High-Pressure Die-Cast AlSi9Cu3(Fe) Alloys: Models for Casting Defects and Mechanical Properties

The effect of casting defects on the tensile properties of high-pressure die-cast AlSi9Cu3(Fe) alloys is reported. A series of U-shaped structural components has been die-cast using a combination of injection parameters and pouring temperatures in order to produce different types and amount of casting defects throughout the casting. The results reveal how the die-castings contain defects, primarily pores and oxides, and their presence and distribution are highly sensitive to the process conditions. The tensile properties are affected by the amount and distribution of defects and can be determined by the defect area fraction. The influence of casting defects on the tensile properties are investigated through a theoretical verification based both on constitutive and stochastic models. The analytical approach, based on the Ghosh constitutive model of tension instability, correctly indicates the trends of the experimental results, while the Weibull statistics evidences how the scale parameter and the Weibull modulus are strongly affected by the casting conditions.