)

Sf-70

515

Unifont-90 (DE)

Uf-90

531

Unifont-94 (DE)

Uf-94

532

Peraluman-30/36 (DE)

Pe-30, Pe-36

541

Peraluman-50/56 (DE)

Pe-50, Pe-56

542

Magsimal-59 (DE)

Ma-59

545

Alufont-52 (DE)

Af-52

521

Alufont-47 (DE)

Af-47

522

Alufont-48 (DE)

Af-48

523

Rotoren-Aluminium (DE)

RB

551

12

Reports based on real-life use of aluminium casting material

Code

Properties of low-iron aluminium-silicon alloys (DE)

622

Inductive melting of aluminium-silicon alloys for ductile safety parts (DE)

631

Producing Low-iron Ductile Aluminium Die Casting in Silafont-36 (EN)

630

Experiences of series production of high pressure die cast steering wheel frames in Magsimal-59 (DE)

632

Permanently modified aluminium casting alloys simplify the fusion and casting technique for sand casting (DE)

614

Castability of various aluminium casting alloys in the low pressure gravity die casting procedure
and the mechanical properties of castings (DE)

612

Melt testing in the aluminium foundry with a focus on quality (DE)

623

Potentials of aluminium pressure die casting application of this technology close to the limits (DE, EN)

635, 636

Optimizing the Manganese and Magnesium content for Structural Part Application (E)

637

Economic production of ductile and weldable aluminium castings

638

Reports based on real-life use of aluminium

Primary aluminium casting alloys for heavy-duty high pressure die castings (DE)

602

Casting designs produced from primary aluminium casting alloys (DE)

618

Experiences and features relating to casting aluminium automotive wheels (DE)

613

Ductile aluminium-silicon alloys for automotive safety parts (DE)

625

Aluminium casting in vehicle construction (DE)

621

Safety parts made from aluminium casting (DE)

624

Aluminium casting for welded designs with aluminium wrought materials

and for bogie designs in the construction of rail vehicles (DE)

607

Aluminium casting as a material for welded designs (DE)

620

Welded aluminium casting in automotive engineering (DE)

619

Aluminium casting in automotive engineering (DE)

608

Weight reduction through aluminium casting (DE)

609

Automotive technology the lightweight construction potential of high-quality aluminium casting (DE)

615

Wheel set bearing housing in aluminium lightweight construction (DE)

617

31 reasons for using aluminium casting (DE)

629

Experience of three years producing low-iron ductile pressure die castings (EN)

633

Des alliages daluminium de fonderie sous pression basse teneur en fer pour la substitution
de composants en tle dacier en construction automobile, Silafont-36, Magsimal-59 (FR)

634

Reports based on real-life aluminium processing

Cost-based comparison of machining primary aluminium casting material and iron material (DE)

603

Trends in machining tools and machining centres for aluminium casting (DE)

604

Guideline values for machining aluminium casting (DE)

605

Measures for solving machining problems in aluminium casting (DE)

606

Streamlining using aluminium casting from primary casting alloys and from modern production technologies (DE)

611

Reports on the development of alloys

Highly effective long-term grain refinement for hypoeutectic and hypereutectic AlSi casting alloys (EN, DE)

802

Ductile high pressure die casting alloy with low iron content, Silafont-36 (DE)

803

Recently developed high pressure die casting alloy with outstanding mechanical properties
when cast, Magsimal-59 (DE)

804

Non-ageing ductile high pressure die casting alloy for automotive construction (EN, DE, IT)

806

New developments in the area of heat-resistant aluminium casting materials (DE)

807
13

The alloys we offer

Using nature as a starting point
Nature is a wonderful master builder. Over millions of years, it has developed solutions from which man
can learn about strength, lightness and economy.
Since 2008 the team at RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS has been working to explain the properties of our
various families of alloys using themes from nature and to use images to simply illustrate the differences and similarities between the families of material.
Aluminium and an extensive range of services
It is our job to refine the opportunities afforded by aluminium to the benefit of our customers and to
make them accessible to the individual customer. This doesn't just include alloys tailored perfectly to
the parts to be produced and the individual customer's production conditions, but a whole host of other
services too. It includes working with casters and casting users on joint research and development
projects, the high availability of our products, the continuous quality and complete traceability of our
products and risk minimisation through a direct link to the London Metal Exchange.
The following pages contain texts and images summarising the distinguishing properties of and
possible uses for our individual alloys. The tables on page 80 onwards provide an overview of our
breadth of production for primary aluminium casting alloys. Further details and explanations of our alloys
can also be found there.

Anticorodal infinitely adaptable

As Anticorodal alloys can be adapted to virtually all different fields of work and production methods, countless possible uses are emerging for this material. Outstanding mechanical properties,
electrical conductivity, corrosion resisting thanks to low silicon content, but slightly harder to cast.
As with Silafont alloys, to ensure cost-effective use, it is well worth providing a complete definition of the material being used and tailoring it to both the parts to be produced and your production process.
The creatures of the sea provide the natural metaphor for this alloy. Such creatures adapt to
different conditions and have developed a whole series of special attributes in order to do this.

> page 23

14

Silafont an infinite wealth of properties

dure, outstanding flow properties, can be modified with sodium or strontium to further enhance
its properties. For complex, delicate components which have to satisfy precisely defined
requirements and, if they feature the right components, make maximum production efficiency
possible.
Silafont emulates flowing water, that flows continually to the sea, advances at any angle, washing around every stone and every shape in its way. Homogeneous and light in the very same
way that Silafont fills the cavities in the mould.

> page 31

Castasil large surfaces, high dimensional stability, fantastic to cast

An alloy, produced for large, high pressure die cast structural parts in automotive body structures. Lamborghini was the first to apply it in the Gallardo Spyder. Numerous manufacturers
now recognise the benefits of this alloy: high dimensional stability, can be used without heat
treatment, shapes well and is easy to weld.
Nature's equivalent: the vine branch which turns towards the sun, flexible, elastic and yet
incredibly tough and strong.

> page 41

Unifont high strength and regenerative powers

Unifont alloys offer high strength without heat treatment and outstanding casting properties,
but limited shaping properties. They are used for components which are often large and difficult, especially in circumstances which require high strength levels: in mechanical engineering,
domestic appliances and medical technology. Thanks to their self-hardening character, they
regenerate after overload, just like Castadur.
Nature's role model: the water lily which closes its petals for protection at night and only opens
them again when the sun rises.

> page 45

15

An overview
of alloys

A family of materials which can be adapted to the parts to be produced and the customer's
individual production process with ultimate precision. Can be processed using any casting proce-

Castadur the power of regeneration

A self-hardening material of high formability which gains strength without losing its ability to
stretch. And even if it loses its properties, from overheating for example, they return. Castadur's
softly radiant surface is easy to polish, making it popular for everyday objects such as furniture.
The material's homogeneity and silent power are reminiscent of desert sand dunes, which,
shaped by the wind, are always taking on new shapes while remaining the same.

> page 49

Peraluman beautiful, soft sheen, impact resistant and tensile

Thanks to their absolute corrosion resistance and associated resistance to acids and salts,
these alloys are used to manufacture machines for the production of foodstuffs. The parts are
impact resistant and display good elongation. Their particularly soft sheen and their ability to
anodise in colour enable them to be used in places where looks are important.
The metaphor from nature for this alloy is soft coral. It is gracefully structured and appears
bright in dark water it has the same matt sheen as parts produced from Peraluman.

> page 51

Magsimal of filigree lightness, but extremely resilient

An alloy for delicate parts which need to retain their strength and precise form over a long
period. Good weldability, high resilience, can be used in virtually any application. Supreme
corrosion resistance, even to salt water.
Parts which simulate the structure of the wings of a dragonfly: wafer thin, elastic and yet
offering incredible strength and resilience, they enable this dainty insect to fly distances that
never cease to amaze.

> page 55

16

Aluman resistant even at very high temperatures

The alloy with the highest melting point of all aluminium alloys. Its good thermal conductivity
makes this alloy perfectly suited to the manufacture of cast parts such as heat exchangers.
Aluman parts display a high solidification temperature which means that they remain solid
when surrounding aluminium alloys have already become liquid. A workpiece cast from Aluman
can therefore be brazed with another free-flowing alloy.
Its counterpart in nature is fresh water icebergs which float in the salt water of polar seas as
they don't share the same melting point.

> page 61

Alufont the ultimate strength for lightweight design

This alloy's outstanding mechanical properties make it a serious alternative to steel. It is
easy to weld and excellent to machine, and it can be used wherever parts are subject to high
force and load levels. Its low weight also makes it ideal for elements that have to be moved: in
motorsport, in machines or for example as a hinged element for telescopic lifting platforms.
As with crystals, these alloys have the structure of their joints to thank for their strength.

> page 63

Thermodur a glimpse into the future

A new material that withstands high temperatures like never before, allowing it to play a key
role in increased efficiency in combustion engines: increased output, lower fuel consumption,
greater durability and lower CO2 emissions.
This alloy simulates the spider's silk: outstanding mechanical properties, maximum strength,
stable, resilient and incredibly light.

> page 67

17

Quick finder for selecting the right alloy

The first step in producing a casting is to select the alloy most suited to the production process and requirements. The table
covering these two pages provides an overview of our most common materials, their areas of use and properties. It will help you
chose the right casting material. This table is no substitute for the service provided by our technical advisors, but does provide an
overview and allows users to access the information as and when they need it.

Anticorodal-71

AlSi7Mg0.3

Anticorodal-72

AlSi7Mg0.6

Silafont-30

AlSi9Mg

Silafont-36

AlSi9MgMn

Silafont-09

AlSi9

Silafont-13

AlSi11

Silafont-20

AlSi11Mg

x
x

str y
ffs indu

ting
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

AlSi12CuNiMg

AlSi17Cu4Mg

Castasil-37

AlSi9MnMoZr

Unifont-90

AlZn10Si8Mg

Unifont-94

AlZn10Si8Mg

Castadur-30

AlZn3Mg3Cr

Castadur-50

AlZn5Mg

Peraluman-30

AlMg3

Peraluman-36

AlMg3Si

Peraluman-50

AlMg5

Peraluman-56

AlMg5Si

Magsimal-59

AlMg5Si5Mn

Alufont-47

AlCu4TiMg

Alufont-48

AlCu4TiMgAg

Alufont-52

AlCu4Ti

Alufont-60

AlCu5NiCoSbZr

Thermodur-72

AlMg7Si3Mn

Thermodur-73 AlSi11Cu2Ni2Mg2Mn

Rotoren-Al 99.7 Al99.7

Aluman-16

x
x

x
x

x
x

Silafont-90

18

f engin

ineerin

cture o

ditionin

tive eng

uctors
a l cond

tic appli

casting

g
x

Silafont-70

AlMn1.6

x
x

nical en
gineeri
ng
Model/
mould c
onstruc
tion
Optic s/
furniture
Shipbu
ilding
Chemic
al indus
tr y
Tex tile
industr
y
Defenc
e engin
eering

Anticorodal-78dv AlSi7Mg0.3

M e cha

Foodstu

Art cas

AlSi7Mg0.3

Manufa

Anticorodal-70

Automo

Air con

Electric

AlSi5Mg

Dome s

Anticorodal-50

H e av y

AlSi0.5Mg

Aircraft

Anticorodal-04

Lightin

Chemical
denomination

Builder'
s hardw

Alloy

Cars

cture
Archite

Fit tings

are

ance s

es

Areas of use

x
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

x
x

Appropriate
casting method

structio

nc e

ctility

tF
abilit y fo
llowing
T6
Wear re
sistanc
e
M e cha
nica
tempera l properties a
t elevate
tures (2
d
00 C)

abilit y a

e s s / du

Machin

Machin

toughn
Weldab
ilit

Impact

Fo r c o n

ns with
thin wa
lls
structio
ns with
thick w
alls
Hard so
lderabil
it y
Ma ximu
m stren
gth at 2
0 C
Resista
nce to
salt wa
ter
Polisha
bilit y

Fo r c o n

n resista

ss

Corrosio

Hardne

a l c ond
uctivit y
Suitable
for dec
orative
anodisin
g
Suitable
for tech
nical an
odising
Suitable
for pun
ch riveti
ng
Strength
in as-c
ast state
Casting
propert
ies
Elonga
tion

abilit y

Electric

Flange

High pressure die casting

Gravity die casting

Sand casting

excellent

very good

good

OK

poor

Distinguishing properties

not applicable

19

Tables for selecting alloys

The tables will aid designers in selecting the suitable casting alloy for the casting they are producing.
They contain details of the 0.2 % yield tensile strength, elongation and corrosion resistance.
The values indicate the performance of the alloys which can be achieved through appropriate casting technology work in
the casting or its sub-sections.

Sand casting, as-cast state

0.2 % yield tensile strength Rp0.2 [N/mm2]

3 6
6 13

Elongation A [%]

0.5 3

60 120

90 160

200 230

Silafont-70
Silafont-20

Unifont-90 T1

Anticorodal-70/ -78 dv
Silafont-30
Peraluman-30/ -36
Peraluman-50

Anticorodal-50
Peraluman-56
Castadur-50

Silafont-13

Castadur-30

Sand casting, heat-treated

90 160

160 300

Peraluman-56 T6
0.3 3

Anticorodal-50 T6
Anticorodal-72 T6
Silafont-20 T6
Silafont-70 T6

2 5

Anticorodal-70/-78 dv T6
Silafont-30 T6
Peraluman-36

48

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength Rp0.2 [N/mm2]

Anticorodal-70/-78 dv T64
Silafont-13 O
Peraluman-30 T6

300 450

Alufont-47 T6
Alufont-48 T6
Alufont-52 T6

Anticorodal-50 T4
Alufont-47 T4
Alufont-48 T64
Alufont-52 T64

Gravity die casting, as-cast state

0.2 % yield tensile strength Rp0.2 [N/mm2]
90 180

20

180 260
Silafont-70
Silafont-90

Peraluman-36

Anticorodal-50
Anticorodal-70
Silafont-30
Peraluman-56

Peraluman-30

Silafont-13
Silafont-20
Peraluman-50

2 6
6 20

Elongation A [%]

0.5 2

70 100

Unifont- 90 T1

Gravity die casting, heat-treated

0.2 % yield tensile strength Rp0.2 [N/mm2]
200 300

300 450

Anticorodal-50 T6

Silafont-70 T6
Silafont-90 T6
Alufont-36 T6

Anticorodal-50 T4
Peraluman-56 T6

Anticorodal-70/-78 dv T6
Anticorodal-72 T64
Silafont-30 T6
Silafont-20 T6

Alufont-47 T6
Alufont-48 T6
Alufont - 52 T6

Anticorodal-70/-78 dv T64
Silafont-13 O
Peraluman-30 T6

Alufont-47 T4
Alufont-52 T64

48
8 12

Elongation A [%]

0.5 4

120 200

High pressure die casting

0.2 % yield tensile strength Rp0.2 [N/mm2]
120 220

220 280

1 5 0.4 1
5 20

Elongation A [%]

80 120

Silafont-90
Unifont-94 T1
Anticorodal-04
Silafont-36 T4
Aluman-16

Silafont-36 T6

Silafont-09
Silafont-36 T7
Magsimal-59
Castasil-37
Silafont-36 T5

Corrosion resistance

Corrosion resistance

Castability
average

good

with
surface
protection

Alufont-47/-48
Alufont-52/-60
Silafont-90

Silafont-70

from
weathering

Castadur-30/-50

from salt
water

Anticorodal-04
Peraluman-30/-36
Peraluman-50/-56

Anticorodal-50
Anticorodal-70/-78dv
Anticorodal-71
Anticorodal-72

very good

excellent

Silafont-30
Unifont-90
Unifont-94
Castasil-37

Silafont-13
Silafont-20
Silafont-09
Silafont-36

Magsimal-59

21

32 good reasons for using aluminium casting

Aluminium casting is a sought-after construction material and is second only to cast iron because it offers a
multitude of possible uses in different constructions.
The key advantages of aluminium casting are listed below. They explain why it is the perfect substitute for many
other materials.
17. Hard soldering of aluminium casting with aluminium

1. Weight reduction

wrought materials

2. Low inertia
3. Low imbalance

18. Composite casting with cast inserts

4. Good vibration absorption

19. Aluminium casting offers greater economic viability

5. Good fatigue strength

than riveted, milled, screw connected and mounted

6. High ductility

constructions

7. Good dynamic strength

20. High thermal conductivity

8. High deformation energy

21. High thermal capacity

9. High fracture toughness, low speed of fracture

22. Not combustible

23. High electrical conductivity

propagation
10. No embrittlement at very low temperatures

24. High short-circuit strength

11. Good flangeability

25. Good corrosion resistance

12. High design strength

26. Good resistance to salt water

13. Good wear resistance

27. Decorative casting surfaces

14. Good bonding by welding aluminium casting

28. Outstanding reflection

with aluminium wrought alloys

29. Non-toxic

15. Favourable lines of force

30. Good machinability

16. Weld joint between aluminium casting and iron

31. Easy to recycle

or copper materials using weld connectors

32. Non-magnetic

Weight reduction
The high-speed ICE train is bursting with state-of-the-art technology but when first launched was
too heavy and had to be slimmed down. Substituting the steel and spheroidal graphite castings with
aluminium casting resulted in a weight saving of 6.1 t a train which also enabled the axle bearing load
on the traction units to be reduced. One such component is the two-section transmission housing, a
sand casting made from Alufont-52 and artificially aged ( T6 ) weighing 196 kg, which replaced the
578 kg steel cast version; given that there are 4 transmissions in each traction unit, this saved 3.3 t per
train. Thanks to aluminium's better thermal conductivity, the temperature of the transmission oil can be
restricted to 80 90 C which renders an oil cooler superfluous.
No embrittlement at very low temperatures
It is well known that the ductility of iron materials falls sharply with falling temperatures. Aluminium
casting does not go brittle even at very low temperatures and is therefore used in the construction
of overhead contact lines in high-altitude railways, in the construction of aircraft and in systems for
transporting liquid gases. The photo shows a landing flap mechanism for aircraft, produced from
Anticorodal-72 ( T6 ) as an investment casting.
High electrical conductivity
Overaged Anticorodal-04 ( T7 ) and Anticorodal-71 ( T7 ) alloys are used to substitute components
made from high-conductivity copper and chrome-copper castings for high-voltage systems and the
construction of electric switches. The photograph shows a conductor made from Anticorodal-04 ( T7 )
for high-voltage plants.
22

Anticorodal

Anticorodal infinitely adaptable

As Anticorodal alloys can be adapted to virtually all different
fields of work and casting methods, countless possible uses are
emerging for this material. Outstanding mechanical properties,
electrical conductivity, corrosion resisting thanks to low silicon
content, but slightly harder to cast. As with Silafont alloys, to enjoy cost-effective use, it is well worth providing a complete definition of the material being used and tailoring it to both the parts
to be produced and your casting process.
The creatures of the sea provide the natural metaphor for this alloy.
Such creatures adapt to different conditions and have developed
a whole series of special attributes in order to do this.

23

Anticorodal - 04 [ AlSi0.5Mg ]
Areas of use
For castings with high electrical conductivity. Electrical conductors, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering,
optics/furniture, chemical industry.
Distinguishing characteristics
Alloy for medium strength and medium hardness electrical conductors. Best corrosion resistance, very good weldability and
suitable for decorative anodising (with the exception of high pressure die casting). Very well suited to hard soldering.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi0.5Mg
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

0.3 0.6

0.8

0.01

0.01

0.3 0.6

0.07

0.01

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Sand casting

60 100 (50)

Sand casting

T7

160 180 (150)

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

90 130 (80)

15 20 (10)

35 40 (35)

190 210 (180)

3 5 (3)

70 75 (70)

Gravity die casting

80 120 (70)

100 140 (90)

18 22 (12)

40 45 (40)

Gravity die casting

T7

170 190 (150)

200 220 (190)

3 6 (3)

70 80 (70)

High press. die casting

80 120

100 140

7 12

40 45

Conductors for high-voltage systems

Anticorodal-04, overaged
Sand casting, ground
120 350 120 mm, weight: 12.5 kg

24

Electric motor plate

Anticorodal-04
High pressure die casting
55 32 18 mm, weight: 20 g

Anticorodal - 50 [ AlSi5Mg ]
Areas of use
Architecture, fittings, lighting, domestic appliances, air conditioning, art casting, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering,
model/mould construction, optics/furniture, shipbuilding, chemical industry.
Distinguishing characteristics
Outstanding resistance to weathering and very good resistance to salt water; good mechanical properties in as-cast state
and very good after artificial ageing; very good polishability and machinability, particularly when artificially aged.
Good weldability, excellently suited to technical anodising.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi5Mg
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

5.0 6.0

0.15

0.02

0.10

0.4 0.8

0.10

0.20

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Sand casting

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]
100 130 (90)

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

140 180 (130)

2 4 (1)

60 70 (55)

Sand casting

T4

150 180 (120)

200 270 (150)

4 10 (2)

75 90 (70)

Sand casting

T6

220 290 (160)

260 320 (180)

2 4 (1)

95 115 (85)

Gravity die casting

120 160 (100)

160 200 (140)

2 5 (1)

60 75 (60)

Gravity die casting

T4

160 190 (130)

210 270 (170)

5 10 (3)

75 90 (70)

Gravity die casting

T6

240 290 (180)

260 320 (190)

2 7 (1)

100 115 (90)

Cover for woodworking machine

Anticorodal-50, as-cast state
Gravity die casting, hard anodised
450 310 330 mm, weight: 5.0 kg

25

Anticorodal - 70 [ AlSi7Mg0.3 ]
Areas of use
Architecture, fittings, cars, lighting, aircraft, domestic appliances, air conditioning, automotive engineering, manufacture of
engines, art casting, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering, model/mould construction, shipbuilding, chemical industry,
defence engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Universal alloy with very good mechanical properties, outstanding corrosion resistance, very good weldability and very good
machining characteristics.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi7Mg0.3

Numerical denomination: 42 100

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.18

(Na/Sr)

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Sand casting

Sand casting
Sand casting

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

2 6 (2)

45 60 (45)

80 140 (80)

140 220 (140)

T64

120 170 (120)

200 270 (200)

4 10 (4)

60 80 (55)

T6

200 280 (200)

240 320 (240)

3 6 (2.5)

80 110 (80)

Gravity die casting

90 150 (90)

180 240 (180)

4 9 (2)

55 70 (50)

Gravity die casting

T64

180 200 (140)

250 270 (220)

8 12 (5)

80 95 (80)

Gravity die casting

T6

220 280 (200)

290 340 (250)

5 9 (3.5)

90 125 (90)

Industrial fuelling fittings

Anticorodal-70, artificially aged
Sand casting, pressure-sealed
140 190 mm, weight: 4.0 kg

Pressure equalisation housing in Airbus 310

Anticorodal-70 permanently modified, artificially aged
Gravity die casting, anodised
295 190 mm, weight: 2.1 kg

26

Anticorodal - 70 [ AlSi7Mg0.3 ]

Contact carrier for high-voltage switch

Anticorodal-70, artificially aged
Gravity die casting, surface ground
520 290 130 mm, weight: 21.7 kg

Electric suspension track housing

Anticorodal-70, artificially aged
Sand casting
760 280 250 mm, weight: 18.5 kg

Longitudinal carrier for wheel suspension

Anticorodal-70, artificially aged
Sand casting with single-part core
450 200 135 mm, weight: 2.5 kg

Boiling cooler housing

Anticorodal-70, artificially aged
Sand casting, surface blasted
530 380 310 mm, weight: 26 kg

27

Anticorodal - 78 dv [ AlSi7Mg0.3 ]
Areas of use
Architecture, cars, aircraft, automotive engineering, manufacture of engines, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering,
shipbuilding, chemical industry, textile industry, defence engineering, highly dynamically loaded components.
Distinguishing characteristics
Permanently modified alloy especially for sand casting with very good mechanical properties, outstanding corrosion resistance, very good weldability and very good machining characteristics.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi7Mg0.3

Numerical denomination: 42 100

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.18

Sr

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

80 140 (80)

140 220 (140)

2 6 (2)

45 60 (45)

Sand casting

T64

120 170 (120)

200 270 (200)

4 10 (4)

60 80 (55)

Sand casting

T6

200 280 (200)

240 320 (240)

3 6 (2.5)

80 110 (80)

Gravity die casting

90 150 (90)

180 240 (180)

4 9 (2)

55 70 (50)

Gravity die casting

T64

180 200 (140)

250 270 (220)

8 12 (5)

80 95 (80)

Gravity die casting

T6

220 280 (200)

290 340 (250)

5 9 (3.5)

90 125 (90)

Compressor wheel
Anticorodal-78 permanently modified, artificially aged
Sand casting
215 60 mm, weight: 2.1 kg

28

Anticorodal - 71 [ AlSi7Mg0.3 ]
Areas of use
For castings with high electrical conductivity.
Distinguishing characteristics
High strength and hardness after heat treatment. Very good casting properties, very good corrosion resistance, very good
weldability and machinability.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi7Mg0.3
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.01

0.01

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.01

(Na/Sr)

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Sand casting

T7

160 200 (150)

Gravity die casting

T7

160 200 (150)

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

220 250 (210)

2 4 (2)

70 80 (70)

220 250 (210)

4 6 (3)

70 80 (70)

Flat connecting terminal

Anticorodal-71, overaged
Gravity die casting
180 240 240 mm, weight: 5.6 kg
Electrical conductors in gearshift housings
Anticorodal-71, overaged
Sand casting, surface ground
350 210 180 mm, weight: 4.1 kg

29

Anticorodal - 72 [ AlSi7Mg0.6 ]
Areas of use
Architecture, aircraft, domestic appliances, automotive engineering, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering,
model/mould construction, shipbuilding, chemical industry, defence engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Alloy with very good mechanical properties, outstanding corrosion resistance, very good weldability and very good machining
characteristics. Higher Mg content than Anticorodal-70, giving it higher strength and hardness with less elongation.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi7Mg0.6

Numerical denomination: 42 200

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.50 0.70

0.07

0.18

(Na/Sr)

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

T6

220 280 (220)

250 320 (250)

1 2 (1)

90 110 (90)

Gravity die casting

T64

210 240 (150)

290 320 (230)

6 8 (3)

90 100 (90)

Gravity die casting

T6

240 280 (220)

320 350 (270)

4 6 (2.5)

100 115 (100)

Landing flap suspension on Airbus 320

Anticorodal-72, artificially aged
Low pressure fine casting
575 250 210 mm, weight: 4.7 kg

Fisherman's anchor for offshore sailors

Anticorodal-72, artificially aged, partially aged
Gravity die casting, sand casting
660 460 180 mm, weight: 5.4 kg

30

Silafont

Silafont an infinite wealth of properties

A family of materials which can be adapted to the parts to be
produced and the customer's individual production process with
ultimate precision. Can be processed using any casting procedure, outstanding flow properties, can be modified with sodium
or strontium to further enhance properties. For complex, delicate
components which have to satisfy precisely defined requirements
and, if they feature the right components, make maximum production efficiency possible.
Silafont emulates flowing water, that flows continually to the sea,
advances at any angle, washing around every stone and every
shape in its way. Homogeneous and light in the very same way
that Silafont fills the cavities in the mould.

31

Silafont - 30 [ AlSi9Mg ]
Areas of use
Fittings, cars, lighting, heavy casting, domestic appliances, air conditioning, automotive engineering, manufacture of engines,
art casting, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, textile industry, defence engineering.
Well suited to large and complicated castings.
Distinguishing characteristics
One of the most important AlSi casting alloys which can be aged, with very good casting properties and outstanding
corrosion resistance. High strength values after artificial ageing. Excellent weldability, very good machinability.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi9Mg

Numerical denomination: 43 300

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

9.0 10.0

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.15

(Na/Sr)

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Sand casting

80 140 (80)

160 220 (150)

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

2 6 (2)

50 70 (50)

Sand casting

T6

200 310 (180)

250 330 (220)

2 5 (2)

80 115 (75)

Gravity die casting

90 150 (90)

180 240 (180)

2 9 (2)

60 80 (60)

Gravity die casting

T64

180 210 (140)

250 290 (220)

6 10 (3)

80 90 (80)

Gravity die casting

T6

210 310 (190)

290 360 (240)

4 7 (2)

90 120 (90)

Sound-deadening body for large diesel engines

Silafont-30, as-cast state
Sand casting, cast in two parts, welded
2300 1000 mm, weight: 900 kg

32

Silafont - 30 [ AlSi9Mg ]

Distributor for laser generator

Silafont-30, artificially aged
Sand casting, helium-tight
950 730 220 mm, weight: 42 kg

Cylinder head for compressor

Silafont-30, as-cast state
Gravity die casting, welded, pressure-sealed
390 160 110 mm, weight: 4.2 kg

Intermediate flange for SF6 gearshift system

Silafont-30, artificially aged
Sand casting, pressure-sealed
560 270 mm, weight: 64 kg

Compressor housing
Silafont-30, artificially aged
Sand casting, pressure-sealed
290 270 120 mm, weight: 2.0 kg

33

Silafont - 36 [ AlSi9MgMn ]
Areas of use
Architecture, fittings, cars, lighting, aircraft, domestic appliances, air conditioning, automotive engineering, foodstuffs
industry, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, defence engineering, welded designs.
Distinguishing characteristics
High pressure die casting alloy with excellent castability, very good elongation in as-cast state, maximum elongation after
heat treatment. Very good corrosion resistance, good polishability, very good machinability, very good weldability.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi9MgMn

Numerical denomination: 43 500

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

9.5 11.5

0.15

0.03

0.5 0.8

0.1 0.5

0.07

0.15

Sr

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

High press. die casting

120 150

High press. die casting

T5

155 245

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

250 290

5 11

75 95

275 340

49

80 110

High press. die casting

T4

95 140

210 260

15 22

60 75

High press. die casting

T6

210 280

290 340

7 12

90 110

High press. die casting

T7

120 170

200 240

15 20

60 75

Wheel hub for off-road motorbike

Silafont-36, pre-cast core hole
High pressure die casting, shot-blasted
170 145 mm weight: 1.0 kg
130 110 mm weight: 0.5 kg

34

Silafont - 36 [ AlSi9MgMn ]

Engine cradle
Silafont-36, aged
High pressure die casting, with forced bleeding
920 580 170 mm, weight: 10.0 kg

Engine bracket for BMW magnesium engine

Silafont-36
High pressure die casting
270 170 210 mm, weight: 1.5 kg

Steering column with console

Silafont-36
High pressure die casting
450 70 90 mm, weight: 0.96 kg

Lock nut for steering column

Silafont-36
High pressure die casting
20 12 7 mm, weight: 9 g

35

Silafont - 36 [ AlSi9MgMn ]

Motorbike frame
Silafont-36, artificially aged
High pressure die casting, screw-connected
830 480 540 mm, weight: 10.4 kg

Gearbox housing for motorbike

Silafont-36, artificially aged
High pressure die casting
400 270 80 mm, weight: 3.9 kg
400 270 120 mm, weight: 3.8 kg

Housing for food processing

Silafont-36, two parts
High pressure die casting, shot-polished
360 300 335 mm, weight: 7.0 kg

36

Silafont - 09 [ AlSi9 ]
Areas of use
Large apparatus parts, fittings, cars, lighting, domestic appliances, air conditioning, automotive engineering, foodstuffs
industry, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, defence engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Flangeable high pressure die casting alloy with very good casting properties, even with thick-walled designs.
Very good corrosion resistance to weathering and water.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi9

Numerical denomination: 44 400

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

9.5 10.6

0.4

0.02

0.4

0.05

0.10

0.10

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

High press. die casting

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]
120 180

240 280

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

48

55 80

Heating plate for espresso machine

Silafont-09
High pressure die casting, flanged
138 91 42 mm, weight: 0.71 kg

Fan vane
Silafont-09
High pressure die casting
410 20 55 mm, weight: 0.6 kg

37

Silafont -13 [ AlSi11 ]

Areas of use
Architecture, domestic appliances, air conditioning, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Near eutectic AlSi universal alloy with average mechanical properties, high elongation and impact toughness.
Outstanding castability, very good corrosion resistance, outstanding weldability. Good sheen after mechanical polishing.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi11
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

10.0 13.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.05

0.07

0.15

(Na/Sr)

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Sand casting

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]
70 120 (70)

150 210 (150)

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

7 13 (6)

45 60 (45)

Sand casting

60 120 (70)

150 210 (150)

9 15 (8)

45 60 (45)

Gravity die casting

80 150 (80)

170 240 (160)

7 16 (6)

45 60 (45)

Gravity die casting

60 120 (60)

180 240 (160)

10 18 (10)

45 65 (45)

Conductor anchoring
Silafont-13
Low-pressure die casting, welded design
820 250 370 mm, weight: 5.6 kg

38

Truck cooler collector

Silafont-13
Gravity die casting
800 140 120 mm, weight: 3.8 kg

Cross-flow radiator
Silafont-13
Gravity die casting, welded design with wrought alloy
450 410 110 mm, weight: 4.5 kg

Silafont - 20 [ AlSi11Mg ]
Areas of use
Architecture, cars, heavy casting, automotive engineering, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Near eutectic, heat-treatable AlSi alloy with high mechanical properties. Outstanding corrosion resistance to weathering and water. Outstanding weldability. Good machinability after ageing. Silafont-20 dv offers particularly good ductility
properties.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi11Mg

Numerical denomination: 44 000

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

10.0 11.8

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.10 0.45

0.07

0.15

Na/Sr

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

80 140 (70)

170 220 (170)

2 4 (1.5)

50 60 (50)

Sand casting

T6

120 300 (110)

200 320 (200)

1 3 (0.5)

65 120 (55)

Gravity die casting

80 130 (80)

180 230 (180)

3 16 (3)

55 75 (55)

Gravity die casting

T6

125 320 (120)

210 350 (210)

4 15 (3)

70 125 (70)

Motorbike front fork

Silafont-20 permanently modified
Low-pressure die casting
570 240 mm, weight: 4.5 kg

Base element for plate-type conveyor

Silafont-20,
Low-pressure die casting, permanently modified
980 780 200 mm, weight: 18.5 kg

39

Silafont - 70 [ AlSi12CuNiMg ]
Areas of use
Cars, automotive engineering.
Parts which are subject to high strength loads at high temperatures.
Distinguishing characteristics
Very high ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength and hardness values are achieved through full artificial ageing.
Good mechanical properties at higher temperatures. Good machining characteristics. Reduced corrosion resistance.
Good running and sliding properties, wear resistant.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi12CuNiMg

Numerical denomination: 48 000

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

11.0 13.5

0.15

0.8 1.3

0.05

0.9 1.3

0.10

0.10

0.8 1.3 Ni

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

120 170 (110)

130 180 (120)

0.5 1.5 (0.5)

80 90 (80)

Sand casting

T6

Sand casting

T5

200 300 (190)

220 300 (200)

0.3 1.0 (0.3)

130 160 (130)

140 190 (140)

160 190 (160)

0.2 1.0 (0.2)

80 90 (80)

Gravity die casting

190 260 (180)

200 270 (190)

1.0 2.5 (0.5)

90 105 (90)

Gravity die casting

T6

320 390 (280)

350 400 (300)

0.5 2.0 (0.5)

135 160 (135)

Gravity die casting

T5

185 210 (150)

200 230 (180)

0.5 2.0 (0.5)

90 110 (90)

Housing for screw pumps

Silafont-70, artificially aged
Sand casting
200 700 mm, weight: 12.0 kg

40

Cylinder housing with cylinder head

Silafont-70, artificially aged
Gravity die casting
290 175 170 mm, weight: 5.4 kg

Castasil

Castasil large areas, high dimensional stability,

fantastic to cast
An alloy, produced for large, high pressure die cast structural
parts in automotive body structures. Lamborghini produced the
first series in the Gallardo Spyder. Numerous manufacturers now
recognise the benefits of this alloy: high dimensional stability, can
be used without heat treatment, shapes well and easy to weld.
Nature's equivalent: the vine branch which turns towards the sun,
flexible, elastic and yet incredibly tough and strong.

41

Castasil - 37 [ AlSi9MnMoZr ]
Areas of use
Connection nodes for space frame designs; thin-walled body parts; architecture, cars, lighting, aircraft, domestic appliances,
air conditioning, automotive engineering, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, defence engineering;
replaces high pressure die castings with T7 or T6 air quenching.
Distinguishing characteristics
High pressure die casting alloy with excellent castability. Very high elongation in as-cast state as a result of which it can be
used in more ways when in as-cast state. Further increase in ductility thanks to single-stage heat treatment. No distortion or
blisters from solution heat treatment, very good corrosion resistance, no long-term ageing due to heat, good machinability.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlSi9MnMoZr
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Mo

Zr

other

8.5 10.5

0.15

0.05

0.35 0.60

0.06

0.07

0.3

0.3

Sr

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Wall thickness

Yield tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]

Ultimate tensile strength

Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

High press. die casting

23

120 150

260 300

10 14

High press. die casting

35

100 130

230 280

10 14

High press. die casting

57

80 110

200 250

10 14

Reinforcement for convertible soft-top

Castasil-37
High pressure die casting, weldable
260 220 60 mm, weight: 0.6 kg

42

Reinforcement for A-pillar interior

Castasil-37
High pressure die casting
210 200 150 mm, weight: 1.6 kg

Castasil - 37 [ AlSi9MnMoZr ]

Longitudinal carrier node of aluminium body

Castasil-37
High pressure die casting, weldable
340 210 200 mm, weight: 2.0 kg

Crosswise reinforcement/sports car

Castasil-37
High pressure die casting
370 70 60 mm, weight: 0.18 kg

Convertible soft-top lever

Castasil-37
High pressure die casting
510 100 80 mm, weight: 0.56 kg

43

Castasil - 37 [ AlSi9MnMoZr ]

Internal door parts for a sports car

Castasil-37
High pressure die casting
620 340 170 mm, weight: 1.2 kg
700 340 170 mm, weight: 2.1 kg

44

Unifont

Unifont high strength and regenerative powers

Unifont alloys offer high strength without heat treatment and
outstanding casting properties, but limited shaping properties.
They are used for components which are often large and difficult,
especially in circumstances which require high strength levels: in
mechanical engineering, domestic appliances and medical technology. Thanks to their self-hardening character, they regenerate
themselves after overloads, just like Castadur.
Nature's role model: the water lily which closes its petals for protection at night and only opens them again when the sun rises.

45

Unifont - 90 [ AlZn10Si8Mg ]
Areas of use
Heavy casting, mechanical engineering, model/mould construction, optics/furniture, textile industry, hydraulic casting,
domestic appliances, defence engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Self-ageing alloy with very good strength and elongation properties, especially in low-pressure die casting.
Very good mechanical polishability and machinability. Good weldability. Aged again following e. g. thermal loading from
welding. Casting properties similar to Silafont-30.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlZn10Si8Mg

Numerical denomination: 71 100

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

8.5 9.5

0.15

0.03

0.10

0.3 0.5

9.0 10.0

0.15

(Na/Sr)

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Sand casting

T1

190 230 (170)

Gravity die casting

T1

220 250 (220)

Base plate for film cutting equipment

Unifont-90
Sand casting, electrically conductive, hard anodised
500 500 170 mm, weight: 4.8 kg

46

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

220 250 (180)

1 2 (1)

90 100 (90)

280 320 (230)

1 4 (1)

100 120 (95)

Unifont - 90 [ AlZn10Si8Mg ]

Door sheet metal template

Unifont-90
Sand casting as finished casting
1400 900 900 mm, weight: 70 kg

Robot carriage
Unifont-90
Sand casting
980 250 150 mm, weight: 19.5 kg

Weft holder
Unifont-90
Gravity die casting
320 70 55 mm, weight: 0.5 kg

47

Unifont - 94 [ AlZn10Si8Mg ]
Areas of use
Cars, automotive engineering, mechanical engineering, optics/furniture.
Distinguishing characteristics
Self-ageing high pressure die casting alloy for high pressure die casting with high compression strength, but not with static
tensile strength.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlZn10Si8Mg
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

8.5 9.5

0.4

0.03

0.4

0.3 0.5

9.0 10.0

0.10

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

High press. die casting

T1

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rm [ N/mm2 ]
Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
230 280

Bearing cores for vibration damper

Unifont-94
High pressure die casting, rubber-metal compound
45 80 mm, height: 40 123 mm, weight: 78 450 g

48

300 350

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

14

105 120

Table bracket for seats in aircraft

Unifont-94
High pressure die casting, painted
310 65 18 mm, weight: 0.16 kg

A self-hardening material of high formability which gains strength

without losing its ability to stretch. And even if it loses its properties, from overheating for example, they return. Castadur's softly
radiant surface is easy to polish, making it popular for everyday
objects such as furniture.
The material's homogeneity and silent power are reminiscent of
desert sand dunes, which shaped by the wind are always taking
on new shapes while remaining the same.

49

Castadur

Castadur the power of regeneration

Castadur - 30 [ AlZn3Mg3Cr ]
Areas of use
Architecture, cars, lighting, domestic appliances, automotive engineering, art casting, model/mould construction,
optics/furniture.
Distinguishing characteristics
Self-ageing alloy for sand and gravity die casting. High strength and elongation, good castability.
Perfectly suited to decorative and technical anodising.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlZn3Mg3Cr
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Cr

Zn

Ti

Be

0.15

0.15

0.05

0.10 0.2

2.5 3.0

0.25 0.35

2.2 2.8

0.03 0.15

0.004

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Gravity die casting

T1

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]
140 160

Please refer to the ageing diagram on page 108.

Cast node for glass dome design

Castadur-30
Gravity die casting
260 110 mm, weight: 2.3 kg

50

260 290

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

10 20

75 85

Peraluman beautiful, soft sheen, impact resistant

and tensile

sistance to acids and salts, these alloys are used to manufacture

machines for the production of foodstuffs. The parts are impact
resistant and display good elongation after fractures. Their particularly soft sheen and their ability to anodise in colour enable
them to be used in areas where looks count.
The metaphor from nature for this alloy is soft coral. It is gracefully structured and appears bright in dark water it has the
same matt sheen as parts produced from Peraluman.

51

Peraluman

Thanks to their absolute corrosion resistance and associated re-

Peraluman - 30 [ AlMg3 ]
Areas of use
Architecture, fittings, builder's hardware, lighting, domestic appliances, air conditioning, art casting, foodstuffs industry,
mechanical engineering, model/mould construction, optics/furniture, shipbuilding, chemical industry.
Distinguishing characteristics
Excellent chemical resistance, particularly to salt water. Perfectly suited to decorative anodic oxidation, outstanding sheen
after mechanical polishing. Very good elongation and impact toughness values. Suitable for challenging casting technique.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlMg3

Numerical denomination: 51 100

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

0.45

0.15

0.02

0.01 0.4

2.7 3.5

0.10

0.01 0.15

Be

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

70 100 (60)

170 190 (140)

4 8 (4)

50 60 (45)

Sand casting

T6

140 160 (110)

200 240 (160)

6 8 (5)

65 75 (60)

Gravity die casting

70 100 (70)

170 210 (150)

9 16 (6)

50 60 (50)

Gravity die casting

T6

140 160 (110)

240 260 (180)

15 20 (12)

70 80 (70)

Door handle
Peraluman-30
Gravity die casting, decoratively anodised
135 65 15 mm, weight: 140 g

Support cylinder for food processing

Peraluman-30
Gravity die casting, decoratively anodised
220 330 mm, weight: 3.5 kg

52

Peraluman - 50 [ AlMg5 ]
Areas of use
Architecture, fittings, builder's hardware, lighting, domestic appliances, air conditioning, art casting, foodstuffs industry,
optics/furniture, shipbuilding, chemical industry.
Distinguishing characteristics
Excellent chemical resistance, particularly to salt water. Perfectly suited to decorative anodic oxidation, outstanding sheen
after mechanical polishing. Very good elongation and impact toughness values. Suitable for challenging casting technique.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlMg5

Numerical denomination: 51 300

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

0.30

0.15

0.02

0.01 0.4

4.8 5.5

0.10

0.01 0.15

Be

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

100 120 (90)

190 250 (170)

10 15 (8)

55 70 (50)

Gravity die casting

100 140 (100)

200 260 (180)

10 25 (8)

60 75 (55)

Input housing for autopilot

on offshore yachts
Peraluman-50
Sand casting, anodically oxidised
290 210 40 mm, weight: 0.4 kg

Cooling half-shell for X-ray devices

Peraluman-50
Sand casting
640 440 170 mm, weight: 19 kg

53

Peraluman - 56 [ AlMg5Si ]
Areas of use
Architecture, fittings, lighting, domestic appliances, air conditioning, art casting, foodstuffs industry, mechanical engineering,
optics/furniture, shipbuilding, chemical industry.
Distinguishing characteristics
Heat-treatable alloy with average mechanical properties and high elongation.
Outstanding corrosion resistance, very good sheen after mechanical polishing.
Excellent machinability. Suitable for challenging casting technique.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlMg5Si

Numerical denomination: 51 400

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

0.9 1.3

0.15

0.02

0.01 0.4

4.8 5.5

0.10

0.01 0.15

Be

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Sand casting

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW
60 80 (55)

110 130 (100)

160 200 (140)

3 4 (2)

Sand casting

T6

110 160 (110)

180 220 (160)

3 4 (2)

70 80 (65)

Gravity die casting

110 150 (100)

180 240 (150)

3 5 (3)

65 85 (60)

Gravity die casting

T6

110 160 (110)

210 260 (200)

3 18 (5)

75 85 (70)

Pump housing
Peraluman-56
Sand casting
390 115 mm, weight: 9.2 kg

54

Idler for centrifugal pump

Peraluman-56
Sand casting
245 50 mm, weight: 0.95 kg

Magsimal of filigree lightness, but extremely

resilient
An alloy for delicate parts which need to retain their strength
and precise form over a long period. Good weldability, high resilMagsimal

ience, can be used in virtually any application. Maximum corrosion resistance, even to salt water.
Parts which simulate the structure of the wings of a dragonfly:
wafer thin, elastic and yet offering maximum strength and resilience, they enable this dainty insect to fly distances that never
cease to amaze.

55

Magsimal - 59 [ AlMg5Si2Mn ]
Areas of use
Architecture, cars, aircraft, domestic appliances, air conditioning, automotive engineering, foodstuffs industry, mechanical
engineering, optics/furniture, shipbuilding, chemical industry.
Distinguishing characteristics
High pressure die casting alloy with excellent mechanical and dynamic properties with thin walls.
Very good weldability, suited to stamp riveting. Very good corrosion resistance, excellent mechanical polishability and
good machinability.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlMg5Si2Mn

Numerical denomination: 51 500

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

Be

1.8 2.6

0.20

0.03

0.5 0.8

5.0 6.0

0.07

0.20

0.004

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Wall thickness
mm

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

High press. die casting

<2

> 220

High press. die casting

24

High press. die casting

46

High press. die casting

6 12

> 300

10 15

160 220

310 340

12 18

140 170

250 320

9 14

120 145

220 260

8 12

Internal door parts for off-road vehicle

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, suited to welding, wall thickness 1.8 2.0 mm
1400 500 mm to 1000 240 mm, weight: 2.0 2.2 kg

56

Elongation
A [% ]

Magsimal - 59 [ AlMg5Si2Mn ]

Door design for four-door sports car

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 2 mm
1140 690 155 mm, weight: 4.1 kg

Stabiliser rod bracket

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 3 mm
130 85 45 mm, weight: 0.2 kg

Strut mounting for sports car

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 3 mm
590 450 340 mm, weight: 3.0 kg

57

Magsimal - 59 [ AlMg5Si2Mn ]

Rear cross member

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 4 mm
1080 370 150 mm, weight: 6.5 kg

Oil pan
Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 2.2 mm
440 310 180 mm, weight: 3.0 kg

Node for window frame

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, weldable
Up to 510 mm long, weight: 0.20 0.35 kg

58

Magsimal - 59 [ AlMg5Si2Mn ]

Belt furling spindle

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 1.0 5.0 mm
56 55 mm, weight: 66 g

Base plate for convertible soft-top hinge

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 2 5 mm
600 350 280 mm, weight: 3.2 kg

Convertible soft-top lever

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 2 5 mm
740 130 125 mm, weight : 1.3 kg

Rail cover
Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, polished surface
34 15 13 mm, weight: 6.0 g

Intermediate plate for convertible soft-top mechanism

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, wall thickness 2 5 mm
230 220 130 mm, weight: 0.85 kg

59

Magsimal - 59 [ AlMg5Si2Mn ]

Ski boot clasps

Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting
76 23 18 mm, weight: 20 g

Ski binding
Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, polished
77 69 53 mm, weight: 150 g

Rim, MZ motorbike
Magsimal-59, as-cast state
High pressure die casting, cast in two parts, electron beam welded
460 180 mm, weight: 6.4 kg

With thanks to our customers:

ae-group, Gerstungen, Germany
Druckguss Hof, Hof, Germany
Formal, Italy
Georg Fischer Automotive, Herzogenburg, Austria
JVM Light Metal Castings, Worcester, GB
KSM Castings GmbH, Hildesheim
Microtech, Italy
Sander, Ennepetal

60

Aluman resistant even at very high temperatures

The alloy with the highest melting point of all aluminium alloys.
Its good thermal conductivity makes the alloy perfectly suited to
the manufacture of cast parts such as heat exchangers.
Aluman parts display a high solidification temperature which
means that they remain solid when surrounding aluminium alloys are liquid. A workpiece cast from Aluman can therefore be

Its counterpart in nature is fresh water icebergs which float in

the salt water of polar seas as they don't share the same melting
point.

61

Aluman

brazed with another free-flowing alloy.

Aluman - 16 [ AlMn1.6 ]
Areas of use
Cars, air conditioning, automotive engineering, mechanical engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
High pressure die casting alloy which can be hard soldered with limited castability in gravity die casting.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlMn1.6
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

0.15

0.90

0.03

1.4 1.6

0.05

0.10

0.15

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

High press. die casting

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]
90 120

160 180

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

8 15

40 60

Water cooler pipe connections

Aluman-16
Sand casting/high pressure die casting
Max. 110 60 100 mm, weight: 0.4 kg

Collector box for oil radiator

Aluman-16
High pressure die casting
77 40 55 mm, weight: max. 0.13 kg

62

Alufont the ultimate strength for lightweight design

This alloy's outstanding mechanical properties make it a serious
alternative to steel. It is easy to weld and excellent to machine,
and it can be used wherever parts are subject to high force and
load levels. Its low weight also makes it ideal for elements that
have to be moved: in motorsport, in machines or for example as a
hinged element for telescopic lifting platforms.
As with crystals, these alloys have the structure of their joints to

Alufont

thank for their strength.

63

Alufont - 52 [ AlCu4Ti ]
Areas of use
All kinds of highly loaded parts where corrosion properties are no obstacle.
Cars, automotive engineering, manufacture of engines, mechanical engineering, textile industry, defence engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
High-strength alloy for partial and artificial ageing. Outstanding machinability, very good polishing properties, good
weldability, limited corrosion resistance. Mechanical values may be greatly varied by modifying artificial ageing.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlCu4Ti

Numerical denomination: 21 100

Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

0.15

0.15

4.2 5.2

0.01 0.5

0.03

0.07

0.15 0.25

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

Sand casting

T64

210 240 (180)

300 360 (260)

8 15 (4)

90 100 (90)

Sand casting

T6

300 420 (280)

400 475 (350)

3 4 (2)

125 145 (120)

Gravity die casting

T64

210 250 (190)

360 400 (300)

12 20 (10)

90 120 (90)

Gravity die casting

T6

310 400 (300)

420 475 (400)

7 16 (4)

130 145 (130)

Clamp element
Alufont-52, artificially aged
Gravity die casting
70 70 30 mm, weight: 0.1 kg

Wheelset bearing housing for rail vehicle

Alufont-52, artificially aged
Sand casting
920 840 330 mm, weight: 62 kg

64

Alufont - 52 [ AlCu4Ti ]

Tool head
Alufont-52, artificially aged
Sand casting
680 390 200 mm, weight: 35 kg

Mechanism for robot arm

Alufont-52, artificially aged
Sand casting
190 60 20 mm, weight: 0.14 kg

ICE II gearbox housing

Alufont-52, artificially aged
Sand casting
1800 850 250 mm, weight: 175 kg

65

Alufont - 48 [ AlCu4TiMgAg ]
Areas of use
Cars, automotive engineering, manufacture of engines, mechanical engineering, defence engineering.
Distinguishing characteristics
Aluminium casting alloy with maximum ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength and hardness values, combined with
outstanding elongation. Values may be varied greatly by modifying artificial ageing.
Outstanding machinability, very good polishing properties, good weldability.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlCu4TiMgAg
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

0.05

0.10

4.0 5.0

Mn

Mg

0.01 0.5 0.15 0.35

Zn
0.05

Ti

other

0.15 0.35 0.4 1.0 Ag

Mechanical properties
Casting
method

Treatment
state

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rm [ N/mm2 ]
Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]

Sand casting

T64

200 270 (180)

Sand casting

T6

410 450 (320)

Gravity die casting

T6

410 460 (340)

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

370 430 (320)

14 18 (7)

105 120 (100)

460 510 (380)

3 7 (2)

130 150 (125)

460 510 (440)

5 8 (3)

130 150 (130)

Star-shaped flange for rail vehicles

Alufont-48, artificially aged
Sand casting
700 100 mm, weight: 38 kg

66

Thermodur a glimpse into the future

A new material that withstands high temperatures like never before, allowing it play a key role in increased efficiency in combustion engines: increased output, lower fuel consumption, greater
durability and lower CO2 emissions.
This alloy simulates the spider's silk: outstanding mechanical
properties, maximum strength, stable, resilient and incredibly

Thermodur

light.

67

Thermodur - 72 [ AlMg7Si3Mn ]
Areas of use
Manufacture of engines, crankcases, engine components.
Distinguishing characteristics
High pressure die casting alloy for the manufacture of engines for parts that require very good mechanical properties at
elevated temperatures and high corrosion resistance.
Alloy denomination
Chemical denomination: AlMg7Si3Mn
Composition [ % of mass ]
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

other

2.8 3.2

0.15

0.03

0.5 0.8

7.0 8.8

0.07

0.15

Be 0.004

Mechanical properties
Ageing
temperature

Ageing
time

20 C

Yield tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength

Rp0.2 [ N/mm2 ]
Rm [ N/mm2 ]

Elongation
A [% ]

Brinell hardness
HBW

190 220

350 370

7 10

80 100

300 C

90 min

220 240

350 370

79

90 110

350 C

90 min

140 160

290 320

9 12

75 90

380 C

90 min

120 150

280 310

15 18

75 90

Example of possible use:

four-cylinder engine block, looking at bearing blocks

68

Processing data sheets

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS provides the following processing data sheets in order to detail how

alloys please feel free

fre to copy the following
to work with the various alloys. If you use our casting alloys,
pages and use them in your company. They contain practical instructions and demonstrate the processes step by step.
Not all alloys are listed here, but the processing data sheet from within the corresponding alloy
family can be used, Peraluman-56 can for example also be used for Peraluman-30.
The recommendations correspond to typical foundry circumstances. For example a crucible or shaft
melting furnace is considered for melting down; the circumstances in a 10 t hearth type melting
furnace may differ from the recommendations. Fine returns should also not be used for primary
aluminium high pressure die casting alloys.
The volumes listed here are all percentages by weight, calculated for the charge weight. The temperatures quoted all relate to the temperature of melt, even for casting. The heat treatment recommendations apply for the standard process and may be varied, to minimise distortion for example.
If you have any questions relating to your specific alloy application and processing, please contact
our foundry experts.

70

Anticorodal - 70 [ AlSi7Mg0.3 ]
Sequence of work when producing castings from Anticorodal-70
1 Melting down the ingots

As quickly as possible in powerful furnaces to keep Mg melting loss, gas absorption

and oxidation of melts low; replenish preheated ingots and returns in small volumes to
avoid segregation and entrapped oxides

2 Salt treatment

Not needed when melting

3 Magnesium burnout

Normally a melting loss of 0.05 mass % per fusion; compensation is required if the Mg
content of an Anticorodal-70 / -70 dv melt is less than 0.25 %; AlMg master alloy or
pure magnesium can be added

4 Skimming

Needed after melting down

5 Temperature after melting down

Maximum of 780 C ( check temperature ! )

6 Degassing and refining the melts

Effective refining and fastest method using quick-running rotor for gas feeding,
7 10 l/min argon or nitrogen, 6 10 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head needs longer treatment times ( cooling ! )
Gas flushing tablet emitting nitrogen at a rate of 150 350 l nitrogen/kg ( bell
plunger procedure )

7 Skimming and grain refining

Grain refining for Anticorodal-70 with granular microstructure only: after careful
skimming, grain refining with TiB master alloy or tabletted fluxes on nucleation states
of

8 Modification with Sr

9, i. e. grain surface of less than 2.5 mm2

When using permanently modified ingots only if the strontium content has fallen
below 0.015 %; use AlSr master alloy, preferably one containing just 5 % strontium, for
modification

Sand casting with Na

With 0.03 0.04 vacuum-packed sodium or 0.2 0.3 exothermic modification tablets

Gravity die casting with Na

Thick-walled gravity die casting and gravity die casting with sand grains: with

or 0.05 0.2 salt granulate ( details provided as % of charge weight )

0.015 0.025 vacuum-packed sodium or 0.1 0.2 exothermic modification tablets or
0.05 0.2 salt granulate ( details provided as % of charge weight )
Thin-walled gravity die casting is only modified with sodium in rare cases
9 Refining and skimming

Gas treatment with rotor is the preferred option, e. g. using integrated melt processing
while adding sodium-salt granulate and gas refining at the same time

10 Pouring temperature ( approx. values )

Depends on design, size and wall thickness of casting

unmodified

720 760 C

permanently modified

740 780 C

11 Gravity die temperature

300 400 C depending on casting

12 Solution heat treatment

520 535 C for 6 10 hours; for special components: 535 545 C / 24 hours
( The annealing and ageing times stated apply without a heating-up time. )

13 Cooling solution heat treatment

In water (10 40 C ) without a delay wherever possible

14 Delay time before artificial ageing

Only if straightening is needed, maximum of 12 hours

15 Partial ageing T64

150 160 C / 2 3 hours for high elongation

16 Full artificial ageing T6

155 165 C / 6 8 hours for high strength

17 Stabilisation annealing

Required for castings with thermal loading: 210 230 C / 6 8 hours, followed by

Processing
data sheets

temperature

cooling to room temperature in the air

71

Silafont - 36 [ AlSi9MgMn ]
Sequence of work when producing high pressure die castings from Silafont-36
1 Melting down the ingots

As quickly as possible in efficient furnaces to keep magnesium melting loss, gas

absorption and oxidation of melts low; replenish preheated ingots and returns in
small volumes to avoid segregation and entrapped oxides; proportion of returns may
extend to 50 %

2 Salt treatment

Not needed when melting

3 Magnesium burnout

Normally a melting loss of 0.03 % per fusion; compensation is only required if the
magnesium content of the melts is outside tolerance, add magnesium master alloy or
pure magnesium

4 Strontium burnout

Usually melting loss of 30 50 ppm per fusion; Sr should only be added if the Sr
content of the melts is less than 80 ppm, add AlSr5 or AlSr10. When fusing for
the first time in a new crucible or in a crucible which has not yet been used for Srmodified alloys, the Sr content falls sharply. Strontium will diffuse into the crucible,
saturation is reached after the first fusion

5 Skimming

Needed after melting down

6 Temperature

After melting down, maximum of 780 C ( check temperature ! )

7 Degassing and refining the melts

In the transport crucible, better in a holding crucible or receptacle or in a dosing

furnace with bottom blocks; effective refining and fastest method using quickrunning rotor for gas feeding, 7 10 l/min argon or nitrogen, 6 10 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times ( cooling! )
Gas flushing tablets emitting nitrogen in the bell plunger procedure are not very
suitable

8 Skimming

Required after melting down; the metal content of the skimmings may be reduced by
adding melt fluxes after impeller treatment

9 Pouring temperature (approx. values )

680 710 C depends on design, flow path and wall thickness of high pressure die
casting, but also on the length of the flow channel in the dosing furnace and possibly on
chamber heating

10 Mould temperature

200 250 C depending on casting

11 Ageing by T5

Water quenching immediately after the casting is taken out, as high a temperature
as possible ( then age as 15 )

12 Solution heat treatment

480 490 C / 2 3 hours for special components: 400 C / 0.5 hours

13 Cooling

In water ( 10 40 C ) without a delay wherever possible; if cooling in the air, only a

solution heat treatment temperature

significantly lower yield tensile strength can be obtained

14 Delay time before artificial ageing

Only if straightening is needed, usually maximum of 12 hours

15 Full artificial ageing T6

155 170 C / 2 3 hours

16 Overageing T7

190 230 C / 2 3 hours

The annealing and ageing times stated apply without a heating-up time

72

Castasil - 37 [ AlSi9MnMoZr ]
Sequence of work when producing high pressure die castings from Castasil-37
1 Refining

Clean furnace, crucible, treatment and casting tools to avoid impurities from
unwanted elements such as Cu, Zn and especially Mg!

2 Melting down the ingots

The melt should be quickly heated to above 670 C to avoid segregations, e. g. of the
solid solution containing Mn in the melt. The temperature of melt should not exceed
780 C. An Sr melting loss should be expected when melting and keeping warm
the higher the temperature, the greater the loss. Sr melting loss should be expected
in particular when melting down returns and degassing treatment is recommended to
remove the H2 and oxides. As the Sr content increases, so does the tendency for the
melt to absorb hydrogen; this should not therefore exceed 350 ppm

3 Salt treatment

Not needed when melting

4 Strontium burnout

Usually melting loss of 30 50 ppm per fusion; Sr should only be added if the Sr content of the melts is less than 60 ppm, add AlSr5 or AlSr10. When fusing for the first
time in a new crucible or in a crucible which has not yet been used for Sr-modified
alloys, the Sr content falls sharply. Strontium will diffuse into the crucible; saturation
is reached after the first fusion

5 Skimming

Needed after melting down; as well as their potential for danger, cold tools may
result in molybdenum segregation

6 Temperature after melting down

Maximum of 780 C ( check temperature ! )

7 Degassing and refining the melts

In the transport crucible, better in casting or dosing furnace; effective refining

and fastest method using quick-running rotor for gas feeding, 7 10 l/min argon
or nitrogen, 6 10 min; during degassing in the transport crucible, cooling of
30 50 C should be expected
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times ( cooling ! )

8 Skimming

Required after degassing; the metal content of the skimmings may be reduced by
adding melt fluxes after impeller treatment

9 Pouring temperature
( approx. values )

680 720 C depends on design, flow path and wall thickness of high pressure die
casting, but also on the length and insulation of the flow channel in the dosing furnace and on use of shot sleeve heating
Temperature losses may cause initial solidification and should therefore be avoided

10 Mould temperature

150 250 C, depending on casting and requirements of mechanical properties

As a rule: the warmer the mould, the higher the elongation and the lower the
strength, and vice versa

73

Castadur - 30 [ AlZn3Mg3Cr ]
Sequence of work when producing castings from Castadur-30
1 Melting down the ingots

The crucibles used must not release any silicon to the alloy ( maximum silicon content 0.14 % ). Hot cracking sensitivity increases at higher silicon contents. The crucible usually has to be rinsed with Al99.5 or AlMg alloy for this purpose. Melting
down should take place as quickly as possible in an efficient furnace so that zinc
and magnesium melting loss, gas absorption and oxidation of melts remain low.
Preheated ingots and returns should be replenished in small quantities. The high
chrome content may result in segregation at low holding temperatures combined
with long standing times. Salt treatment is not needed when melting

2 Magnesium burnout

Melting loss of 0.1 % per fusion usually occurs and can be ignored

3 Skimming

Needed after melting down

4 Temperature after melting down

Maximum of 820 C ( check temperature ! )

5 Degassing and refining the melts

When using an impeller or gas flushing lance, the high temperature loss during treatment should be taken into account. Recommended starting temperature: > 780 C
Effective refining and fastest method using quick-running gas rotor, 7 10 l/min
argon or nitrogen, 3 6 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times
A DI of less than 0.5 can be easily achieved and maintained with effective refining

6 Skimming and grain refining

Is not needed with Castadur-50 after melting down ingot material

After a longer holding phase and with a high use of returns, a small
addition of grain refiners is recommended, e. g. grain refiner
tablets or AlTi5B1 wire ( 0.5 kg/t ) can be added just before pouring

7 Modification
8 Pouring temperature ( approx. values )

Superfluous as contains no silicon

Varies depending on casting method, design, size and wall thickness of castings:

Sand casting

720 760 C ( recommendation 730 C )

Gravity die casting

730 760 C ( recommendation 750 C )

9 Model design

Shrinkage of 1.0 1.3 %

The high centre line formation of blowholes must be remedied by specific solidification. The ingate and feeder head design should be selected accordingly

10 Gravity die temperature

250 400 C depending on casting; at high gravity die temperatures, fewer cracks
form; we therefore recommend: 350 C

11 Removal of casting

When removed from the moulding box or gravity die, castings are still very soft.
Castings with accurate measurements must be removed with care

74

Unifont - 90 [ AlZn10Si8Mg ]
Sequence of work when producing castings from Unifont-90
1 Melting down the ingots

As quickly as possible in efficient furnaces to keep Mg melting loss, gas absorption

and oxidation of melts low; replenish preheated ingots and returns in small volumes;
even a low level of Cu impurity in the melt composition should also be avoided!

2 Salt treatment

Not needed when melting

3 Magnesium burnout

Normally melting loss of 0.05 % per fusion; compensation is needed if the total
magnesium content falls below 0.25 % and is achieved by adding Mg master alloy or
pure magnesium

4 Skimming

Needed after melting down

5 Temperature after melting down

Maximum of 780 C ( check temperature ! )

6 Degassing and refining the melts

Effective refining and fastest method using quick-running rotor for gas feeding,
7 10 l/min argon or nitrogen, 6 10 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times ( cooling ! )
Gas flushing tablet emitting nitrogen at a rate of 150 350 l nitrogen/kg ( bell
plunger procedure )

7 Skimming and grain refining

Only for Unifont-90 with granular microstructure, with a high proportion of returns:
after skimming, grain refining with TiB master alloy or tabletted fluxes on nucleation
states in excess of = 9, i. e. grain surface of less than 2.5 mm2

8 Modification with Sr

When using permanently modified ingots only if the strontium content has fallen
below 0.015 %; modify with AlSr master alloy, preferably one containing only 5 %
strontium

Sand casting with Na

With 0.03 0.04 vacuum-packed sodium or 0.2 0.3 exothermic modification tablets or 0.05 0.08 salt granulate ( details provided as % of charge weight )

Gravity die casting with Na

Thick-walled gravity die casting and gravity die casting with sand grains: with
0.015 0.025 vacuum-packed sodium or 0.1 0.2 exothermic modification tablets
or 0.05 0.2 salt granulate ( details provided as % of charge weight )
Thin-walled gravity die casting is only modified with sodium in rare cases

9 Refining and skimming

Gas treatment with rotor is the preferred option, e. g. using integrated melt processing while adding sodium-salt granulate and gas refining at the same time

10 Pouring temperature ( approx. values )

Varies depending on casting method, design, size and wall thickness of castings:

Sand casting

710 740 C

Gravity die casting

720 750 C

11 Gravity die temperature

300 400 C depending on casting

12 Heat treatment

Only if the cast is being used straight away: age at 100 120 C / 10 16 hours

75

Peraluman - 56 [ AlMg5Si ]
Sequence of work when producing castings from Peraluman-56
1 Melting down the ingots

As quickly as possible in efficient furnaces to keep Mg melting loss, oxidation and

gas absorption of melts low; even a low level of Cu impurity n the melt composition
should also be avoided

2 Salt treatment when melting down

Not needed when melting ingots; useful for avoiding oxidation when using small
returns

3 Magnesium burnout

Not important

4 Skimming

Needed after melting down !

5 Temperature after melting down

Normally maximum of 780 C ( check temperature ! )

6 Degassing and refining the melts

Needed !
Effective refining and fastest method using quick-running rotor for gas feeding,
7 10 l/min argon or nitrogen, 6 10 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times ( cooling ! )
Gas flushing tablets do not achieve the necessary effect !
Also vacuum treatment with nitrogen recirculation

7 Skimming after refining treatment

Complete skimming absolutely essential, if using salt, ensure a Na-free salt mixture

8 Grain refinement

Needed with grain refiner based on TiB: 0.15 0.30 % tabletted fluxes, 0.1 0.2 %
master alloy wire ( volume in relation to weight of melt )

9 Standing and skimming

Leave to stand for several minutes, then carefully skim

10 Pouring temperature ( approx. values )

Sand casting

700 740 C

Gravity die casting

710 770 C

11 Gravity die temperature

350 420 C, depending on casting

12 Solution heat treatment

Slowly heat up to 540 550 C, annealing time of 4 8 hours

The annealing times stated apply without a heating-up time

13 Cooling solution heat treatment

In water of around 20 C without a delay wherever possible

temperature
14 Delay time before artificial ageing

Maximum of 24 hours

15 Artificial ageing for artificial

160 170 C / 8 10 hours

hardening

76

Magsimal - 59 [ AlMg5Si2Mn ]
Sequence of work when producing high pressure die castings from Magsimal-59
1 Melting down the ingots

As quickly as possible in efficient furnaces to keep Mg melting loss, gas absorption

and oxidation of melts low; replenish preheated ingots and returns in small volumes
to avoid segregation; use refractory materials with a high clay content; avoid phosphorous and sodium absorption

2 Salt treatment

Prohibited ! There is a risk of Na being absorbed

3 Magnesium burnout

Normally melting loss of 0.1 % per fusion, correction not normally needed; if the Mg
content is significantly below 5.0 %, add pure magnesium of maximum 0.5 %

4 Skimming

Needed after melting down

5 Temperature after melting down

Maximum of 780 C ( check temperature ! )

6 Temperature in holding furnace

Do not allow to fall below 650 C and keep melt moving by means of:
convection
rotor ( impeller )
topping up melt
Do not use deep furnace with cover heating if melt is inactive !
Use refractory materials with a high clay content!

7 Degassing and refining the melts

Effective refining and fastest method using quick-running rotor for gas feeding,
7 10 l/min argon or nitrogen, 6 10 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times ( cooling ! )
Gas flushing tablets do not achieve the necessary effect !

8 Skimming

Careful skimming needed

Only totally Na-free salts may be used to reduce the metal content of skimmings!

9 Grain refining

Prohibited !

10 Modification

Prohibited ! The elongation achievable would be reduced considerably

11 Pouring temperature ( approx. values )

690 730 C, varies depending on design, size and wall thickness of high pressure
die castings

12 Casting tool temperature

160 220 C

13 Quenching castings after removal

Immediate quenching in water reduces the yield tensile strength and increases

from mould

elongation

14 Heat treatment

Normally none

15 stress-relief annealing

Only in special cases for T5 and O; if necessary, age T5 at up to 250 C and for up to
90 min, the yield tensile strength will increase and elongation decrease; if necessary,
age O at between 320 C and 380 C and for up to 90 min, the yield tensile strength
will decrease and elongation increase

77

Alufont - 52 [ AlCu4Ti ]
Sequence of work when producing castings from Alufont-52
1 Melting down the ingots

As quickly as possible in efficient furnaces to keep oxidation and gas absorption of

melts low; ensure as little Si as possible is absorbed in the melt composition!

2 Salt treatment when melting down

Not needed

3 Skimming

Needed after melting down

4 Temperature after melting down

Maximum of 800 C ( check temperature ! )

5 Degassing and refining the melts

Effective refining and fastest method using quick-running rotor for gas feeding,
7 10 l/min argon or nitrogen, 6 10 min
Gas flushing lance with fine porous head, needs longer treatment times ( cooling ! )
Gas flushing tablet emitting nitrogen at a rate of 150 350 l nitrogen/kg
( bell plunger procedure )

6 Standing and skimming

Leave to stand for around 10 minutes, then carefully skim

7 Grain refinement

Grain refiner based on TiB2: 0.15 0.30 % tabletted fluxes, 0.1 0.2 % master alloy
wire ( percentages by weight in relation to charge weight )

8 Standing and skimming

9 Pouring temperature ( approx. values )

Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes, then carefully skim

Varies depending on casting method, design, size and wall thickness of castings:

Sand casting

720 760 C

Gravity die casting

730 780 C

10 Gravity die temperature

300 450 C

11 Solution heat treatment

The annealing time does not include the heating-up time to reach annealing
temperature.
Thin-walled castings ( < 8 mm wall thickness ):
any but do not heat to 525 535 C too quickly;
hold for 8 10 hours; quench in water ( 20 50 C )
Thick-walled castings ( > 8 mm wall thickness ):
slowly heat up to 520 530 C; hold for 12 18 hours;
quench in water ( 20 50 C )
Very thick-walled castings ( > 20 mm wall thickness ) are solution heat treated
with stepped annealing

12 Stepped annealing

Slowly heat up to 490 C; hold for 4 6 hours; then heat up to 520 C; hold for
8 12 hours; quench in water ( 20 50 C )

13 Artificial and/or full artificial ageing

170 5 C / 6 7 hours; artificial and/or full artificial ageing produces high values for
ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength and hardness with average elongation; partial ageing on the other hand produces very high elongation with lower levels
of ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength and hardness

78

14 Partial ageing

140 5 C / 6 7 hours

15 Cooling after ageing

Any, typically in air

Technical information
This chapter details the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of the aluminium casting alloys
from RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS. They can be compared using tables.
Advice is also provided on how to work with our casting alloys in the melt process and how to gain
optimum pouring results.
Various stages of processing are gone into in depth:
Grain refinement
Modification
Quality of melt
Refining the melts
Melt testing
Artificial ageing, heat treatment and self-ageing
Heat treatment for high pressure die castings
Fatigue strength
Corrosion and corrosion protection
Producing welded designs
Welding high pressure die castings
Machining
This part of the manual has been updated by our customer support staff.
We consider this a very important part of the manual as it isn't just the quality of casting alloy used
which is key to successful applications, the right way of working before, during and after pouring is also
of great importance. More questions will certainly arise during your work and as new developments
enter the market. The RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS foundry specialists will happily answer these.

The mechanical properties listed on pages 82 and 83 are based on in-house measurements of our
alloys and most exceed the values stipulated in the EN 1706 European standard.
The mechanical values were measured for sand and gravity die castings on separately cast test pieces
and on test pieces taken from the castings; for high pressure die casting, values were only measured on
test pieces. The ranges of mechanical properties stated indicate the performance of the alloys and the
amount of scatter depending on material and pouring. The respective maximum value is for the designer's information. These values can also be reached in the casting or sub-areas with favourable casting
conditions and corresponding casting technology work. The figures provided in brackets are minimum
values in the casting with wall thicknesses of up to 20 mm. The properties of the aluminium casting
alloys are affected by metal impurity, especially by increased levels of iron.
The primary aluminium casting alloys supplied by RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS have an iron content of
less than 0.15 % unless higher Fe contents are needed. The analysis limits in the alloys we supply are

79

Technical
information

precisely defined in order to ensure good uniformity in the casting process and other properties.

Compositions
Alloys of a consistently high purity are key to producing high-

Brand name

Chemical
denomination

Anticorodal-04

AlSi0.5Mg

Anticorodal-50

AlSi5Mg

elements. The alloys which RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS supplies

Anticorodal-70

AlSi7Mg0.3

42 100

sometimes have narrower alloy component ranges and a lower

Anticorodal-78dv

AlSi7Mg0.3

42 100

content of impurity than stipulated in the standard. This ensures

Anticorodal-71

AlSi7Mg0.3

good uniformity in the casting process and other properties.

Anticorodal-72

AlSi7Mg0.6

42 200

Silafont-30

AlSi9Mg

43 300

European standard EN 1676 for alloyed aluminium in ingots

Silafont-36

AlSi9MgMn

43 500

applies.

Silafont-09

AlSi9

44 400

quality castings. The RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS quality system

Numerical
denomination

allows this level of purity to be met.

The main alloy components are printed in bold. Individual values
in the table are the maximum contents of alloy and accompanying

Silafont-13

AlSi11

Silafont-20

AlSi11Mg

44 000

Silafont-70

AlSi12CuNiMg

48 000

Silafont-90

AlSi17Cu4Mg

Castasil-37

AlSi9MnMoZr

Unifont-90

AlZn10Si8Mg

Unifont-94

AlZn10Si8Mg

advance ) or strontium ( permanently modified ) can be set rather

Castadur-30

AlZn3Mg3Cr

than the granular microstructure. This choice is indicated by the

Castadur-50

AlZn5Mg

denomination ( Na/Sr ) in the last column.

Peraluman-30

AlMg3

Peraluman-36

AlMg3Si

Peraluman-50

AlMg5

51 300

Peraluman-56

AlMg5Si

51 400

Magsimal-59

AlMg5Si2Mn

51 500

Alufont-47

AlCu4TiMg

21 000

Alufont-48

AlCu4TiMgAg

Alufont-52

AlCu4Ti

Alufont-60

AlCu5NiCoSbZr

Thermodur-72

AlMg7Si3Mn

Thermodur-73

AlSi11Cu2Ni2Mg2Mn

Rotoren-Al 99.7

Al99.7

Aluman-16

AlMn1.6

The numerical alloy denomination is based on the European

standard (EN). Alloys without these denominations are not
included in the EN.
Alloys with special compositions can be produced by agreement.
In the case of aluminium-silicon alloys, on request a modified microstructure with sodium ( modified subsequently or in

80

71 100

51 100

21 100

Composition
Si

Fe

Cu

Mn

Mg

Zn

Ti

0.3 0.6

0.8

0.01

0.01

0.3 0.6

0.07

0.01

5.0 6.0

0.15

0.02

0.10

0.4 0.8

0.10

0.20

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.02

0.10

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.18

other

( Na/Sr )

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.18

Sr

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.01

0.01

0.30 0.45

0.7

0.1

( Na/Sr )

6.5 7.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.50 0.70

0.07

0.18

( Na/Sr )

9.0 10.0

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.30 0.45

0.07

0.15

( Na/Sr )

9.5 11.5

0.15

0.03

0.5 0.8

0.1 0.5

0.07

0.15

Sr

9.5 10.6

0.4

0.02

0.4

0.05

0.10

0.10

10.0 13.5

0.15

0.02

0.05

0.05

0.07

0.15

( Na/Sr )

10. 11.

0.5

0.2

0.5

0.0 0.5

0.7

0.5

( Na/Sr )

11.0 13.5

0.15

0.8 1.3

0.05

0.9 1.3

0.10

0.10

0.8 1.3 Ni

16.0 18.0

0.3

4.0 5.0

0.15

0.5 0.6

0.10

0.20

8.510.5

0.15

0.05

0.350.6

0.06

0.07

0.15

0.1 0.3 Mo
0.1 0.3 Zr
Sr

8.5 9.3

0.15

0.03

0.10

0.3 0.5

9.0 10.0

0.15

( Na/Sr )

8.5 9.5

0.4

0.03

0.4

0.3 0.5

9.0 10.0

0.10

0.15

0.2

0.05

0.1 0.2

2.5 3.0

2.2 2.8

0.15

Be; 0.2 0.4 Cr

0.15

0.2

0.05

0.1 0.2

0.4 0.8

4.9 5.8

0.15

0.02 0.4 Cr

0.5

0..5

0.2

0.1 0.

2.7 3.

0.0

0.1 0.5

Be

0.9 1.3

0.15

0.02

0.01 0.4

2.7 3.5

0.10

0.01 0.15

Be

0.30

0.15

0.02

0.01 0.4

4.8 5.5

0.10

0.01 0.15

Be

0.9 1.3

0.15

0.02

0.01 0.4

4.8 5.5

0.10

0.01 0.15

Be

1.8 2.6

0.20

0.03

0.5 0.8

5.0 6.0

0.07

0.20

Be

0.15

0.15

4.2 5.0

0.10

0.20 0.35

0.07

0.15 0.25

0.05

0.10

4.0 5.0

0.01 0.5

0.15 0.35

0.05

0.15 0.35

0.15

0.15

4.2 5.2

0.01 0.5

0.03

0.07

0.15 0.25

0.20

0.30

4.5 5.2

0.1 0.3

0.10

0.10

0.15 0.30

1.3 1.7 Ni
0.10 0.40 Co
0.10 0.30 Zr/Sb

3.0 3.8

0.15

0.05

0.5 0.8

7.0 8.0

0.10

0.20

Be

10.0 11.8

0.15

1.8 2.3

0.4

1.8 2.3

0.10

0.10

0.20

0.25

0.01

0.02

0.02

0.07

0.02

0.15

0.90

0.03

1.4 1.6

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.4 1.0 Ag

1.8 2.3 Ni. Sr

Mn + Ti + V + Cr 0.02 %

81

Mechanical properties
Alloy
denomination

Chemical
denomination

Casting
process

0.2 % yield tensile

strength
Rp0.2
Treatment
N/mm2
state

Numerical
denomination
Anticorodal-04

AlSi0.5Mg

Anticorodal-50

AlSi5Mg

Anticorodal-70 42 100

Anticorodal-71

AlSi7Mg0.3

Anticorodal-72 42 200

Silafont-30

Silafont-36

Silafont-09

43 300

43 500

44 400

Silafont-13

Silafont-20

Silafont-70

Silafont-90

Castasil-37

82

AlSi7Mg0.3

44 000

48 000

AlSi7Mg0.6

AlSi9Mg

AlSi9MgMn

60 100 (50)

T7

160 180 (150)

80 120 (70)

T7

170 190 (150)

100 130 (90)

T4

T6

Ultimate tensile
strength
Rm
N/mm2
90 130

(80)

190 210 (180)

100 140

(90)

Elongation

Brinell hardness

A
%

HBW
5/250 30

15 20 (10)

35 40

(35)

(3)

70 75

(70)

18 22 (12)

40 45

(40)

(3)

70 80

(70)

35

Fatigue
resistance *
bw

N/mm

200 220 (190)

36

100 140

7 12

140 180 (130)

24

(1)

60 70

(55)

150 180 (120)

200 270 (150)

4 10

(2)

75 90

(70)

70 75

220 290 (160)

260 320 (180)

24

(1)

95 115 (85)

70 75

80 120

40 45
60 65

120 160 (100)

160 200 (140)

25

(1)

60 75

(60)

70 75

T4

160 190 (130)

210 270 (170)

5 10

(3)

75 90

(70)

80 85

T6

240 290 (180)

260 320 (190)

27

(1) 100 115 (90)

80 85

80 140 (80)

140 220 (140)

26

(2)

45 60

(45)

T64

120 170 (120)

200 270 (200)

4 10

(4)

60 80

(55)

T6

220 280 (200)

240 320 (240)

36

(2.5)

90 150 (90)

180 240 (180)

49

(2)

T64

180 200 (140)

250 270 (220)

8 12

T6

220 280 (200)

290 340 (250)

59

(3.5)

(5)

80 110 (80)
55 70

(50)

80 95

(80)

90 100

90 125 (90)

T7

160 200 (150)

220 250 (210)

24

(2)

70 80

(70)

T7

160 200 (150)

220 250 (210)

46

(3)

70 80

(70)

T6

220 280 (220)

250 320 (250)

12

(1)

90 110 (90)

T64

210 240 (150)

290 320 (230)

68

(3)

90 100 (90)

T6

240 280 (220)

320 350 (270)

46

80 140 (80)

160 220 (150)

26

(2)

50 70

T6

200 310 (180)

250 330 (220)

25

(2)

80 115 (75)

80 100

90 150 (90)

180 240 (180)

29

(2)

60 80

(60)

80 100

T64

180 210 (140)

250 290 (220)

6 10

(3)

80 90

(80)

(2)

(2.5) 100 115 (100)

(50)

90 110
110 115
65 75

T6

210 310 (190)

290 360 (240)

47

90 120 (90)

90 110

120 150

250 290

5 11

75 95

80 90

T5

155 245

275 340

49

80 110
60 75

T4

95 140

210 260

15 22

T6

210 280

290 340

7 12

90 110

T7

120 170

200 240

15 20

60 75

120 180

AlSi9

220 280

48

AlSi11

70 120 (70)

150 210 (150)

7 13

(6)

45 60

(45)

55 70

60 120 (60)

150 210 (150)

9 15

(8)

45 60

(45)

85 100

7 16

(6)

45 60

(45)

70 90

10 18 (10)

45 65

(45)

90 110

(50)

AlSi11Mg

AlSi12CuNiMg

AlSi17Cu4Mg

AlSi9MnMoZr

80 150 (80)

170 240 (160)

60 120 (60)

180 240 (160)

55 80

60 70

80 140 (70)

170 220 (170)

24

(1.5)

50 60

T6

120 300 (110)

200 320 (200)

13

(0.5)

65 120 (55)

90 120
80 100

80 130 (80)

180 230 (180)

3 16

(3)

55 75

T6

125 320 (120)

210 350 (210)

4 15

(3)

70 125 (70) 100 120

80 90

(55)

65 75

120 170 (110)

130 180 (120)

0.5 1.5 (0.5)

T6

200 300 (190)

220 300 (200)

0.3 1.0 (0.3) 130 160 (130)

(80)

75 85
95 105

T5

140 190 (140)

160 190 (160)

0.2 1.0 (0.2)

80 90

190 260 (180)

200 270 (190)

1.0 2.5 (0.5)

90 105 (90)

(80)

T6

320 390 (280)

350 400 (300)

0.5 2.0 (0.5) 135 160 (130) 100 110

T5

185 210 (150)

200 230 (180)

0.5 2.0 (0.5)

90 110 (90)

170 225 (160)

180 235 (170)

0.4 0.9 (0.3)

110 120 (110)

T5

160 225 (160)

165 230 (165)

0.4 0.8 (0.3) 105 115 (110)

T5

220 265

230 295

0.5 1.0

80 90

110 120

2 3 mm

120 150

260 300

10 14

60 75

3 5 mm

100 130

230 280

10 14

60 75

5 7 mm

80 110

200 250

10 14

60 75

80 95

Alloy
denomination

Chemical
denomination

Casting
process

0.2 % yield tensile

strength
Rp0.2
Treatment
N/mm2
state

Numerical
denomination
Unifont-90

71 100

Unifont-94
Castadur-30

AlZn10Si8Mg

Peraluman-56

Alufont-47

190 230 (170)

220 250 (180)

12

(1)

90 100 (90)

80 100

280 320 (230)

14

(1) 100 120 (95)

90 110

AlZn10Si8Mg

T1

230 280

300 350

14

105 120

70 90

AlZn3Mg3Cr

T1

140 160

260 290

10 20

75 85

AlZn5Mg

T1

160 200

220 280

5 10

AIMg3

70 100 (60)

170 190 (140)

48

(4)

50 60

(45)

70 80

T6

140 160 (110)

200 240 (160)

68

(5)

65 75

(60)

75 85

9 16

(6)

50 60

(50)

90 100

15 20 (12)

70 80

(70) 100 110

51 300

AIMg5

51 400

Alufont-48

Alufont-52

AlMg5Si

AlMg5Si2Mn

AlCu4MgTi

AICu4MgAgTi

21 100

Alufont-60
Thermodur-72

Thermodur-73

bw

N/mm

220 250 (220)

AIMg3Si

21 000

HBW
5/250 30

T1

51 100

51 500

A
%

Fatigue
resistance *

T1

70 100 (70)

170 210 (150)

T6

140 160 (110)

240 260 (180)

AlCu4Ti

AlCu5NiCoSbZr
AlMg7Si3Mn

AlSi11Mg2Cu2Ni2

Rotoren-Al 99.7R
Aluman-16

75 85

80 100 (70)

140 190 (130)

38

(3)

50 60

(45)

60 65

T6

160 220 (140)

220 280 (180)

28

(2)

70 90

(65)

75 80

70 100 (70)

160 210 (160)

6 14

(5)

50 65

(50)

70 80

T6

160 220 (150)

250 300 (220)

5 15

(5)

75 90

(75)

80 90
60 80

100 120 (90)

190 250 (170)

10 15

(8)

55 70

(50)

100 140 (100)

200 260 (180)

10 25

(8)

60 75

(55)

70 80

110 130 (100)

160 200 (140)

34

(2)

60 80

(55)

60 80

T6

110 160 (110)

180 220 (160)

34

(2)

70 80

(65)

70 90

110 150 (100)

180 240 (150)

35

(3)

65 85

(60)

70 80

3 18

(5)

75 85

(70)

70 90

K
Magsimal-59

Brinell hardness

Peraluman-36

Peraluman-50

Elongation

Castadur-50
Peraluman-30

Ultimate tensile
strength
Rm
N/mm2

T6

110 160 (110)

210 260 (200)

2 4 mm

160 220

310 340

4 6 mm

140 170

6 12 mm

120 145

T4

220 280 (180)

300 400 (240)

5 15

(3)

90 115 (85)

80 100

T6

240 350 (220)

350 420 (280)

3 10

(1)

95 125 (90)

80 100

95 115 (90) 100 110

12 18

> 80

250 320

9 14

> 80

220 260

8 12

> 70

T4

220 300 (200)

320 420 (280)

8 18

(5)

T6

260 380 (220)

350 440 (300)

3 12

(2) 100 130 (95) 100 110

T64

200 270 (180)

370 430 (320)

14 18

(7) 105 120 (100)

T6

410 450 (320)

460 510 (380)

37

(2) 130 150 (125)

T6

410 460 (340)

460 510 (440)

58

(3) 130 150 (130) 100 110

80 100

T64

210 240 (180)

300 360 (260)

8 15

(4)

90 100 (90)

80 100

T6

300 420 (280)

400 475 (350)

34

(2)

125 145 (120)

80 100

T64

210 250 (190)

360 400 (300)

T6

310 400 (300)

420 475 (400)

T7

145 165 (140)

180 220 (180)

1 1.5

(1)

85 95

(85)

90 100

160 180 (160)

180 200 (180)

1 1.5

(1)

80 90

(80)

90 100

20 C

300 C / 90 min

350 C / 90 min

380 C / 90 min

20 C

12 20 (10)
7 16

90 120 (90) 100 110

(4) 130 145 (130) 100 110

190 220

350 370

7 10

80 100

220 240

350 370

79

90 110

140 160

290 320

9 12

75 90

120 150

280 310

15 18

75 90

300

320

225 C / 500 h 1)

155

225 C / 500 h 1)

65

38

Al99.7

20 40

80 120

10 25

15 25

AlMn1.6

90 120

160 180

8 15

40 60

1)

Long-term aged and tested at ageing

The details relating to the casting

Treatment state

method use the following abbrevia-

As-cast state

T6

tions:

Annealed

T64 Partially aged

S Sand casting

T1

Self-aged

T7

K Gravity die casting

T4

Naturally aged

resistance details can be found in the

D High pressure die casting

T5

Stabilised

chapter on the fatigue strength of alumin-

Artificially aged
Overaged

temperature
* Important information relating to the fatigue

ium castings on page 111.

83

Physical properties
The details of physical properties relate to heat-treatable alloys in a heat-treated state.
They are heavily influenced by fluctuations in the alloy composition and the microstructure state.
This explains why some of the measurement ranges are so large. The details for the melt and solidification ranges take into account the initial signs of partial melting resulting from segregation in the
cast structure, which may occur in particular when heating up quickly at far below the theoretical
equilibrium temperature.

Brand name

Chemical
denomination

Density
( approximate value )

E module

kg/dm3

kN/mm2

Linear
thermal expansion
coefficient 20 200 C

Thermal conductivity
20 200 C

Anticorodal-04

AlSi0.5Mg

2.67

66 73

23

1.76 2.02

Anticorodal-50

AlSi5Mg

2.67

65 75

23

1.47 1.76

Anticorodal-70

AlSi7Mg0.3

2.66

69 75

22

1.43 1.72

Anticorodal-78dv AlSi7Mg0.3

2.66

69 75

22

1.43 1.72

Anticorodal-71

2.66

69 75

22

1.43 1.72

AlSi7Mg0.3

Anticorodal-72

AlSi7Mg0.6

2.66

71 75

22

1.43 1.72

Silafont-30

AlSi9Mg

2.65

74 83

21

1.39 1.68

Silafont-36

AlSi9MgMn

2.64

74 83

21

1.39 1.68

Silafont-09

AlSi9

2.65

62 78

21

1.39 1.68

Silafont-13

AlSi11

2.64

65 81

21

1.39 1.70

Silafont-20

AlSi11Mg

2.64

76 83

21

1.39 1.66

Silafont-70

AlSi12CuNiMg

2.68

77 83

21

1.17 1.55

Silafont-90

AlSi17Cu4Mg

2.73

77 83

18

1.17 1.34

Castasil-37

AlSi9MnMoZr

2.69

68 75

21

1.39 1.68

Unifont-90

AlZn10Si8Mg

2.85

74 80

21

1.17 1.34

Unifont-94

AlZn10Si8Mg

2.85

74 80

21

1.17 1.34

Castadur-30

AlZn3Mg3Cr

2.74

70 72

24

1.17 1.39

Castadur-50

AlZn5Mg

2.78

71 74

24

1.17 1.39

Peraluman-30

AlMg3

2.66

63 73

24

1.15 1.60

Peraluman-36

AlMg3Si

2.66

66 74

24

1.15 1.60

Peraluman-50

AlMg5

2.63

63 73

24

1.10 1.30

Peraluman-56

AlMg5Si

2.63

68 75

24

1.05 1.30

Magsimal-59

AlMg5Si2Mn

2.63

70 80

24

1.05 1.30

Alufont-47

AlCu4TiMg

2.75

65 72

23

1.15 1.40

Alufont-48

AlCu4TiMgAg

2.79

65 72

23

1.15 1.40

Alufont-52

AlCu4Ti

2.75

65 73

23

1.15 1.40

Alufont-60

AlCu5NiCoSbZr

2.84

72 76

22.5

1.18 1.55

Rotoren-Al 99.7 Al99.7

2.67

65 70

24

1.80 2.10

Aluman-16

2.73

65 72

24

1.35 1.60

84

AlMn1.6

Electrical conductivity

Linear shrinkage
Sand casting

Melt and
solidification range

m/( ! mm2 )

% IACS

Gravity die
casting
%

High pressure
die casting
%

29 31.5

50.0 54.0

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

0.5 0.7

600 650

21 26

36.0 45.0

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

550 625

21 26

36.0 45.0

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

550 625

21 26

36.0 45.0

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

550 625

27 29

46.5 50.0

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

550 625

21 26

36.0 45.0

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

550 625

21 26

36.0 45.0

1.0 1.1

0.7 1.0

550 600

19 24

36.0 45.0

0.4 0.6

550 590

19 23

36.0 45.0

0.4 0.6

550 595

21 27

36.0 46.5

1.0 1.1

0.7 1.0

565 585

21 26

36.0 45.0

1.0 1.1

0.7 1.0

565 585

16 22

27.5 38.0

1.0 1.1

0.7 1.0

0.4 0.6

545 600

14 17

24.0 29.5

0.6 0.8

0.4 0.6

0.3 0.5

510 650

16 22

27.5 38.0

0.4 0.6

550 595

17 20

29.5 34.5

17 20

29.5 34.5

17 20

29.5 34.5

1.0 1.4

18 21

31.0 36.0

1.0 1.4

1.1 1.2

0.8 1.1

550 650
0.5 0.8

0.7 1.1

550 650
555 650
555 655

16 23

27.5 40.0

1.1 1.5

0.8 1.2

560 650

15 23

26.0 40.0

1.1 1.5

0.8 1.2

560 650

15 21

26.0 36.0

1.0 1.4

0.7 1.1

545 645

14 21

24.0 36.0

1.0 1.4

0.7 1.1

545 645

14 16

24.0 27.5

17 20

29.5 34.5

1.3 1.5

0.8 1.2

540 650

17 20

29.5 34.5

1.3 1.5

0.8 1.2

525 645

0.8 1.2

540 650

0.6 1.1

580 618

17 20

29.5 34.5

1.3 1.5

18 21

31.0 36.0

1.3 1.5

34.5 36.5

59.5 63

1.5 1.8

1.0 1.4

655 660

20 26

34.5 45.0

1.2 1.5

0.8 1.2

645 660

545 650

85

Properties at low and high temperatures

Use at low temperatures
Unlike most iron-carbon alloys, aluminium alloys do not go brit-

One single form of measurement cannot record the various

tle even at low temperatures. Ultimate tensile strength, fatigue

influences with any accuracy. Brief measurements of mechanical

resistance and impact toughness increase steadily as the tem-

properties at elevated temperatures do not include time-depend-

perature falls while elongation generally decreases somewhat.

ent processes and therefore only have limited use as a design

basis. Even the more meaningful long-term measurements of the

Use at high temperatures

time yield limit and creep rupture strength do not allow an exact

Temperature- and time-dependent processes determine how

prediction of casting behaviour during operation. They may how-

aluminium alloy castings behave at high temperatures. Depending

ever be of some use to the designer.

on their initial state, dissolution and precipitation processes,

Reliable design bases are usually only obtained from a techno-

ageing or overageing and very slow slip phenomena in the micro-

logical test procedure. The properties of aluminium which also

structure ( creep ) all have a role to play.

make it suitable for use at high temperatures are only shown to

c
d

Ultimate tensile strength Rm [N/mm 2]

Elongation A [%]

a
b

Test temperature T [C]

Properties of various casting alloys at low temperatures

a Anticorodal-70

Gravity die casting

Artificially aged

AlSi7Mg0.3

T6

b Silafont-13

Sand casting

As-cast state

AlSi11

c Alufont-52

Gravity die casting

Partially aged at 150 C

AlCu4Ti

T64

d Peraluman-30

Gravity die casting

As-cast state

AlMg3

86

advantage under operating conditions: resistance to scaling, high

such as Silafont-70, Silafont-90, Alufont-57, Alufont-60 and

thermal conductivity and high heat storage capacity.

Thermodur-72/-73.

The thermal conductivity of aluminium alloys is three to four

Numerous examples of the successful use of aluminium alloys

times that of carbon steels and six to eight times that of heat-

in combustion engines ( pistons, cylinder heads, engine blocks )

resistant steels. This allows the alloys to absorb and discharge

prove that despite its low heat resistance measurements alu-

heat so fast that the aluminium part's own temperature can be

minium is also a useful design material for high-temperature

kept below critical values, even at a high surface temperature.

technology.

Rapid temperature equalisation within an aluminium part prevents

thermal stresses and the formation of cracks. Only a few of the
many aluminium casting alloys can be described as displaying
thermal resistance. They are mainly the higher alloy materials

a
b
c
d

0.2 % 24 h yield tensile strengthp0.2 24h [N/mm 2]

f
g

Test temperature T [C]

0,2 % 24 h time yield limit of various casting alloys depending on temperature ( gravity die casting )
e Silafont-09

High pressure die

casting state

AlSi9

T5

As-cast state

AlSi11

T4

g Peraluman-30 As-cast state

AlMg3

a Silafont-30

Artificially aged

AlSi9Mg T6

b Unifont-90

Self-aged

AlZn10Si8Mg

T1

c Silafont-70

Stabilised

AlSi12CuNiMg

d Alufont-57

Naturally aged

AlCu4NiMg

Silafont-13

87

As-cast state

Artificially aged at 170 C

0.16 % Fe

0.07 % Fe

Sand casting 20 mm

0.27 % Fe

Gravity die casting

25 mm

0.16 % Fe

Gravity die casting

5 mm

0.07 % Fe

R p0.2

Fracture toughness K c [N /mm 2 "m]

Rm

0.27 % Fe

Ageing time
2h
6h
16 h

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % hardness values Rp0,2 and ultimate tensile strength Rm

[N/mm 2]

Mechanical properties under various influences

Mg content [%]

Elongation A [%]
Fe content [%]

Fig. 3: Influence of Mg and Fe content on ultimate tensile strength and elongation

in artificially aged sand casting test pieces, 16mm diameter made from
Silafont-30, AlSi9Mg T6

88

Rm

R p0.2

Elongation A [%]

Ultimate tensile strength Rm

Elongation A

Ultimate tensile strength Rm [N/mm 2]

0.15 % Mg
0.25 % Mg
0.35 % Mg
0.45 % Mg

Fig. 2: Influence of iron content on fracture toughness for Silafont-30, AlSi9Mg as

strontium modified gravity die casting sample

0.2 % hardness values Rp0.2 and ultimate tensile strength Rm [N/mm 2]

Fig. 1: Influence on mechanical properties of magnesium content in various gravity

die castings made from Anticorodal-70, AlSi7Mg0.3 T6 with different wall
thicknesses. The castings were quenched in water immediately after solution heat treatment

Wall thickness [mm]

Fig. 4: Dependency of mechanical properties on wall thickness of artificially aged
sand castings made from Anticorodal-70, AlSi7Mg0.3 T6

Sand casting
As-cast state
Gravity die casting As-cast state

Type of microstructure:
lamellar

granular

0.2 % yield tensile strength Rp0.2 [N/mm2]

Sf-20

Ac-70

Sf-20

Ac-70

Sf-20

Ac-70

Sf-20

Ac-70

Electrical conductivity [m /!$ mm 2]

Magnesium
high

T5

Magnesium
low
T7

Sr-modified Na-modified

Fig. 5: Dependency of electrical conductivity on the structural modification of an

Anticorodal-70, AlSi7Mg0.3 and a Silafont-20, AlSi11Mg in as-cast state

T6

T4

Elongation A [%]
Fig. 6: Range of variation in mechanical values of high pressure die casting alloy
Silafont-36, AlSi9MgMn due to various heat treatment states and magnesium content

Other mechanical properties

Compressive strength

! dB # 1.5 Rm [N/mm2]

Offset yield strength

! d0.2 # 0.8 1.0 Rp0.2[N/mm2]

Shear strength

"B # 0.60 0.65 Rm [N/mm2]

Transverse strength

"sB # 0.6 0.8 Rm [N/mm2]

Contact pressure

p # 0.8 Rp0.2 [N/mm2]

applies to static strain; during dynamic loading

should be assumed from the fatigue resistance
Rigidity or shear modulus 1 = G # 0.385 elasticity modulus [N/mm2]
Torsional strength # Rm [N/mm2]
Twist boundary # 0.2 0.5 Rp0.2 [N/mm2]
Poisson ratio for component calculation following FEM: for gravity die casting = 0.32 0.36

89

Grain refinement
Effect of grain refinement

replenishing metal from filling the volume deficit resulting from

The purpose of grain refinement is to increase the number of

solidification ( Fig. 1 and 2 ). However the greater number of nuclei

nuclei in the melt and produce a finer formation of:

results in more smaller dendrites ( Fig. 3 ). The remaining melt,

aluminium solid solution, growth in dendrite form

which itself also still contains dendrites, produces a good internal

aluminium grain, comprising dendrites and remaining melt

feed in the casting thanks to the improved flow and die filling

eutectic aluminium-silicon grain

properties and reduces the shrinkage porosity and hot cracking

primary silicon in hypereutectic aluminium-silicon alloys.

tendency in the cast structure.

Impact of grain refinement

The greater number of nuclei in the melt produces many small

If growth of the named structural constituents is kept low, the

aluminium grains formed from dendrites. For heterogeneous AlSi

aluminium casting benefits from the following:

casting alloys, the smallest grain size is 200 500 m. For the

better internal feed in casting

homogeneous alloys, AICu, AlZn and AlMg, it is 100 m.

enhanced flow and die filling properties for melts

reduction in porosity in cast structure

The same applies to the eutectic grains of the AISi alloys. Small

reduced hot cracking tendency

grains produce the benefits stated above and also impact posi-

higher mechanical values

tively on the mechanical values, surface roughness when machin-

more economic machining

ing and lower grain-boundary precipitate which is required for

less grain-boundary precipitate and therefore greater ductility

ductile casting. After polishing, a fine grain lends the casting an

attractive decorative appearance

attractive decorative appearance, especially after anodic oxida-

improved surface corrosion resistance.

tion. Fine grains are essential for a casting's high surface corrosion resistance as corrosive damage is in fact notches in the

This positive influence of grain refinement results from the fact

casting surface.

that the aluminium solid solution, the dendrite, grows as the

casting solidifies from the cast surface into the heart of the
casting and in cases of large-scale and fast growth prevents the

Fig. 1: Dendrites growing vertically to the casting surface

Fig. 3: Refined dendrites

Fig. 2: Dendrites growing together

Fig. 4: Aluminium grains, made up of dendrites

90

Fig. 6: Silafont-30, eutectic AlSi grains

The reason for refining the primary silicon in the hypereutectic AISi alloys is not
just to ensure a small pseudo-hexagonal
silicon grain, but also a uniform distribution in the matrix (Fig. 7). Primary silicon
grains with an edge length of 20 50 m
are stipulated for the cylinder surfaces of
aluminium crankcases.
Fig. 5 top: Anticorodal-70, aluminium grains before grain refinement
Fig. 5 bottom: Anticorodal-70, aluminium grains after grain refinement

Fig. 7 left: Silafont-90, grain refinement of primary silicon using phosphorous, before grain refinement
Fig. 7 right: Silafont-90, grain refinement of primary silicon using phosphorous, after grain refinement

91

Grain refiner

Warning ! The best grain refinement for aluminium-silicon alloys is

The best grain refinement is achieved with the two double fluo-

achieved by additions before modification.

rides: potassium-titanium fluoride and potassium-boron fluoride.

Both salts are available pressed in tablets; one variant has an

Salt grain refining tablets should remain on the melt surface until

exothermic reaction. Both salts react in the melt and produce

the tablet edges have just started to melt or, for exothermic tab-

extremely small titanium-diboride nuclei ( TiB 2 ). After around

lets, until the igniting flame appears. The tablets are then plunged

20 minutes, this excellent nucleation abates and after 40 minutes

into the melt with a dry, paint coated perforated bell. If the tablets

grain refinement has to be repeated. This is of no significance to

react in too lively a manner, they should be added in portions.

sand casting because the melt doesn't stand for long periods.
If the melt is processed using a rotor, tablets are added to the
A considerably longer grain refinement effect is achieved with

melt using either a retainer or salt granulates though the vortex

titanium diboride nuclei from master alloys. The most common

which forms. In both cases, work can only be undertaken in

AlTiB master alloy contains 5 % titanium and 1 % boron; the mas-

crucibles with a capacity of more than 350 kg. 0.1 % or more

ter alloy containing 1.7 % titanium and 1.7 % boron is particularly

should be added in each case.

effective for casting alloys. The titanium diboride nuclei from the
master alloy are significantly coarser, agglomerate in the melt over

Grain refinement master alloys in the form of wire or granulates

time and segregate. The master alloys are added to the melt in

can be easily stirred into the melt. Ingot plates and/or sections

the form of ingot plates, wire, blanks or granulates.

and blanks must be dissolved in the melt in a circular motion

using a skimming ladle. If the melt is treated with the rotor, the

Titanium, used simply as an alloy element, has a grain refining

best approach is to add the master alloy just before the end of

effect in the casting alloy through the peritectic precipitation of

treatment. The amounts to be added are 0.02 0.05 %.

titanium aluminide ( TiAl3 ). Grain refinement starts at the peritectic point of 0.15 % titanium. Titanium carbide, another grain

To refine the grain of primary silicon, melt compounds which

refiner, is hardly ever used for casting alloys.

release phosphorous are added to the melt at temperatures in

excess of 780 C using the bell plunger. Phosphorous copper and

If AlSi casting alloys contain phosphorous, during the modifica-

aluminium ferrous phosphorous master alloys which dissolve

tion with sodium or strontium this forms phosphides, which refine

immediately when stirred in can be used at lower temperatures.

the eutectic grain in particular.

Depending on the primary silicon content in the hypereutectic

AlSi alloy, the additions to the melt make up 0.2 0.6 %.

The best grain refiner for primary silicon is phosphorous. This

is added in the form of phosphorous copper, aluminium ferrous

Gravity die castings which are very complicated and difficult to

phosphorous, and melt compounds which release phosphorous.

pour are often cast using ladle grain refinement. A wire section of
AlTiB master alloy is placed in the empty ladle and the melt

Grain refinement process

ladled. The gravity die can be cast after a very short waiting

Casting alloys from RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS are subject to long-

period.

term grain refinement during production to simplify the job of the

caster.

Grain refinement checks and monitoring

The processes used to check and monitor grain refinement are

As described in the melt testing chapter from page 102 onwards,

the nucleation state should be at least 9. By using returns or after
gas rotor refinement, nucleation in the melt abates and grain
refining has to be repeated to return the nucleation state back to
at least 9.

92

discussed in the melt testing chapter from page 102 onwards.

Modification
Cast structure

Influence of modification

With AlSi casting alloys, in modifications the eutectic silicon in an

Modification influences the following properties of AISi alloys:

alloy may appear granular, lamellar and modified ( Fig. 1 ).

Quality of melt
Internal feed

Granular, eutectic silicon forms a distinct break in the soft

Porosity

matrix given its coarse, edged structure. The material is

Hot cracking tendency

less ductile. The granular modification is stabilised using

Flow and die filling properties

phosphorous.

Length of eutectic Si particles

Mechanical properties

Lamellar, eutectic silicon may produce a more ductile material

Machinability with regard to tool wear and chip shape

but is hard to cast because of its sponge-like solidification and

therefore has a great tendency to form blowholes. The con-

Modification treatment involving sodium or strontium reduces the

nected centre line blowholes are particularly striking ( Fig. 2 ).

quality of melt, i. e. the low pressure density falls at 80 mbar ( Fig.

The lamellar microstructure is stabilised using antimony.

3 ). If the melt is left to stand, the low pressure density rises again
but the density level required for a good casting is only achieved

The modification produces a ductile material which is perfect

several hours later. The melt must therefore be degassed after

for casting. The modification is stabilised using sodium and

modification and this is best done with the rotor. The melting loss

strontium.

of the modification additions is low with treatment times of up to

10 minutes ( Fig. 4 ). As the casting is solidifying, modified melts

A granular microstructure can be changed by adding sodium or

produce shells which improve the internal feed and reduce poros-

strontium to the modification. A lamellar microstructure on the

ity and the hot cracking tendency even though the flow and die

other hand is not totally modified by the modifying element.

filling properties are worse.

The resultant structure is a mixture of both modifications.

This is why AlSi alloys should contain less than 30 ppm of anti-

Strontium addition at 780 C

150 ppm Sr

250 ppm
Standing time
Casting

Metal melted at 790 C

Minimum density
required

Start of melting

because of micro- and shrinkage porosity in the cast.

Low pressure density 80 mbar [g/cm3]

mony. The mixed microstructure is highly problematic for casters

Melt time [h]

Fig. 3: Quality of melt after modification

Start of casting

End of degassing

Start of degassing

Filling

Sodium content [ppm]

Fig. 1: Structural modification of AlSi eutectic: modified, lamellar, granular

Treatment time [min]

Fig. 2: Centre line shrinkage porosity in lamellar cast structure

Fig. 4: Sodium content before and after melt degassing using rotor for Silafont-30
AlSi9Mg

93

The average length of the eutectic silicon

particles is reduced by modification, but so

16 mm $
Diez test bar

is that of the intermetallic particles, most

20 mm $
Diez test bar

of which are iron compounds.

Unmodified

This is clearly shown in Fig. 5 using

Unmodified

unmodified and strontium modified gravity

Ultimate tensile strength

Rm [N/mm2]
granular
modified

Sand
150
210

Gravity die
180
240

Elongation
A [%]
Sand
5
12

Gravity die
6
13

increased by modification ( Tab. 1 ). The

Modified with Sr

Length [%m]

Length [%m]

The ultimate tensile strength and in particular the elongation in the casting is

Modified with Sr

Log of frequency

of the Anticorodal-70 alloy.

Log of frequency

die casting and sand casting test pieces

Fig. 5: Length of silicon and inter-metallic particles in unmodified and strontium-modified Anticorodal-70,
AlSi7Mg0.3

elongation and 0.2 % yield tensile strength

are affected in different ways. Modification
only raises the yield tensile strength
slightly. Modification has the greatest
impact on elongation if the iron content
is low (Fig. 6). Here a granular unmodified

Modified with strontium

alloy is compared with a strontium modified

with 0.03 % Fe.
Up to 100 % greater elongation can be
achieved through modification ! The influence of iron content on elongation is

Elongation A [ %]

one using T6 heat-treated Anticorodal-70

Unmodified

shown in Fig. 7.
Solidification time [s]
Fig. 6: Dependency of elongation on solidification time for Anticorodal-70 T6, unmodified and strontiummodified

Elongation A [%]

Fe = 0.03 %
Fe = 0.08 %
Fe = 0. 17 %

Solidification time [s]

Fig.8: Intermetallic SrSi phases in AlSi cast structure

94

Fig. 7: Dependency of elongation on iron content for Anticorodal-70 dv T6

Modifying element
The classic modifying element is sodium. It is added to the melt

Antimony is not a modifying element. If used in AlSi alloys at

either in a metallic form or as a granulate or tablet in a salt which

levels of 30 ppm or more, it will have a negative effect as the

then releases the sodium. Vacuum-packed sodium is available

lamellar cast structure which hampers casting is stabilised. The

in airtight aluminium cans containing portions of 12.5 100 g.

sodium and strontium modification is disrupted as antimony,

Sodium metal is also commercially available in various sized por-

sodium and strontium precipitate in the melt. Even magnesium is

tions, in airtight packs.

precipitated in an intermetallic phase if antimony is used and is

then no longer available for artificial ageing.

Loose salt, usually a mix of sodium chloride, potassium chloride

and sodium fluoride, is hardly ever used these days in aluminium

While strontium is a form of long-term modification, sodium modi-

foundries because the crucible walls are attacked by the salt

fication only lasts for a short period. It is quite significant after

melt. Instead salt mixtures, in pressed tablet or broken granulate

around 30 minutes but has totally abated after 2 hours when

form, are commonly used for modification. Modification tablets

additional modification is needed ( Fig. 9 ). To maintain sodium

with aluminium casting and/or magnesium chips with an exother-

modification, the caster often uses permablocks, which are

mal reaction have become very popular. The sodium is released

melted blocks of salt or salt blanks. These are placed on the bath

very quickly from the tablet, a major improvement on tablets

surface of the melt ( Fig. 10 ). One 500 g block should be added

without an exothermal reaction where there is a greater risk of

per m2 bath area.

local overmodification in the melt.

New on the market are salt mixture granulates which are added
to the melt surface without releasing dust to the surroundings.

Modification with strontium, also known as permanent modification, offers the benefits of a higher melt and vaporisation point
over sodium ( Tab. 2 on page 96 ). The metal loss from strontium
is therefore lower and the melts have a lower oxide content. The
pouring stream has a thinner skin of oxide around it and the melt
absorbs less gas and oxides when filling the die. Strontium metal
is rarely used for modification in foundries. AlSr master alloys
with 3, 5 and 10 % strontium are preferred. Master alloys with
a higher strontium content contain intermetallic aluminium and

Sodium and strontium content [ppm]

These are popular for adding to the vortex during rotor treatment.

strontium compounds which have no modifying effect. These are

Na

Standing time [min]

high-melting and remain as a separate brittle phase in the soft

cast structure matrix ( Fig. 8 ). The 3 % master alloy is the best

Sr

Fig. 9: Sodium and strontium melting loss in Silafont-13

way of adding strontium for modification. SrAI master alloy with

90 % Sr and 10 % Al packed in aluminium cans has a low melt
point of 580 C and reacts exothermally in the melt at tempera-

Strontium modification has not only penetrated the world of gravity die casting but also sand and high pressure die casting. When
sand casting, the water content of the bentonite-bound foundry
sand should not exceed 3 % because otherwise the strontiummodified alloys will absorb more hydrogen. The various ben-

Sodium content [ppm]

tures of 650 700 C.

With permablock
Without
permablock

tonites also display different water vapour characteristics when

flowing into the melt. In addition, the Sr content must not exceed
250 ppm.

Standing time [min]

Fig. 10: Compensation of sodium melting loss using a permablock

95

Modification process

paint coated perforated bell. The bell must be moved to prevent

RHEINFELDEN ALLOYS supplies AlSi alloys with granular

local overmodification in the melt. If the tablets react in too lively

eutectic or AlSi eutectic pre-modified or partly modified with

a manner, they should be added in portions. This is a proven way

sodium and permanently modified with strontium.

of preventing local overmodification.

Although a lot of sodium is lost when melting down the ingots

If the melt is processed using a rotor, tablets are added to the

containing sodium, with a little subsequent modification the

melt using a retainer or granulate though the vortex which forms.

caster obtains a well modified cast structure without the risk of

The rotor quickly and uniformly distributes the sodium released

overmodification. A Na content of more than 20 ppm is sufficient

into the melt. As working with a retainer results in the melt

for modification with gravity die casting if the melt has been

temperature dropping, the retainer should only be used for melt

pre-modified.

volumes of 350 kg or more; the impeller which also produces

a vortex requires a slightly emptier crucible. The modification

As described in the chapter on melt testing on page 102

tablets available on the market feature very different volumes of

onwards, a good modification can be obtained with depressions

sodium which means that depending on the type of tablet and

and/or modification levels of 4 6 K. Due to the slower solidifi-

silicon content of the alloy, additional volumes of 0.1 0.4 % are

cation, sand castings need higher depressions than gravity die

used for sand casting; half this volume is added for gravity die

castings.

casting. 0.1 0.3 % should be added in granulate form.

Metallic, vacuum-packed sodium cannot be plunged straight

Metallic strontium, packed in aluminium foil, should be added

into the bath because of the poor distribution of sodium. A small

to the melt using a bell plunger and stirred continuously. If local

amount of modification salt is sprinkled onto the melt surface

overmodification occurs in the melt despite you doing this, it

and the caster waits for the salt to start to melt. Only then is

will not have as negative an impact as sodium overmodification.

the sodium added to the salt and both are plunged into the melt

Modification with AlSr master alloys does not reduce the melt

using the dry, paint coated perforated bell. Good stirring is impor-

quality as much as shown in Fig. 3 on page 93. It is important

tant for preventing local overmodification.

to know that the yield of the modifying strontium in the melt is

Depending on the silicon content of the alloys, for sand casting

considerably less marked with a master alloy strontium content of

0.01 0.04 % should be added; half this amount is sufficient for

more than 10 %. One exception to this is the SrAl alloy with 90 %

gravity die casting.

Sr and 10 % Al because this has a low melt point of 580 C and

reacts exothermally in the melt. It does not have to be added to

The modification salt is spread over the melt surface and quickly

the melt with a bell plunger. Placing the master alloy on the melt

stirred into the melt once it starts to sinter. This is best done by

is very often sufficient.

stirring in figures of eight. Since the modification salt will attack

the crucible, it should be checked for cracks. Depending on the

Depending on the silicon content of the AlSi alloys, the contents

silicon content of the alloy, for sand casting 0.4 1.5 % should be

of the modifying strontium in the melt are:

added; half this amount is sufficient for gravity die casting.

High pressure die casting

60 120 ppm

Gravity die casting

80 200 ppm

Salts pressed into tablets do not attack the crucible. The tablets

Sand casting

70 150 ppm

should remain on the melt surface until the tablet edges have just

This is clearly shown in Fig. 11.

started to melt or, for exothermic tablets, until the igniting flame
appears. The tablets are then plunged into the melt with a dry,

Eutectic temperatures of AlSi casting alloys

Sodium
Melt point
Vaporisation point

Strontium
98 C
883 C

Melt point
Vaporisation point

Tab. 2: Melt and vaporisation points of sodium and strontium metal

96

769 C
1384 C

Anticorodal-70

573.0 C

Silafont-30

574.0 C

Anticorodal-72

572.0 C

Silafont-13

577.5 C

Unifont-90

562.0 C

Silafont-20

576.0 C

Tab. 3: Eutectic temperatures

Even local sodium overmodification in the melt starts to affect

Overmodification
Overmodification of AlSi alloys using sodium and strontium

the melt quality and impairs the internal feed in the casting. Once

results from adding too large an amount or too concentrated an

overmodification has occurred it cannot be reversed. The inter-

amount and distributing the modifying element too slowly in the

metallic phases of sodium, iron and titanium are retained. They

melt which produces local overmodification. Overmodification as

result in local accumulations of intermetallic plates containing

a result of dosing errors can be avoided by following the dosing

iron ( Fig. 13 ). The poor melt quality produced locally may remain

requirements. Local overmodification in the melt can be avoided

in what is otherwise a healthy melt and result in the formation of

by quickly distributing the modifying agent throughout the melt

pores just below the casting surface in casting areas which form

volume.

in horizontal layers at the top of the die. After casting the pores

Overmodification from sodium produces a very poor melt qual-

cannot be seen but they emerge once the casting is blasted or

ity and defective casting. Overmodification from strontium has

machined ( Fig. 14 ).

little impact on the melt and casting quality. Overmodification

starts from around 120 ppm sodium in the melt and involves high

Checking and monitoring modification

gas absorption and a high tendency for blowholes to form in the

The processes involved in checking and monitoring modification

melt. Overmodified melts have to be rejected. Replenishing with

are detailed in the melt testing chapter from page 103 onwards.

unmodified metal will not resolve the defect. Overmodification

produces strips of remaining melt in the cast structure along the
eutectic grains, containing iron and titanium needles as well as
the recently formed intermetallic phase which contains sodium

4.1 K/s
0.8 K/s

0.6 K/s

unmodified

partially
modified

modified

( Fig. 12 ).

Strontium content [ppm]

Fig. 11: Strontium content required to reach the degrees of modification for Anticorodal-70 castings solidified at different speeds

Fig. 13: Accumulation of intermetallic, plate-like phases containing iron in overmodified AlSi12

Fig. 12: Strands of overmodification in AlSi12

Fig. 14: Casting pores, exposed by surface blasting the casting

97

Causes of poor melt quality

which result in casting defects
Improper actions during the production and transport of melts

to the melt capacity. This also applies to electrically resistance-

reduce the melt quality. Casting defects such as entrapped

heated casting furnaces which are only designed as holding

oxides, gas porosity, shrinkage porosity and macro blowholes can

furnaces.

often be explained by such actions.

Depending on the alloy's "segregation factor", plate-shaped crystals containing iron may also form and interrupt the homogene-

Sources of defects include:

ous cast structure ( Fig. 2 ). They upset the powerflow in the cast

1. Melting down too slowly

structure. The lines of force are deflected at the plate edges and

2. Replenishing with cold metal

form peaks in tension, which greatly reduce the elongation and

3. Touching the flame with thin-walled returns

result in early micro-cracks if the casting is subject to dynamic

4. High temperature of melt

loading. The solid solution plates containing iron also prevent

5. Inappropriate furnace maintenance

internal feeding in the casting.

6. Poor furnace maintenance

7. Reacting with the crucible

2. Replenishing with cold ingots and returns results in local

8. Incorrect melt processing

undercooling in the melt as a result of which oxide skins of

9. Turbulent transport of melt

the ingots and returns do not separate perfectly from the melt.
Segregations occur and manganese aids the precipitation of

1. If ingots and returns are melted down too slowly, the pasty

hard crystals. Fissured to compact, hexagonal AlFeMnSi crystals

phase between liquid and solid lasts too long. The oxides of

10 100 m in size form in alloys with a higher Fe content. The

aluminium and the alloy elements produced in such conditions

micro hardness of these crystals is 200 750 ( Fig. 3 ), or more

cannot be cleanly separated from what has already melted, most

for compact crystals.

remains in the melt and forms oxide skin cocoons in the melt
( Fig. 1 ). The metal loss increases significantly. The pasty state

3. Small scaly returns oxidise in a lively manner if they come

should therefore be avoided. The pasty phase lasts for relatively

into contact with the melt flame. The oxide skins formed in the

long periods in overfilled furnaces where use is not adapted

process accumulate like balls ( Fig. 4 ). Oxides in this closed form

remain stubbornly bound internally to the melt. The oxides can
only be removed from the melt once the oxide skin can be torn
off through the addition of melt fluxes. The salts are added as
required by the circumstances in the form of fine, or preferably
coarse, granulate. If the machining chips or high pressure die
casting flashes cannot be melted down in appropriate furnaces,
this task should be assigned to a refinery.
4. Temperatures in excess of 800 C greatly damage the aluminium melt. The absorption of hydrogen and formation of oxide

Fig. 1: Oxide skin cocoons

Fig. 2: Precipitated AlFeSi plates

98

Fig. 3: Compact AlMnFeSi precipitation

increase quickly at high temperatures, especially if the air humidity in the vicinity of the melt furnace or transport crucible is high.

8. Over-lively bath movement when degassing the melt must be

Because of the change in solubility of hydrogen when moving

avoided. The bubbles of refinement gas rising to the surface must

from a liquid to a solid state, undesirable gas traps form in the

not draw the oxide-rich surface of the bath into the melt. Melts

casting, mainly on the oxides acting as nuclei (Fig. 2 in refinement

may however also be ruined by improper grain refinement and

chapter ). Containers and dies in direct contact with the melt must

modification, as is reported in the chapters on grain refinement

be heated up separately, to melt temperature wherever possible.

from page 90 onwards and modification from page 93 onwards.

Delays should be avoided in transporting and processing the melt.

If using paint coated tools and insulation, even when decanting,

9. When transferring aluminium melts, turbulence must not

the melt does not have to be heated so much. Reactions with

develop in the pouring stream. It must be a laminar and closed

refractory materials are also less likely.

stream. Free falling should be avoided through the use of suitable

channel or pipe systems. Turbulent metal flows don't just entrain

5. Refractory furnace lining not suitable for aluminium melts will

air with them but also the constantly reforming oxide pipe of the

react with the melt. The reaction products contaminate the melt

melt. The low pressure density sample ( Fig. 1 in the melt testing

( Fig. 5 ); the furnace liner is penetrated. The amphoteric behaviour

chapter ) demonstrates how improper transfer impairs the qual-

of aluminium should be taken into account when selecting refrac-

ity of the melt. A melt with a density of 2.65 g/cm3 was poured

tory materials. Materials with an Al2O3 content of more than 85 %

from the furnace straight into a ladle; the height of the drop was

have proven their value in such circumstances. Preference should

2.10 m. After this turbulent transfer, the melt in the ladle had a

also be given to particularly dense refractory materials, especially

density of just 2.43 g/cm3. After using a calculated pipe system

if they come into contact with AlMgSi melts, as virtually no infil-

to decant, the melt quality in the ladle rose again to a density of

tration will then occur.

2.55 g/cm3.

6. Furnaces which are not kept clean allow oxides to crystallise

( Fig. 6 ) and deposits to form e. g. from corundum ( Al2O3 ), periclase ( MgO ), spinel ( MgAl2O4 ), oxide hydrate ( OAlOH ), zirconium
oxide ( ZrO2 ) or quartz ( SiO2 ). Melt temperatures of 700 C in the
furnace with a normal supply of air will after 25 hours result in the
formation of corundum nuclei, at 800 C this will happen after
just 7 hours. These hard inclusions are only avoided through a
shorter furnace cleaning interval.
7. In order to rule out the possibility of reactions between the
melt/holding crucible and aluminium melt, we would recommend
annealing it for several hours at 800 C before use. This applies
equally to clay-graphite crucibles and silicon-carbide crucibles.
The reaction products formed in the melt during improper handling result in what are known as "black inclusions" in the cast
structure.

Fig. 5: Reaction bubble with oxide skin cluster

Fig. 4: Accumulated oxide skins, ball of oxide

Fig. 6: Crystallised oxides

99

Refining aluminium casting alloy melts

Melt impurities
All the mistakes which can be made when melting down ingots and returns, transporting
and decanting melts and processing melts lead to a poor melt quality as a result of oxides
and a high hydrogen content. Refer to section from page 98 onwards: Causes of poor
melt quality which result in casting defects.
A distinction should be made between three kinds of oxides ( Fig. 1 ): compact oxide,
flaked oxide, oxide skins. Compact and flaked oxides can be removed from the aluminium melt with relative ease; this is not the case with oxide skins. These are microoxides
which only become apparent on the microsection and float in the melt in their various
sizes.
Hydrogen occurs in aluminium casting alloy melts in two forms: as hydrogen atomically
dissolved in the melt and as a molecularly precipitated gas, usually in close association
with microoxides ( Fig. 2 ).
Process for refining melt
Coarse oxides are generally easier to remove from the melt and this can be done using
filters or by flushing. A salt mixture of pressed gas flushing tablets is used to refine
melts in individual applications. The tablets are placed on the base of the crucible using
a dry, paint coated perforated bell. They release nitrogen when in a nuclear state and
release no smoke or odours. 1 kg tablets used at melt temperatures of around 720 C
will produce between 150 and 350 l of nitrogen.
Ceramic foam filters have proved to be a good solution especially in high pressure die
casting foundries which remelt in a closed loop. The filter captures all kinds of oxides
( Fig. 3 ) and therefore also the majority of the hydrogen. After use the filter has to be
heated continually to prevent the melt solidifying in the filter's pore cells. A quadratic
ceramic foam filter with an edge length of 450 mm can refine around 20 t of melt. The
same ceramic foam filters but of a smaller size are used by casters in the tip system with
sand and gravity die casting.
The molecularly precipitated hydrogen remains stubbornly in the melt if it has attached
itself to microoxides. Removing this hydrogen means removing all the microoxides. Melt
processing tablets containing oxide-binding salts are used for this purpose.

Fig. 1: Different types of oxide ( from top ):

compact oxide;
flaky oxide;
oxide skin;
oxide skin with gas bubble
Fig. 2: Accumulation of oxide skins with gas bubble inclusions

100

Melt refining with a gas flushing lance can be used with inert

finely distributed hydrogen porosity in order to avoid coarse blow-

gases such as argon and nitrogen, or in combination with suitable

holes and shrinkage pores.

degas treatment with reactive gases such as chlorine. Gas mix-

Specifically added nano-structured oxides also act in the same

tures of inert and reactive gases are also used here. It is impor-

way. As there are so many nuclei, they bring about the precipita-

tant that the gases are added to the melt in a finely distributed

tion of fine hydrogen gas pores.

form. The end of the lance must therefore feature a fine porosity
head. This gas treatment process takes a very long time and

Refining modified melts

cools the melt a lot.

Only short-term gas flushing treatment is permitted to prevent

sodium and strontium burnout in modified melts. Tabletted fluxes

Refining melts using low pressure and/or vacuum degassing

emitting only nitrogen have proven a good solution; modified

involves no magnesium or strontium burnout and keeps the

melts refined using ceramic foam filters are only sufficiently

loss of sodium within a reasonable range. Reducing pressure to

refined of oxides. The best way of refining modified melts cur-

1 3 mbar has the effect of greatly reducing the partial hydro-

rently in use is a process involving an effective gas rotor, see the

gen pressure on the surface of the bath such that the dissolved

chapter on modification from page 92 onwards. The low pres-

hydrogen escapes from the melt very quickly. The low pressure on

sure degassing does however produce very low gas contents for

the surface of the bath is not present in the melt because of met-

modified melts.

allostatic pressure. The pressure at 10 cm below the surface of

the bath is 25 mbar. The melt must therefore be circulated with a
gas flushing lance to ensure that all the metal comes into contact
with the surface of the bath. Some of the microoxides are also
removed. The low pressure equipment is usually heated because
melt processing may take 5 30 minutes.
The inert gases argon or nitrogen also cause dissolved hydrogen
to be physically removed from the melt through the reduction in
partial pressure.
The combined removal of oxide and hydrogen from melts using
gas rotors is now the most effective, environmentally sound and
fastest method. This process involves a graphite rotor adapted
to the crucible size drawing the inert gases as low as possible in
the full melt crucible. The high level of rotation causes the rotor

Fig. 3: Foam ceramic filter; black = ceramic

flowing from left to right

to pulverise the gas flow into small bubbles and at the same time
distribute the rising bubbles over the crucible width.

without
rotor treatment

The rule of thumb for effective refinement is:

0.216

speed of rotor rotation = 500 600 rpm

0.218

treatment time = 6 10 minutes

If argon or nitrogen is being used, the waterfree variant ( Quality

5.3 ) must be ensured. The level of melt refinement achievable is
greatly affected by the rotor and gas quality. Reduced treatment
times can be used such that the crucible does not have to be
heated. The melt can also be refined in a continuous process with
the rotor ( Fig. 4 ).
Gravity die casters also use forming gas, comprising 70 % argon

Hydrogen content [ml/100 g]

with 7 10 I/hour of argon or nitrogen for 600 kg of melt.

with
rotor treatment
0.087

untreated

0.091

0.087

treated

and 30 % hydrogen, as the flushing gas if the casting needs a

Fig. 4: Effect of a rotor in the continuous refinement process

101

Melt testing
The melt quality must be perfect for an immaculate casting.

Fig. 2 shows the dependency of the pore volume in the casting

The density index, nucleation state, degree of modification of AISi

on the low pressure density. This also takes account of the solidi-

alloys and gas content provide evidence of the melt quality. The

fication time.

density index can be calculated using the low pressure density

The influence of solidification time on pore volume in the cast

measurement and the nucleation state and degree of modifica-

structure for different low pressure densities can be seen in Fig.

tion from the thermal analysis. The gas content is measured

3. This shows that at a very low negative pressure density, a high

using the aluminium melt tester. These tests can be used for

speed of solidification has virtually no impact on producing a

every casting to quickly ascertain the melt quality needed for a

lower pore volume in the cast structure. Fig. 3 on page 93 in the

healthy casting.

chapter on modification shows how the melt quality is reduced by

modification.

Calculating low pressure density

This test method involves a melt of around 80 g being solidified in

Thermal analysis

a paint coated iron crucible in a vacuum chamber with low pres-

Testing the melt's low pressure density alone is not enough to

sure of 80 mbar. The time it takes the sample to solidify depends

ensure that a healthy, dense casting is being poured.

on the alloy but will be around 4 minutes. A sample from the

A good low density index provides no clues as to the growth of

same melt is solidified in parallel at atmospheric pressure. The

aluminium solid solutions, i.e. dendrites. Despite having a good

density of both samples is calculated using Archimedes' principle.

density index, it is possible for dendrites to be growing too fast

The impact of pressure on the microstructure of the density sam-

and for this to result in leaks in the thin wall thicknesses of the

ple can be clearly seen in Fig. 1 using a melt of Anticorodal-70 dv

casting. The thermal analysis provides information on the nuclea-

with strontium modification.

tion state of the melt, especially growth of the primary crystals,

The sample which solidified under atmospheric pressure has a

the dendrites.

considerably more dense cast structure and therefore a greater

density of 2.62 g/cm3. On the other hand the sample which solidi-

Monitoring grain refinement

fied at less than 80 mbar displays a fluffy, porous microstructure

The progression of primary crystals provides evidence of the

and a lower density of

2.35 g/cm3.

The density index is 10.3 %

and is calculated using this formula:

grain size which the computer in the thermal analysis device

calls the nucleation state (KF). Fig. 4 shows flat progression of
primary crystals with a high nucleation state of KF = 13.5. The

DI [%] = #1000 mbar #80 mbar 100

#1000 mbar

primary crystals in the second diagram in the same figure have a

much more distinct progression and a lower nucleation state of
KF = 9.4.

Experience has shown that the following minimum

In order to avoid volume deficits in the casting, the nucleation

values are needed for the 80-mbar low pressure density

state KF should be above 9.

for the alloy groups if you are to obtain a good casting:

The maximum grain refinement values are recorded in the table

AISi alloys

2.55 g/cm3

AICu alloys

2.65 g/cm3

AIMg alloys

2.55 g/cm3

Sf-13, Sf-20

= 14.1

AIZnSi alloys

2.75 g/cm3

Sf-30

= 14.9

AISiCu alloys

2.65 g/cm3

Uf-90

= 13.4

Ac-70, Ac-71, Ac-72, Ac-78 dv

= 15.7

below:

The density index of 10.3 % is too high to pour a casting with a

healthy microstructure. Every casting has its own optimum density index. Experience shows that the average density index
should not exceed 4 %. Some challenging castings require higher
80-mbar low pressure density values for a healthy casting.

Fig. 1: Cut-open samples from a low pressure density test using Anticorodal-70 dv

102

Since the nucleation state and degree of modification are contradictory, you should not
Solidification time t E
t E = 350 s
t E = 100 s
t E = 40 s

aim for the highest possible nucleation state to ensure good modification of the casting.
There is no point in adding more grain refiner to the melt if the maximum grain refinement values stated have already been reached. Not only is this a waste of money, but it
will impair the modification, the microstructure and therefore the mechanical properties.
The nucleation states listed are values from the computer in the EMTEC thermal analy-

Pore volume [%]

sis equipment, most commonly found in aluminium foundries. A characteristic curve is

entered in the computer for classification of grain size and this may differ when using
other types of equipment; e. g. a nucleation state of KF 9 has a grain surface of 2.5 mm2.
Monitoring modification
Density at 80 mbar [g/cm3]

Fig. 2: Dependency of pore volume in casting structure

on low pressure density at 80 mbar

A thermal analysis is a good way of monitoring Na modification in AlSi melts. The analysis measures undercooling, i.e. the difference in temperature between the eutectic temperature of the unmodified melt (see Tab. 3 on page 96 ) and the eutectic temperature
of the modified melt. This difference in temperature is known as depression. We have

1.99 g/cm3,

Sr

found that a depression of between 4 and 6 K ensures good modification. Due to the
slower solidification, sand castings need higher depressions than gravity die castings.
However the depression for sand castings with wall thicknesses of more than 40 mm
should not exceed 5 K as a porous cast structure may otherwise result. As mentioned in

2.28 g/cm3, Sr

Pore volume [%]

2.42 g/cm3, Sr
2.69 g/cm3,

Sr

the section on grain refinement, depression, also known as the degree of modification,
is the opposite of nucleation state. A very high level of modification reduces the nucleation state which must not fall below 9 or the initial signs of micro and macro shrinkage
porosities may result.

2.59 g/cm3, Na

Aluminium melt tester

Using an aluminium melt tester involves solidifying around 80 g of melt at an increasingly
Solidification time [s]

Fig. 3: Dependency of pore volume in cast structure

on solidification time for melts with different
low pressure densities

low pressure in a vacuum flask with sight glass. The emergence of the first bubbles on
the surface of the sample is recorded in modern equipment with a camera. Pressure and
temperature are recorded and the gas and/or hydrogen content of the melt calculated
from these figures. Sand casters and gravity die casters in particular use the aluminium
melt tester to set the hydrogen level which the casting needs for a healthy cast
structure.
Melt testing using flow through filter
The flow volume or the time it takes for a particular volume to pass through a filter can
be used to test casting alloys. A coarse filter, such as " Qualiflash ", will only provide
insufficiently accurate quality levels. A fine filter with pressure support on the melt surface, as is offered by e.g. " PoDFA ", records a grain refinement nucleus as an impurity
impacting on throughflow and is not therefore commonly used.

Fig. 4: Print-outs from thermal analysis

103

Artificial ageing
Heat treatment for special purposes
Self-ageing
Preface

temperature falls. If the melt is rapidly cooled from a high solution

The mechanical properties of most aluminium casting alloys can

heat treatment temperature by quenching, the structural constitu-

be greatly enhanced as required by the caster using heat treat-

ent dissolved in the solid solution cannot be precipitated. The

ment. The type of process used is determined by the intended

solid solution supersaturated in this way tries to precipitate this

effect and depends on casting alloy, casting method and solidifi-

constituent again during ageing and to approach an equilibrium.

cation time.
Artificial ageing can be repeated, starting with solution heat
The following casting states can be achieved from the most

treatment for a shorter period of 4 hours. If repeated several

important type of heat treatment, artificial ageing:

times, there is a risk of the grains coarsening. If this happens, the

artificially aged ( T6 )

mechanical properties of the casting become sub-optimum.

partially aged ( T64 )

naturally aged ( T4 )

Solution heat treatment

Solution heat treatment causes a greater number of ageing con-

This treatment always consists of solution heat treatment and

stituents of the alloy to dissolve than is the case with an equilib-

quenching; the subsequent ageing process then either takes

rium at room temperature. In AlSi alloys the eutectic silicon also

place in heat or at room temperature depending on the desired

transforms into a globular shape. Temperature and time must be

state. A distinction is made between full and partial ageing

coordinated and the size of structural constituents determined by

depending on the ageing temperature and time chosen. No fur-

the casting's solidification time must be taken into account.

ther heat treatment is required after solution heat treatment and

quenching when using natural ageing. The castings age at room

The annealing temperature should be as high as possible

temperature.

because solubility and speed of diffusion increase sharply with

temperature. In practice it is around 10 15 C below the melt

Other heat treatment methods for castings include:

temperature for low-melting structural constituents. The tempera-

annealing

ture must be kept at a level of at least 5 C precisely.

stress-relief annealing
stabilising

The table on page 105 contains approximate values for the heat

artificial ageing

treatment of our casting alloys.

overageing
The temperature should be slowly raised during solution heat
Self-ageing alloys are alloys where the composition is con-

treatment to remove the grain precipitation by means of diffusion.

sciously chosen so that simply storing the castings without any

Otherwise there is a risk of the grains starting to melt. We would

kind of heat treatment will result in a considerable increase in

therefore recommend stepped annealing for thick-walled sand

hardness and strength.

castings made from Alufont: 4 6 h at 490 C, followed by 8 12 h

at 520 C. The annealing period is determined by the wall thick-

Artificial ageing

nesses of the casting, casting method and solution heat treat-

Artificial ageing normally comprises three stages of treatment:

ment temperature. The annealing time is calculated from the

solution heat treatment

point when the ultimate temperature is reached.

quenching

The heating-up time is not taken into account.

artificial, partial ageing or natural ageing

Precipitation occurs in the aluminium solid solution when ageing.
This may take place when the aluminium solid solution displays
decreasing solubility for one particular alloy component as the

104

Q uench
ing
water te
mperatu
re
C

Ageing
tempera
ture
C

Ageing
duratio
n
h

Solutio
n h e at
treatm e nt d
uration
h

Chemical
denomination

State

Solutio
n h e at
trea
ment te
mperatu tre
C

Alloy
Anticorodal 04

AlSi0.5Mg

T6

520 530

68

20

180 190

68

T7

520 530

68

20

220 240

46

T6

520 535

48

20

155 160

79

T4

520 535

48

20

15 30

120

T6

520 545

4 10

20

155 165

68

T64

520 545

4 10

20

150 160

23

Anticorodal 50

AlSi5Mg

Anticorodal 70

AlSi7Mg0.3

Anticorodal 78dv

AlSi7Mg0.3

T6

520 545

4 20

20

145 160

2 15

Anticorodal 71

AlSi7Mg0.3

T6

520 545

48

20

155 165

68

T7

520 545

48

20

200 230

68

T6

520 545

4 10

20

155 165

68

T64

520 545

4 10

20

150 160

23

T6

520 535

6 10

20

160 170

68

T5

air

210 230

68

Anticorodal 72

AlSi7Mg0.6

Silafont 30

AlSi9Mg

Silafont 36

AlSi9MgMn

T6

480 490

25

20

155 170

26

T7

480 490

1 5

20

190 230

1 3

T4

480 490

25

20

15 30

120

T5

20

155 190

25

68

Silafont 13

AlSi11

520 530

68

20

Silafont 20

AlSi11Mg

T6

520 535

6 10

20

130 170

Silafont 70

AlSi12CuNiMg

T5

air

210 230

58

T6

520 530

5 10

20 80

165 185

58

T5

air

210 220

10 12

Alufont 47

AlCu4TiMg

T4

520 530

8 16

20 80

15 30

120

Alufont 48

AlCu4TiMgAg

T6

525 530

8 16

20 80

160 180

67

Alufont 52

AlCu4Ti

T6

525 535

8 16

20 50

160 175

67

T64

525 535

8 10

20 50

135 145

67

T7

535 545

10 15

80

210 220

12 16

air

345 355

5 10

air

210 270

10 12

Alufont 60

Thermodur 73

EN

AlCu5NiCoSbZr

AlSi11Cu2Ni2Mg2Mn

T5

Previous
denomination

Denomination

as-cast state

as-cast state, production state

annealed

soft annealed

T1

self-aged

naturally aged

rl

T1

controlled cooling after casting

T4

naturally aged

solution heat treated, quenched, naturally aged

ka

T5

stabilised

overaged without solution heat treatment

st

T5

quenched artificially aged

artificial aged without solution heat treatment

aw

T6

Artificially aged

solution heat treated, quenched and fully artificial aged

wa

T64

partially aged

solution heat treated, quenched and not fully artificial aged

ta

T7

overaged

underaged
solution heat treated, quenched and overaged

stabilised state
105

The finer the cast structure, the faster the ageing constituents

such that distortion from their own weight is kept low. Special

dissolve. The following applies to AISi alloys:

annealing tools are needed in a few cases.

shorter time for gravity die casting, thin-walled sand casting and
Depending on casting technique, high pressure die castings are

higher solution heat treatment temperature

harder to put through solution heat treatment than sand castings

longer time for sand casting, thick-walled gravity die casting

and lower solution heat treatment temperature.

or gravity die castings due to the differing levels of gas bubbles

included in the cast structure. Thanks to very fine grained solidi-

Since the castings still only display low strength levels at a high

fication resulting from the high speed of cooling, solution heat

annealing temperature, complicated castings must be stacked

treatment can deliver good results with a shorter time and lower
temperature (480 490 C).

Rm
Rm
R p0,2
R p0,2
A
A

Ageing temperature [C]

Ageing temperature [C]

Ageing temperature [C]

Fig. 3: Influence of ageing temperature on properties of Alufont-52, AlCu4Ti, sand
casting. Ageing time of 7 hours each

106

HBW

R p0,2

Brinell hardness HBW

Rm

A
Elongation A [%]

Fig. 2: Influence of ageing temperature on properties of Silafont-30 dv, AlSi9Mg,

gravity die casting containing 0.28 % and 0.50 % magnesium. Ageing time
of 7 hours each

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

R p0,2

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

HBW

Brinell hardness HBWW

Fig. 1: Influence of artificial ageing temperature on properties of Silafont-30,

AlSi9Mg, sand casting. Ageing time of 7 hours each, magnesium content of
0.28 %

Rm

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

HBW

R p0,2

Brinell hardness HBW

Brinell hardness HBW

Rm

HBW

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

HBW

= 0.50 % Mg
= 0.28 % Mg

Ageing temperature [C]

Fig. 4: Influence of ageing temperature on properties of Alufont-52, AlCu4Ti, gravity
die casting. Ageing time of 7 hours each

Quenching
Quickly quenching the hot castings prevents the dissolved alloy-

spray, or a polymer bath. The yield tensile strength in particular

ing elements in the aluminium solid solution from precipitating

will however fall sharply in such cases.

again. Water at room temperature is normally used for quenching.

If the castings require straightening, this must be undertaken

The water bath may be heated to no more than 60 C as a result

immediately after quenching when still soft.

of quenching. Should the water temperature be higher locally,

there is a risk of steam bubbles forming in the casting pockets

Artificial ageing ( T6 )

and centre of the cage.

Artificial ageing of castings after solution heat treatment and

quenching, usually at 155 180 C, rectifies the enforced state

Shorter annealing times are generally used for gravity die cast-

of the alloy elements in the oversaturated solution. Hardness and

ings and longer ones for sand castings. If working with AlCu alloys,

strength are increased by sub-microscopic precipitation proc-

use the figures for solution heat treatment for castings with wall

esses. Elongation steadily decreases at the same time. Maximum

thicknesses of up to 8 mm. Castings with thicker walls should be

levels of hardness and strength are exceeded if ageing lasts any

annealed at temperatures 10 C lower for 12 18 h. A table com-

longer. Such processes can be controlled by the ageing tempera-

paring the names of the states can be found on page 105.

ture and duration selected.

The higher the ageing temperature, the faster the processes.

The time between the castings being removed from the anneal-

If the ageing temperature is too high, maximum strength is not

ing furnace and quenching should be as short as possible:

reached ( Fig. 5 and 6 ). Artificial ageing ends with cooling to

10 seconds for thin-walled castings and 30 seconds for thick-

below 100 C.

walled ones. Depending on design, e. g. abruptly changing wall

thicknesses, high mechanical stresses may arise when quench-

If solution heat treated and quenched castings are delayed at

ing. The water temperature can be increased to 80 C for cast-

room temperature for several hours before artificial ageing, maxi-

ings and alloys with a tendency to high casting or quenching

mum ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength and hard-

stresses. In special cases, e. g. large high pressure die castings,

ness values are not reached.

Rm

160 C
190 C
160 C

220 C
220 C

R p0.2

150 C

190 C

Sand casting
160 C
220 C
190 C

Ageing duration [h]

Fig. 5: Strength and elongation properties of an Anticorodal-70, AlSi7Mg0.3
quenched after solution heat treatment. Artificially aged at various temperatures over various periods

170 C
180 C
Brinell hardness HBW

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2 and

ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

quenching must be performed in an air flow, with or without water

220 C
225 C

Artificial ageing [h]

Fig. 6: Hardness spread of a Silafont-30, AlSi9Mg, gravity die casting. Artificial
ageing at various temperatures over various periods after solution heat
treatment and quenching

107

Partial ageing ( T64 )

Heat treatment for special purposes

Partial ageing is artificial ageing carried out in a shorter time or

Special properties in the castings for special applications can be

at a lower temperature after solution heat treatment. It aims to

achieved through other specific forms of heat treatment.

deliver higher elongation without maximum strength and hardness values.

Annealing ( O )
If castings are annealed for several hours at 350 450 C and

Natural ageing ( T4 )

cooled in the furnace, formability is improved through the trans-

Castings from heat-treatable alloys, e. g. Anticorodal-50 and

formation of silicon crystals to a globular shape. Such castings

Alufont-47, but also high pressure die casting alloy Silafont-36,

can be cold formed using riveting and flanging. Elongation and

are stored at room temperature for around 6 days after solution

fatigue strength are also improved.

heat treatment and quenching. This increases strength levels and

Rm
R p0.2

Ageing temperature [C]

Brinell hardness HBW

HBW

&

Rm

R p0.2

Elongation A [%]

&

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2 Electrical conductivity

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/&[m/!$ mm2]
mm2]

Brinell hardness
HBW

HBW

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2 Electrical conductivity

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/&[m/!$ mm2]
mm2]

delivers very good elongation values.

Ageing temperature [C]

Fig. 7: Influence of ageing temperature on the properties of Anticorodal-04,

AlSi0.5Mg. Ageing time of 7 hours each

Fig. 8: Influence of ageing temperature on the properties of Anticorodal-71,

AlSi7Mg0.3. Ageing time of 7 hours each

Rm

Ageing temperature [Tage]

Fig. 9: Mechanical properties on French gravity die casting test pieces made from
self-ageing alloy Castadur-30, AlZn3Mg3Cr in days after casting

108

R p0.2

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

R p0.2

Elongation A [%]

0.2 % yield tensile strength R p0.2

and ultimate tensile strength R m [N/mm2]

Rm

Ageing temperature [Tage]

Fig. 10: Mechanical properties on gravity die casting test pieces with 16 mm
made from self-ageing alloy Castadur-90, AlZn10Si8Mg in days after
casting

The near eutectic alloy Silafont-13 is annealed at 520 530 C for around 6 8 hours, high pressure
die casting alloys for shorter periods at a lower temperature.
Stress-relief annealing ( T5 )
When solidifying castings, internal stresses occur as a result of different wall thicknesses, different speeds of cooling and the fact that various areas of the casting prevent shrinkage. In order to
prevent the castings from distorting during operation, they can be annealed to be free of stresses
before final machining. This annealing treatment is undertaken at 200 300 C for several hours.
The higher the temperature and the longer the treatment, the more effective it is. This treatment is
undertaken on castings which require very accurate dimensions.
Designs with welded castings, including high pressure die castings, are annealed for a considerably
shorter time to remove the shrinkage stresses produced during welding.
Stabilising ( T5 )
Precipitation processes occur in all castings at higher operating temperatures and result in tiny
changes in volume. This can be prevented in precision parts ( pistons, optical modules and precision engineering ) by undertaking stabilising annealing. The annealing temperature depends on the
subsequent operating temperature. The annealing temperature is approx. 200 300 C, rarely any
lower.
Artificial ageing ( T5 )
This form of treatment is ageing without solution heat treatment. Artificial ageing can be used to
improve the strength and hardness of simple gravity die castings or high pressure die castings
made from heat-treatable alloys. A better result can be achieved if the castings are quenched in
cold water immediately after being removed from the casting die. The temperature of the casting
must be in excess of 350 C when plunging. Huge scatter should be expected in the various wall
thicknesses of the casting .
Overageing ( T7 )
After solution heat treatment and quenching, artificial ageing is undertaken at 200 240 C. The
aim of this process is higher electrical conductivity and elongation with lower strength in the alloys
Anticorodal-04 and Anticorodal-71 ( Fig. 7 and 8 ).
Self-ageing ( T1 )
Very good mechanical properties can be achieved in special alloys with a high zinc content, such
as Unifont-90 and Unifont-94, Castadur-50, AlZn5Mg or Castadur-30, AlZn3Mg3 without heat
treatment. This process is known as self-ageing and must not be confused with cold ageing which
comes before solution heat treatment with quenching. Self-ageing starts when the castings are
removed from the mould. The increase in strength is normally complete 8 days later. Self-ageing
alloys are used to cut heat treatment costs or for technical reasons, e. g. lower distortion level
needed or due to the huge size of a casting.

109

Heat treatment for high pressure die castings

The mechanical properties of even high pressure die casting alloy

castings. Metallurgically, Silafont-36 can also be solutionised at

Silafont-36, AlSi9MgMn can be significantly improved through

520 535.

heat treatment (page 89, fig.1). Unlike the case with sand and
gravity die castings, here the high pressure die method determines

Natural ageing ( T4 )

the possible kind of heat treatment process. The crucial factor is

Amongst the various forms of heat treatment, natural ageing

whether solution heat treatment is even possible. If solution heat

produces castings with the greatest elongation. The castings are

treatment is required, high pressure die castings have to be pro-

solution heat treated, quenched and naturally aged for more than

duced under special production conditions, such as forced venting

6 days at room temperature. The casting is first held at the solu-

of the die, controlled application of die release agent and control-

tion heat treatment temperature of 490 C for 3 hours such that

led metal flow. Gas or air inclusions in the surface areas of cast-

the elements soluble in the solid solution can diffuse in it. At the

ings cast in the conventional way lead to the formation of bubbles

same time, the eutectic silicon deforms into a globular shape,

(blisters) on the casting surface.

making maximum elongation possible. Subsequent quenching in

water prevents the dissolved elements from precipitating. Most of

When working with large high pressure die castings in particular, it

them remain in the solid solution matrix and only result in a small

should be noted that the castings will distort if not correctly stored

increase in strength during natural ageing.

in the furnace and if suitable techniques are not used when plunging in the water bath.

Artificial ageing ( T6 )
Heat treatment following T6 involves complete heat treatment

Heat treatment without solution heat treatment

with solution heat treatment (490 C / 180 minutes), quenching in

Annealing ( O )

water and then artificial ageing. Because of the high temperature

This form of heat treatment undertaken at 380 C for 30 60

used for solution heat treatment, there is a risk of surface defects

minutes reduces stresses in the rapidly solidified high pressure die

forming as the gas pores previously embedded start to expand.

casting microstructure and therefore increases elongation. This

Measures must also be taken to prevent unwanted distortion when

increased formability allows the cast design elements to be riveted

quenching the castings in water. Only full artificial ageing at 170 C

and flanged, even when working with Silafont-36 with a higher

for 5 7 hours results in maximum alloy strength. Elongation pro-

magnesium content.

duces values lower than when in the as-cast state. A Silafont-36

with a magnesium content of no less than 0.25 % should be used.

Artificial ageing ( T5 )
The yield tensile strength can be raised slightly using this simplified

Overageing ( T7 )

heat treatment process without any risk of the casting distorting.

If you start with fully aged state T6 and apply longer ageing times

The risk of this happening during quenching and the amount of

or higher temperatures (235 C / 90 minutes), overaged state T7

subsequent straightening work is also considerably lower than for

will result. The aim of this treatment is a thermally stable cast

heat treatment with solution heat treatment.

structure with very good elongation and higher strength values

than in state T4. Silafont-36 with a Mg content of less than 0.20 %

Once removed from the moulds, the castings are immediately

produces the maximum elongation.

quenched in the water bath and artificially aged. The effectiveness

of artificial ageing is greatly determined by the temperature in the

Quenching in air following solution heat treatment

casting when removing from the mould and more precisely when

In order to minimise high pressure die casting distortion, the

plunging in the water. The higher this temperature (around 400 C),

casting is quenched in air rather than water after the solution heat

the greater the potential for ageing during artificial ageing.

treatment. A yield tensile strength of more than 120 MPa can

Raising the yield tensile strength any further requires a delay of

only be achieved with a magnesium content in excess of 0.30 %,

more than 10 hours before ageing at 190 C for 120 minutes.

if then aged for 2 hours at a temperature of 170 C . This is more

than 30 % below the maximum attainable yield tensile strength.

Heat treatments with solution heat treatment

Due to the fine-grained solidification of high pressure die castings, solution heat treatment can produce good results in a shorter
time and at a lower temperature (480 490 C) than in gravity die

110

Fatigue strength
Dependence on quality of the structure

Dependence on the surface quality

The quality of the structure is affected by the choice of alloy, its

The term surface quality is defined as follows:

heat treatment, and in the case of AlSi alloys, the way the micro-

the roughness of the surface as a result of the casting process

structure is formed. Fine distribution or avoidance of heteroge-

casting defects such as hot cracks, flow marks and imperfec-

neous phases, such as silicon and iron, is desirable. The silicon

tions introduced by the mould material

content lowers the fatigue strength of AlCu alloys, as does an

notching through corrosion or extreme mechanical stresses

iron content exceeding 0.16 % in AlSi alloys ( page 88 and Fig. 1 ).

surface coatings

A coarse structure and high grain boundary coating reduce the

Synthetic resin coatings and ground surfaces increase the

notch toughness ( K c ) and fatigue strength ( ! w ).

fatigue strength; hard surface layers, such as those that are cre-

The casting process dictates the solidification and filling condi-

ated with anodising and chroming processes, reduce it.

tions, which also have an impact on the occurrence of pores,

blowholes and oxides. A short solidification time results in a finer

Dependence on the stress range

structure and therefore a significant improvement in the fatigue

The vibration fatigue strength is critically dependent on the level

strength. For example, a separately cast ingot of tempered

of stress ( compression, alternate loads and tensile loads ). The

AlSiMg alloy that solidifies in 5 seconds can withstand reversed

maximum strength in the pulsating range ( r = 0.7 ) is always

bending stresses of ! bw = 100 N/mm with a fatigue life of

higher than in the alternating range ( r = -1 ). The adjacent Smith

n = 50

106

whilst with a sand casting with an approximately

diagram is based on DIN 50 100 ( Fig. 2 ).

5-minute solidification period ( 30 mm wall thickness ), this value

falls to ! bw = 30 N/mm2 in order to achieve the same lifetime

Note on the values for resistance to alternating stresses

without fracture.

The values for resistance to alternating stress in the chapter on

mechanical properties on pages 82 and 83 are values from tests
in accordance with DIN 50 113 or 50 142.
Note that in a casting in accordance with the criteria above, the
resistance to alternating stress values can be reduced to as little

Silafont-30 T6
Probability of fracture 50 %
Sand casting 20 mm Ultimate tensile strength Rm = 244 N/mm2
107 Load alternation Yield tensile strength Rp0.2 = 225 N/mm2

as 25 % of the values given in the table if conditions are unfavourable. The functional safety of castings should therefore be
subjected to dynamic component testing.

Average tension !m [N/mm 2]

Fig. 2: Fatigue strength graph according to Smith for sand casting samples made
from Silafont-30 T6, AlSi9Mg

Curve
1
2
3
4

Fe [%]
0.1
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.1

Fatigue resistance !bw [N/mm 2]

Tension ! [N/mm 2]

Symbol

Cu [%]
0.01
0.01
0.05
0.2
1.0

1
2
3
4

Load cycles n 10 6
Fig. 1: Results from alternating bending tests on gravity die castings made from
Unifont-90, AlZn10Si8Mg with different levels of iron and copper content

111

Corrosion
Thanks to its ability to form protective oxide coatings, aluminium

The formation of a local element often explains why corrosion

offers excellent corrosion resistance for many purposes. The cor-

concentrates in particular areas. Local elements occur in the

rosion resistance of an aluminium casting is greatly determined

presence of dampness and are the result of:

by the resistance of its oxide layer under the prevailing condi-

external contact between aluminium and nobler metals, such as

tions. In the case of sand cast or heat-treated castings, the oxide

heavy metal components or non-alloyed steel

layer is however 0.1 m thick after a longer storage period in the

solutions containing heavy metals

elements. Destruction of the oxide layer may trigger a corrosive

cast-in chips of foreign metals

attack from aggressive media.

solid solution precipitations, especially compounds containing

heavy metals in the aluminium alloy microstructure.

Silicon generally has less influence on the response to corrosion.

The purer the aluminium, the more resistant it is to corrosion.

The AlSi5, AlSi12, AlSi20 increments do however offer impres-

Both alloying elements and impurities affect the general resist-

sive corrosion properties. A higher Si content than that needed to

ance to corrosion to a certain extent.

attain good casting properties and sufficient mechanical strength

should not therefore be selected.
The addition of magnesium or manganese ensures specific
corrosion protection from salt water containing chloride and to a

Corrosion resistance

limited extent also to media containing weak alkalis.

Castability

Impurities in heavy metals such as copper, lead, nickel and iron

average

may be harmful. Even small volumes will cause considerable

copper content is shown in Fig. 1. This is the result of a real-life

in Fig. 2 and 3. The remaining eutectic is attacked and dissolved

selectively while silicon needles and the $ solid solution ( dendrites ) remain unaffected.

Corrosion resistance

33-month long test conducted on high pressure die cast alloy

on a gravity die casting with a higher copper content can be seen

very
good

excellent

Sf-30
Uf-90
Uf-94
Ci-37

Sf-13
Sf-20
Sf-09
Sf-36

with
Af-47/-48 Sf-70
surface
Af-52/-60
protection

corrosion damage. The link between the level of corrosion and

AlSi12 with varying levels of copper content. The corrosive attack

good

Ca-30/-50
from
weathering

from salt
water

Ac-04
Ac-50
Ma-59
Pe-30/-36 Ac-70/78dv
Pe-50/-56 Ac-71
Ac-72

Depth of corrosion hole [mm]

Tab. 1: Castability and corrosion resistance of various aluminium casting alloys

Cu content [%]
Fig. 1: Link between depth of corrosion hold in high
pressure die cast AlSi12 and copper content

112

Fig. 2: Microsection of a gravity die casting made

from AlSi12 with selective corrosive attack by
residual eutectic

Fig. 3: Microsection of a sand casting after a prolonged corrosive attack

Corrosion protection
Polished surfaces are more corrosion resisting than the cast

As well as offering general corrosion protection, coatings often

skin or roughly machined areas. Both gravity die castings and

also provide sufficient protection from contact corrosion. Plastic

high pressure die castings are shot polished with stainless steel

insulating parts or paste-like seals are better suited to this. The

balls. The compressed surface ensures a high level of corrosion

risk of contact corrosion in the event of contact between con-

protection.

struction steel and aluminium can be reduced by zinc-coating

the steel parts. Stainless steels do not generally produce contact

The protective effect of the natural oxide skin can be boosted

corrosion when making contact with aluminium.

by layers of oxide up to 80 m thick produced by electrolysis. This

technical protective form of oxidation is possible with any alumin-

Galvanic layers can offer protection to aluminium castings with a

ium alloy. Decorative oxide layers are best on silicon-free casting

dense outer structure as is the case with gravity die castings for

alloys and are 10 25 m thick. TiZr-based layers of phosphate

electrical engineering which are given a layer of silver to protect

and chromate produced chemically can also be used as oxida-

from spark corrosion.

tion protection and the chromate layers in particular as a good

If they contain sulphur and phosphorous, cooling and lubrication

adhesive layer for organic coatings.

media used when machining aluminium castings may result in

The lacquer coating on the castings requires pretreatment to suit

corrosion damage. Silica-based coolants should be used and the

the coating in the form of grinding or blasting with corundum.

machined castings de-greased straight away.

Steel grain must not be used because scoring will result in contact corrosion. The de-greasing and refinement of high pressure
die castings before coating should be closely coordinated with
the high pressure caster in terms of the mould release agent he
uses and / or remaining material, e. g. from the penetration crack
test. Castings subject to severe surface loads are then primed.
All castings should pass through additional heat treatment at
140 200 C for more than 1 hour between the final rinse and
the coating being applied for all gases to be emitted on the die
surface. If castings are heat-treatable or have already been heattreated, this hardening process is continued.
Fig. 4: Flow load cell for jet fuel; chromated before lacquering

The powder lacquers to be applied next have thicknesses of

25 100 m and are enamelled at baking temperatures of
120 220 C for 20 minutes. If lacquering in several colours, the
casting passes through the enamelling furnace the corresponding number of times ( Fig. 5 ). Ageing effects start at 140 C. The
following changes result in the Silafont-20 dv car wheel shown
(gravity die cast, as-cast state) when lacquering.

Rp0.2
N/mm2

Rm
N/mm2

A
%

HBW

none

85

195

12.5

62

with

104

201

10.3

63

Lacquer

Fig. 5: Car wheel with multi-coloured lacquer

113

Welded designs with aluminium castings

Welded designs made from casting materials or mixed designs

Despite the low melt range, when compared with ferrous mate-

made from cast and wrought materials are state of the art, used

rials, welding aluminium requires roughly the same amount of

e. g. for lightweight design in vehicle bodies or for large construc-

heat because of the high thermal conductivity and melt heat.

tions in energy plants. These applications make specific use of

Aluminium shrinkage during solidification and cooling often pro-

the benefits of the casting technique, in particular the design

duces welding cracks, distortion and internal stresses.

scope and reliable welding technique.

The liquid aluminium may absorb hydrogen from its surroundThe physical, chemical and mechanical properties of aluminium

ings. This is precipitated during solidification, resulting in pores

produce particular welding characteristics which are very differ-

of different sizes in the weld seams depending on the speed of

ent to those of ferrous materials. In particular the stable oxide

solidification.

layer on the surface has to be removed or torn off to ensure perfect welded joints. When arc welding with protective atmosphere,

Welding with protective atmosphere

this oxide layer is removed by the cleaning effect of the ionised

Welding with protective atmosphere is the one welding method

protective atmosphere along with the interaction of the electrons

which allows the peculiarities of aluminium welding to be mas-

flowing between the workpiece and electrode.

tered to perfection. Inert gases such as argon ( quality 4.8 ) are

usually used as the protective atmosphere.

Anticorodal-50
Anticorodal-70

Unifont-90

Peraluman-30

Alufont-52
Alufont-47

Silafont-13

Peraluman-50/-56

Silafont-20

Castadur-30/-50

Castasil-37

Magsimal-59

Silafont-36

Casting materials
Anticorodal-50

Silafont-30

AlSi5

Anticorodal-70
Silafont-30

AlSi5

Silafont-13

AlSi5
AlSi10

Silafont-20
Castasil-37
Silafont-36
Unifont-90

AlMg4.5Mn
AlSi10

Peraluman-30

AlMg3

AlSi5

AlMg3

Peraluman-50/-56

AlMg5

AlMg3

AlMg5

Castadur-30/-50

AlMg5

Magsimal-59

AlMg4.5Mn

Alufont-52

AlSi5

AlMg5

AlMg5

Alufont-47

AlMg5

AlSi5

( AlSi5 )

AlSi5

AlSi5

AlSi5

AlMg5

AlMg5

AlMg4.5Mn

AlMg5

AlSi5

AlMg4.5Mn

AlMg4.5Mn

Wrought materials
AlMgSi1

AlZn4.5Mg1

AlMg2.7Mn

AlSi5

AlSi5

AlSi5

AlSi5

AlMg5

AlMg5

AlSi5

AlSi5

AlMg5

AlMg5

AlMg4.5Mn

AlMg4.5Mn

AlMg4.5Mn

AlMg5

AlSi5

AlMg4.5Mn

AlMg5

Table 1: Choice of addition materials for welding aluminium cast materials and for combining with wrought and casting materials

114

AlMg4.5Mn

There are numerous modified methods which are used for par-

In the worst case scenario, strengths may fall to that of the as-

ticular welding work. Arc welding with protective atmosphere gas

cast state of gravity die castings. A self-ageing alloy ages again

works with electrodes which cannot be melted (WIG) or melting

after welding. Non-rusting tools should be used to brush or grind

electrodes (MIG).

off the cast skin on solution heat treated castings in order to

prepare welding edges.

When manually WIG welding with the same kind of addition material, the casting defects which arose during casting (blowholes,

The design of the weld joint and accurate welding (bath protec-

mechanical damage, differing dimensions ) are rectified.

tion, edge shape, edge preparation, cleaning ) are crucial to producing a welded design suitable for aluminium.

Given its high speed, the MIG method is the most popular for
series welding with castings. The method uses direct current and

Addition metal

electrodes with positive polarity.

The choice of addition metal depends on the composition of

the base materials and the properties required of the weld joint.

These days MIG pulsed welding is performed by robots and using

The addition metals used for protective atmosphere welding of

welding parameter programs to monitor the very different wall

casting materials are listed in Table 1. In principle select addition

thicknesses on the material transition between wire and casting.

metals of a similar alloy; exceptions are possible if required due to

welding considerations.

The plasma MIG method with its ideal formation of arcs and
screening of the protective atmosphere is suited to applications

As a result of the weld seams shrinking, most of the internal

with tough seal integrity, surface quality and mechanical loading

welding stresses occurring nearby are tensile stresses. The

requirements, e. g. high-voltage switch housings.

stresses can be reduced slightly by avoiding clusters of seams,

workpiece preheating or subsequent shot peening. Significant

Casting materials which can be welded

reductions can however only be obtained from stress-free

The differing microstructure, gas porosity, micro blowholes and

annealing. In artificially aged alloys, this results in a reduction in

cast skin near the weld seam greatly influence the quality of

strength; if followed by artificial ageing, strength values can only

the weld joint. If specific casting guidelines are observed, per-

be returned to those of state T5. Appropriate welding and design

fect joints can be produced and are suited to use in high-stress

measures should be taken to avoid straightening welded designs

designs.

wherever possible.

The AlSi alloys are particularly good for welding.

The following display particularly good weldability:
Silafont-36, AlSi9MgMn

Silafont-30, AlSi9Mg

Castasil-37, AlSi9MnZrMo

250

Good weldability:

18
16

200

Anticorodal-70, AlSi7Mg0.3

Magsimal-59, AlMg5Si2Mn

Alufont-52, AlCu4Ti

Unifont-90, AlZn10Si8Mg

14
12

150

10

strength occur in this zone, depending on the base material, heat

treatment state, addition metal, welding method and geometry.

50

Heat influence zone

Silafont-36 T7 wall
thickness 3 mm

aluminium alloys. Changes to the structure which impact on

100

AlMgSi0.5
2 mm sheet metal

A distinct heat influence zone forms around the weld seam in

Strength R [N/mm]

Peraluman-30, AlMg3

8
6
4
2

Elongation A [%]

Silafont-13, AlSi11

Alloys which have already been aged suffer strength problems as

a result of welding.

Fig. 2: Strength values of the heat influence zone of MIG welding with AlSi12 addition material

115

Welding high pressure die castings

The suitability of high pressure die castings for welding is highly

Fig. 2 on page 115 states the mechanical values in the heat influ-

dependent on the melt and high pressure die casting process.

ence zone. Unlike elongation, the strength values in this zone are

Casting materials and melt and high pressure die casting meth-

hardly influenced.

ods which ensure low gas absorption and oxide impurity during
high pressure die casting are needed.

Magsimal-59, AlMg5Si2Mn has a higher shrinkage rate and force

than AlSi high pressure die casting alloys. Die release agents

The designer may place weld seams in zones with less loading,

recently developed for work with this alloy improve both the ease

but, for a high pressure die casting, they should also be close to

of flow, the ability to slide during ejection, and therefore the suit-

the ingate.

ability of the high pressure die castings for welding.

Fig. 1 shows 8 target levels of the high pressure die casting, the

Design welding with castings made from Magsimal-59 is under-

final one being a casting suitable for welding and heat treatment.

taken with the AlMg4.5MnZr addition material using the WIG

The high pressure die casting methods and stages required for

method or laser/electron beam welding method. Unlike the case

these are illustrated in terms of removing air, transport of melt

with elongation, the mechanical properties in the heat influence

and application of mould release agent.

zone are hardly affected. If the SG-AlSi5 welding addition material is used, the elongation values fall yet further. The following

High pressure die castings made from Silafont-36 are particularly

mechanical properties applicable to manual MIG welding with the

well suited to welding, with both MIG and WIG standard methods

AlMg4.5Mn addition material illustrate how the strength proper-

as well as laser welding. The AlSi5 or AlSi10 welding addition

ties in the heat influence zone are hardly affected compared with

material is preferred for welded designs with AlMgSi0.5 wrought

elongation:

alloys. The weld seams and/or heat influence zones between

components made from aluminium wrought alloys and high pres-

ment undertaken.

Target leve

Rp02
[MPa]
165

Rm
[MPa]
287

A
[%]
17

Welded

148

246

ls

Dimension

Light and
thin

High yield
tensile
strength

Flanging

Riveting

Can be subject
to high dynamic loads

Welding

Solution
heat
treatment

Dry piston lubricant

Minimisation of mould release agent
Modern mould release agent

Mould release agent

and are virtually free of the oxide skin after any T7 heat treat-

Wall thickness
4 mm
Not welded

Controlled transport of melt

1st phase with less turbulence
Refining treatment of melt

High pressure die casting method and stages needed

AlSi9Cu3 ( Fe )
and others

AlSi12 ( Fe )
and others

Magsimal-59
AlSi10Mg ( Fe )
Silafont-36
T5 Mg > 0.3 %

Silafont-36
Castasil-37
AlSi9

Vacuum < 50 hPa

Enforced bleeding
Wash board ventilation
Tie down overflows better ( simulation )
Silafont-36
Magsimal-59
Castasil-37
AlSi9

Magsimal-59
Castasil-37

Silafont-36
Castasil-37
Magsimal-59

Suitable high pressure die casting alloys

Fig. 1: Eight target levels of high pressure die casting with details of the alloys to use and the high pressure die casting method and stages required

116

Silafont-36
Castasil-37

Melt

loads perfectly if the cast edges feature a low number of pores

Air

sure die castings made from Silafont-36 withstand alternating

Machining aluminium castings

Wear criteria for machining tools
Tool service lives or cutting distances affect economic viability in production. Short service lives or cutting distances are only recommended for small volume production runs
as replacing the tool may have a huge negative impact on time in large-scale volume
production.
Tool wear is often only seen as a major factor when considering the silicon content of
an aluminium casting. But simply knowing the silicon content does not help you know
the loads to which the tools can be subjected. The microstructure and strength are key
to determining wear levels; less so for carbide tools than HSS tools, e. g. (hammer) drills.
Tools equipped with diamonds are of course the best cutters.
Primary aluminium casting alloy Silafont-13, AlSi11 has two structure states: granular
( Fig. 1 ) and a modified structure ( Fig. 2 ). We have found with carbide tools that castings with a granular structure have service lives up to 10 % shorter than those of modified ones. Even greater differences have been found during cutting distance and service
life tests with HSS (hammer) drills ( Fig. 3 ).
Ageing has yet a greater impact on service life or cutting distance than the structural
modification of silicon content in alloys. Artificial ageing of a Anticorodal-70, AlSi7Mg0.3
reduces the tool cutting distance by 75 % compared with the as-cast state.
These comparisons should illustrate how the machine parameters must be adapted to
the microstructure and strength when machining in order to deliver cost effectiveness.

300
Permanently modified microstructure

100

Cutting distance L [m]

Granular microstructure state

50

30
10
30 40 50 60 70

100

150 200

Cutting speed v [m/min]

Fig. 1: Granular structural modification of a
Silafont-13, AlSi11 casting alloy

Fig. 2: Modified structure of a

Silafont-13, AlSi11 casting alloy

Fig. 3: Influence of microstructure state on cutting

distance for Silafont-70, AlSi12CuNiMg

117

We would like to thank all our business partners who have provided castings or photographs for this
publication.
All the details in this publication have been checked and are provided to the best of our knowledge.
But just like all technical recommendations for applications, they are not binding, are not covered by
our contractual obligations ( this also applies to copyrights of third parties ) and we do not assume
liability for them. In particular they are not promises of characteristics and do not exempt the user from
checking the products we supply for suitability for their intended purpose. Reprints, translations and
copies, including extracts, require our express approval. New alloy developments made as technology
progresses after printing are included in later versions.

Version 7 01/2010
118

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