PROCESS SIMULATION OF MICROSTRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IN DIECASTING

A review study is presented on microstructural and mechanical properties of Aluminium and Magnesium diecasting parts. Particular emphasis was given to the effects of typical diecasting defects (shrinkage porosity and gas porosity), their possibility of prediction by numerical process simulation and their relation to resulting diecast properties. The data available clearly show that a large improvement on overall casting properties is achievable by reducing the defect content of the microstructure either by a more strict control of conventional processes or by the adoption of innovative techniques such as vacuum assisted high pressure diecasting.