In this study, we focused on the correlation between the solidification structure, heat treatment and mechanical properties of the A356 alloy according to the conditions of Sr modification. The microstructural evolution of the eutectic Si and ${\alpha}-Al$ phase in the A356 alloy castings depending on the amount of Sr were investigated during solid solution heat treatment using an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope and an image analyzer. In addition, tensile tests on the heat treated materials examined the relationship between the microstructure and the fracture surface. The as-cast A356 alloys under 40 ppm Sr showed an undermodified microstructure, but that of the added 60-80 ppm Sr had well modified structure of fine fibrous silicon. After solid solution treatment, the microstructure of the undermodified A356 alloy exhibited a partially spheroidized morphology, but the remainder showed the fragmentation of fibrous shaped silicon. The spheroidization of the eutectic silicon in the modified A356 alloys was completed during heat treatment, which was very effective in increasing the elongation. This is supported by the fracture surface in the tensile test.

Electromagnetic continuous casting (EMCC) was used to fabricate Ti-6Al-4V alloys with properties suitable for medical applications. Ti-6Al-4V alloy ingots fabricated by EMCC were subjected to heat treatment, such as residual stress removing (RRS), furnace cooling after solution treatment (ST-FC) and water-cooling after solution treatment (ST-WC), in order to obtain characteristics suitable for the standard. After component analysis, the microstructure and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation) were evaluated by ICP, gas analysis, OM, SEM, a Rockwell hardness tester and universal testing machine. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy ingot fabricated by EMCC was fabricated without segregation, and the lamellar structure was observed in the RRS and ST-FC specimens. The ST-WC specimen showed only martensite structure. As a result of evaluating the mechanical properties based on the microstructure results, we found that the water-cooled heat treatment condition after the solution treatment was most suitable for the Ti-6Al-4V ELI standard.

In this study, the effects of the pouring temperature, preheating temperature, surface condition and fraction of the wear resistant part on the production of duo-castings were investigated using a high Cr white cast iron with excellent abrasion resistance and a low Cr alloy steel with good toughness. The constituent materials of the duo-castings were designed to have high hardness, fracture toughness and abrasive wear resistance for the replacement of high Mn alloy steels with low abrasive wear resistance. In particular, the amount of abrasive wear of 17% Cr white cast iron was about 1/20 of that of high Mn alloy steel. There was an intermediate area of about 3mm due to local melting at the bonding interface of the duo-castings. These intermediate regions were different from those of the constituent materials in chemical composition and microstructure. This region led to fracture within the wear resistant part rather than at the bonding interface in the bending strength test. The bending fracture strengths were 516-824 MPa, which were equivalent to the bending proof strength of high Mn steel. The effects of various casting conditions on the duo-cast behavior were studied by simple pouring of low Cr alloy steel melt, but the results proved practically impossible to manufacture duo-castings with a sound bonding interface. However, the external heating method was suitable for the production of duo-castings with a sound bonding interface.