• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.493-498
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• 2002

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new solid-state joining process which can homogenize the heterogeneous microstructure by intensely plastic deformation arising from the rotation of the welding tool. The present study applied the FSW to an A356 aluminum (AI) alloy with the as-cast heterogeneous microstructure in the T6 temper condition, and examined an effect of microstructure on mechanical properties in the weld. The base material consisted of Al matrix with a high density of strengthening precipitates, large eutectic silicon and a lot of porosities. The FSW led to fragment of the eutectic silicon, extinction of the porosities and dissolution of the strengthening precipitates in the Al alloy. The dissolution of strengthening precipitates reduced the hardness of the weld around the weld center and the transverse ultimate tensile strength of the weld. Longitudinal tensile specimen containing only the stir zone showed the roughly same strength as the base material and a much larger elongation. Moreover, Charpy impact tests indicated that the stir zone had remarkably the higher absorbed energy than the base material. The higher mechanical properties of the stir zone were attributed to a homogenization of the as-cast heterogeneous microstructure by FSW.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.205-210
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• 2006

The structural control of Al-Si alloy, which was not studied among various electromagnetic processing of materials, was considered applying the alternating current and direct current magnetic flux density. The main aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of electromagnetic vibration on the macro and microstructure of Al-Si alloy in order to develop a new process of structural control in Al-Si alloy. When the electromagnetic vibration is conducted for changing the shape of primary aluminum, at low frequency(>60Hz), the shape of dendrite is changed speroidal shape. When the electromagnetic vibration is conducted for changing the shape of eutectic silicon, the fact that a morphological change of the eutectic silicon from coarse platelet flakes to fine fiber shape is observed and the improvement of the mechanical properties is achieved with EMV (Electro Magnetic Vibration) process at high frequency(>500Hz).

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.28-38
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• 2010

High temperature high cycle and low cycle fatigue deformation behavior of automotive heat resistant aluminum alloys (A356 and A319 based) were investigated in this study. The microstructures of both alloys were composed of primary Al-Si dendrite and eutectic Si phase. However, the size and distribution for eutectic Si phase varied: a coarse and inhomogeneous distributed was observed in alloy B (A319 based). A brittle intermethallic phase of ${\alpha}-Fe\;Al_{12}(Fe,Mn)_3Si_2$ was detected only in B alloy. Alloy B exhibited high fatigue life only under a high stress amplitued condition in the high cycle fatigue results, whereas alloy A showed high fatigue life when stress was lowered. With regard to the low-cycle fatigue result ($250^{\circ}C$) showing higher fatigue life as ductility increased, alloy A demonstrated higher fatigue life under all of the strain amplitude conditions. Fractographic observations showed that large porosities and pores near the outside surface could be the main factor in the formation of fatigue cracks. In alloy B. micro-cracks were formed in both the brittle intermetallic and coarse Si phasese. These micro-cracks then coalesced together and provided a path for fatigue crack propagation. From the observation of the differences in microstructure and fractography of these two automotive alloys, the authors attempt to explain the high-temperature fatigue deformation behavior of heat resistant aluminum alloys.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.369-381
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• 1993

Aluminum alloy(AC8A) matrix composites reinforced with SiC particles(10% in vol.) were fabricated by Centrifugal Spray Deposition(CSD) process. The microstructures were investigated in order to evaluate both the mixing mode between aluminum matrix and SiC particles, and the effect of SiC particles on the cooling behaviours of droplets during flight and preforms deposited. A non-continuum mathematical calculation was performed to explain and to quantify the evolution of microstructures in the droplets and preforms deposited. Conclusions obtained are as follows; 1. The powders produced by CSD process showed, in general, ligament type, and more than 60% of the powders produced were about 300 to 850 um in size. 2. AC8A droplets solidified during flight showed fine dendritic structure, but AC8A droplets mixed with SiC particles showed fine equiaxed grain structure, and eutectic silicon were formed to crystallize granularly between fine aluminum grains. 3. SiC particles seem to act as a nucleation sites for pro-eutectic silicon during solidification of AC8A alloy. 4. The microstructure of composite powders formed by CSD process showed particle embedded type, and resulted in dispersed type microstructure in preforms deposited. 5. The pro-eutectic silicon crystallized granularly between fine aluminum grains seem to prohibit grains from growth during spray deposition process. 6. The interfacial reactions between aluminum matrix and SiC particles were not observed from the deposit performs and the solidified droplets. 7. The continuum model seem to be useful in connecting the processing parameters with the resultant microstructures. From these results, it was concluded that the fabrication of aluminum matrix composites reinforced homogeneously with SiC particles was possible.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.148-156
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• 2017

The effects of minor additives on the casting properties of AC4A aluminum alloys were investigated. Measurements of the cooling curve and microstructure observations were conducted to analyze the effects of Ti-B and Sr minor elements during the solidification process. A fine grain size and an increase in the crystallization temperature for the ${\alpha}-Al$ solution were evident after the addition of 0.1wt% Al-5%Ti-1%B additive. The modification effect of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase with the addition of 0.05% Al-10%Sr additive was prominent. A fine eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase and a decrease in the growth temperature of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase were evident. Fluidity, shrinkage and solidification-cracking tests were conducted to evaluate the castability of the alloy. The combined addition of Al-5%Ti-1%B and Al-10%Sr additives showed the maximum filling length owing to the effect of the fine ${\alpha}-Al$ grains. The macro-shrinkage ratio increased, while the micro-shrinkage ratio decreased with the combined addition of Al-5%Ti-1%B and Al-10%Sr additives. The macro-shrinkage ratio was nearly identical, while the micro-shrinkage ratio increased with the addition of the Al-10%Sr additive. The tendency of the occurrence of solidification cracking decreased owing to the effect of the fine ${\alpha}-Al$ grains and the modification of the $Mg_2Si$ phase with the combined addition of Al-5%Ti-1%B and Al-10%Sr additives.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2010

Recently, automotive industry is attempting to replace steels for automotive parts with light-weight alloys such as aluminum alloy, because of the growing environmental regulations governing exhaust gas and the engine effectiveness of a vehicle. The low cycle fatigue (LCF) and high cycle fatigue (HCF) properties as well as the microstructure and tensile property were investigated on the low pressure cast A356 aluminum alloy wheel, which was followed by T6 heat treatment. The cast microstructure of the alloy influenced significantly on the low cycle and high cycle fatigue behaviors. The rim part of cast aluminum alloy wheel showed higher low cycle and high cycle fatigue strength compared with the spoke part, which should be caused by higher cooling rate of rim part. The spoke part of the wheel showed coarser dendrite arm spacing (DAS) and wide eutectic zone in the microstructure, which resulted in the partial brittle fracture and lower fatigue life time.

• 한국기계연구소 소보
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• s.20
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• pp.71-78
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• 1990

This investigation was undertaken to establish the technologies of grain refinement and modification, and to characterize material properties, essential for high quality aluminum alloy castings. Grain refinement seldom changed DAS and eutectic Si size, but largely decrease grain size. The variations of grain size induced by grain refinement had a great influence on the elongation without changes in the tensile strength or yield strength. The optimum Ti level lies between 0.1% and 0.16% to achieve the best possible mechanical properties. DAS and grain size were little affected, but eutectic Si size was greatly refined by modification. The variation of eutectic Si size had a great effect on the elongation, impact value, fracture toughness and fatigue crack propagation rate without changes in the tensile strength or yield strength. The Sr content of 0.015% is optimum to modification.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.85-101
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• 1994

Effect of Cr, Cu and Ni metal powders addition on the alloyed layer of aluminum alloy (AC2B) has been investigated with the plasma transferred arc (PTA) overlaying process. The overlaying conditions were 125-200A in plasma arc current, 150mm/min in process speed and 5-20g/min in powder feeding rate. Main results obtained are summarized as follows: 1) It was made clear that formation of thick surface alloyed layer on aluminum alloy is possible by PTA overlaying process. 2) The range of optimum alloying conditions were much wider in case of Cu and Ni powder additions than the case of Cr powder addition judging from the surface appearance and the bead macrostructure. 3) Alloyed layer with Cu showed almost the homogeneous microstructure through the whole layer by eutectic reaction. alloyed layers with Cr and Ni showed needle-like and agglomerated microstructures, the structure of which has compound layer in upper zone of bead by peritectic and eutectic-peritectic reactions, respectively. 4) Microconstituents of the alloyed layer were analyzed as A1+CrA $l_{7}$ eutectics, C $r_{2}$al sub 11/, CrA $l_{4}$, C $r_{4}$A $l_{9}$ and C $r_{5}$A $l_{*}$ 8/ for Cr addition, Al+CuA $l_{2}$(.theta.) eutectics and .theta. for Cu addition, and Al+NiA $l_{3}$ eutectics. NiA $l_{3}$, N $i_{2}$A $l_{3}$ and NiAl for Ni addition. 5) Concerning defect of the alloyed layer, many blow holes were seen in Cr and Ni additions although there was lesser in Cu addition. Residual gas contents in blow hole for Cu and Ni alloyed layer were confirmed as mainly $H_{2}$ and a littie of $N_{2}$ Cracking was observed in compound zone of the alloyed layer in case of Cr and Ni addition but not in Cu alloyed layer.r.r.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.56-59
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• 2005

Aluminum alloy casting is gaining increased acceptance in automotive and electronic industries and especially, squeeze casting is the most efficient method of mass manufacturing of such parts. In this study, the microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-7.0Si-0.4Mg(AC4C) alloy fabricated by squeeze casting process for development of fuel system parts (fuel rail) are investigated. The microstructure of squeeze cast specimen was composed of eutectic structure aluminum solid solution and $Mg_2Si$ precipitates. The tensile strength of as-solid solution treatment Al-7.0Si-0.4Mg alloy was 298.5MPa. It was found that Al-7.0Si-0.4Mg alloy had good corrosion resistance in electrochemical polarization test.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.273-276
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• 2004

A356 alloy is one of the most popular casting aluminum alloys due to its good castability. It is well known that the mechanical properties of A356 alloy strongly depend on its characteristic microstructure, such as the size of eutectic Si, primary $\alpha$ dendrite and so on. These microstructural features are determined during the casting and solidification process, which implies the strong relationship with mechanical properties with solidification methods. In the present study, the mechanical characteristics of A356 alloy was investigated by using squeeze cast control arm in terms of the microstructural features, such as the size of eutectic Si, primary a dendrite. By doing so, the most favorable microstructure of A356 could be determined for Al control arm that should be one of the most reliable parts in automobile.