The austempering transformation behavior in Fe-0.7wt.%C-2.3wt.%Si-0.3wt.%Mn steel is investigated. Each specimen was austenitized for 60 min at $900^{\circ}C$, and austempered at $380^{\circ}C$ for different time periods varying from 2 min to 256 min. After the austempering heat treatment, the Stage I and II evolutions are performed using optical metallography, X-ray diffraction and image analyses. Variations in the X-ray diffraction patterns and lattice parameters of the ferrite and austenite demonstrate that the residual austenite decomposes into ferrite and carbide during the Stage II evolution; moreover the amount of ferrite increases during the Stage I evolution. While the amount of austenite increases during Stage I, it dicreases during Stage II. Overall, the variations in the volume fractions of the microstructure and carbide formation in stages I and II meet high temperature austempering reaction of the ausferrite microstructure.

The mechanical properties of low-pressure die cast (LPDC) A356-T6 automotive road wheels are evaluated and correlated with their corresponding microstructures. In this study, two types of alloy wheels processed using different LPDC gating system are investigated. The yield stress, tensile stress, and elongation values tested at room temperature are correlated with the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) with respect to the gating system, and are also compared with similar studies. The SDAS and precipitates are examined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The phase information is also investigated using X-ray diffraction. Charpy impact tests are also performed from $-100^{\circ}C$ to $200^{\circ}C$, and the fracture surfaces are examined using SEM. The impact energy is demonstrated to increase with increasing temperatures without exhibiting specific transition behaviors as in other nonferrous alloys. The fracture toughness is also evaluated using three point bend test with single-edged bend specimens. The obtained fracture toughness values are in good agreement with those in similar studies.

Magnesium and its alloys are being applied to various kinds of industrial fields, especially their use on automotive parts and electronic part. These parts are manufactured mainly through diecasting process and magnesium ingots are used as raw materials. In the case that ingot quality is not secured, massive casting defects can occur and some manufactures can be damaged by the defects. This study is to evaluate ingots' cleanliness of magnesium alloys. It includes composition analysis by spectrometer, measurement of inclusion contents by SEM, brightness test on fractured surface and etc. Especially, the brightness test is a very easy and quick evaluation method. The brightness becomes low when the amount of oxides or inclusions on the surface increases. The brightness test data have been compared with those obtained from other methods for measuring the mount of impurities, which showed good relationship between the brightness and the others. Thus, the brightness test could be a promising method to measure the cleanliness of magnesium alloys.

Internal defects, such as shrinkage during casting, cause stress concentrations and initiate cracking. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of internal defects on the mechanical properties including the impact behavior. This study evaluates the effects of internal casting defects on the impact performance of A356 Al-alloy castings. The internal shrinkage defects in the casting impact specimen are scanned using an industrial Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, and drop impact tests are performed with varing impact velocities on the A356 casting aluminium specimen ($10mm{\times}10mm$ section area) in order to locate the fracture energy under an impact load. The specimens with defects with a diameter less than 0.35 mm exhibit equivalent fracture impact energies of approximately 32 J and those with a 1.7 mm diameter defect reduced the fracture impact energy by 35%.