Case Study

Functional Alloy Selection
of Permanent Mold Aluminum Casting - 2009

Problem

One of our valuable customers approached us with concerns about their aluminum castings tending to bend due to certain stressors. We were eager to meet the challenge proposed by the customer to arrive at an amenable solution.

Ingots Used for Alloy Selection

Possible Solutions

Together we identified several potential castable alloys that would address their application.

Research and Development

We conducted a series of trials with the chosen aluminum alloys to produce test samples for the customer. The trials required changes to the casting method's variables: metal and mold temperature, tilt rate, and hold time to produce satisfactory parts.

Testing

The customer hired a third-party lab to conduct the stress tests to determine which of the chosen alloys may have been the best alloy for the casting's application.

Outcome

Upon reviewing the results from the lab, the customer informed us that the alloy Trega originally specified turned out to be the best for this application. Because the part was able to bend before breaking suddenly, the problem can identified before catastrophic failure, preventing injury and potential legal action.

Case Study Specifications