Abstract
The proper feeding conditions for thin Al-Alloy (AA336, JIS AC8A) castings in permanent mold were investigated to eliminate microshrinkage porosity. 5mm-thick plates (200mm long, 60mm wide) were cast with increasing padding taper from 0 to 5% under different conditions : (1) constant mold temperature of $350^{\circ}C$, (2) continuous production with uniform mold thickness (10mm), (3) continuous production with a negative taper of 2.5% in mold thickness (thickness decreasing in direction to riser). The test casting were machined off to the midplane and the shrinkage porosity was examined visually. The critical padding taper which can just eliminate the shrinkage porosity was determined for each condition, i.e. : (1) 4.5% at the constant mold temperature, (2) 3.5% for continuous production with the uniform mold thickness (3) 1.5% for continuous production with the taper in mold thickness. A computer simulation by a finite difference analysis program was applied to the test casting. The liquid fraction gradient (LFG) and the temperature gradient divided by the square root of the cooling rate (G /SR) were calculated at the end of solidification and compared with the shrinkage porosity area in the castings. For the case of constant mold temperature, LFG is a better parameter to predict shrinkage porosity than G /SR and its critical value is around 11%/cm. But for the case of continuous production, neither LFG nor G /SR could be a reliable parameter. The experimental results about the critical padding taper are of practical interest for designing permanent molds and castings. The computer simulation results stimulate further research to be directed on the prediction of centerline microshrinkage porosity in continuous production.