• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.355-358
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• 2004

In this study, the deformation characteristics of grain-size controlled rheology materials surfaces were investigated as a part of the research on the surface crack prediction in semi-solid formed automobile components. The microstructure of rheology Al-Si alloys consists of primary and eutectic regions. In eutectic regions the crack initiation begins with initial fracture of the eutectic silicon particles and inside other intermetallic phases. Nano-deformation characteristics in the eutectic and primary region of semi-solid aluminum alloys (356 alloy and 319 alloy) were investigated through the nanoindentation/scratch experiments and the AFM observation.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.269-276
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• 2000

So far, the study on semi-solid process has been carried out to develop and research new advanced materials without some casting defects. In this study, A356 billets consisted of various dendritic shapes were prepared using electro-magnetic stirring process continuously. As-cast respectively has liquidus temperature of $625.6^{\circ}C$ and solidus temperature of $573.55^{\circ}C$ A356 slugs were reheated homogeneously at different temperatures of 580, 590 and $605^{\circ}C$, followed by squeezing in a mold insulated with applied pressures(0, 25, 50 and 70 MPa). In order to investigate on aging responce for casts, 50 MPa squeezed specimen among all specimens was prepared in aging treatments, which conditions are aging temperature of $160^{\circ}C$ and holding times of 0, 45, 90, 270, 360, 720, 1440 and 2880 min after solution treatment ($540^{\circ}C$ for 10 hr). SSM ingot with the output velocity of 150mm/min appeared more spheroidal shape and fine structure than that with the output velocity of 250 mm/min. According to increasing in reheating temperature, numbers of fatigue cycles, U.T.S and elongation increased at same time.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.130-136
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• 2002

The growing use of aluminum for castings over the past decade has brought with it the increased scrutiny of component properties. One area that has received much attention is the effect of in inclusions - or impurities particles held in the metal - on casting properties. A new method of electromagnetic separation for removal of inclusions in aluminum alloy melts is proposed. The principle is that as the electromagnetic force induced in metal acts on inclusions due to low electric conductivity, they are moved to the direction opposite to electromagnetic force and can be separated and removed from the melt. Experiments were carried out on A356 melt mixed alumina particles and commercial Al alloys of ADC 10 and 12. In the experiment using A356, it was proved that $Al_2O_3$ particles was separated and removed continuously from matrix melt by electromagnetic force. Based on these results, the continuous separation experiment that used ADC 10, 12 was carried and the cleanliness of melt was assessed by the amount of porosity, hydrogen contents, PoDFA and mechanical properties through tensile test. As the results of analyses, the amount of porosity and hydrogen contents decreased without variation of chemical composition in the specimen that passed the electromagnetic continuous separator. In addition, tensile strength and elongation of this specimen increased by $20{\sim}30%$ because of reduction of inclusions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.1011-1012
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• 2012

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.431-438
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• 1998

Microstructure of A356 aluminum alloys cast in the permanent mold was investigated by optical microscope and image analyzer, with particular respect to the shape and size distribution of iron intermetallics known as ${\beta}-phase$ ($Al_5FeSi$). Morphologies of the ${\beta}-phase$ was found to change gradually with the Be:Fe ratio like these. In Be-free alloys, ${\beta}-phase$ with needlelike morphology was well developed, but script phase was appeared when the Be:Fe ratio is above 0.2:1. With the Be:Fe ratios of 0.4:1-1:1, script phase as well as Be-rich phase was also observed. In case of higher Be addition, above 1:1, Be-rich phase was observed on all regions of the specimens, and increasing of the Be:Fe ratios gradually make the Be-rich phase coarse. It was also observed that the ${\beta}-phase$ with needlelike morphology was coarsened with increase of the Fe content in Be-free alloys. However, in Be-added alloys, length and number of these ${\beta}-phases$ were considerably decreased with the increased Be:Fe ratio. Beryllium addition improved tensile properties and impact toughness of the A356 aluminium alloy, due to the formation of a script phase or a Be-rich phase instead of a needlelike ${\beta}-phase$. The DSC tests indicated that the presence of Be could increase the amount of Mg which is available for $Mg_2Si$ precipitate hardening, and enhance the precipitation kinetics by lowering the ternary eutectic temperature.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2012

In this study, semi-solid thin plate of A 356 aluminum alloy was fabricated by using slope plate apparatus and vacuum pressurization. Slope plate was used to produce semi-solid material with spheroidal microstructures. After molten metal was poured into the slope plate connected to the pouring hole of die, semi-solid material flowed into the die cavity by vacuum degree. The primary crystals of the cast metal became spheroidal. In order to increase the working pressure, gas pressurization of U shape was designed for fabrication of thin plate. For 3 bar of gas pressure and 60 mmHg of vacuum degree, thin plate was fabricated without defects on surface.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.114-125
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• 2002

As semi-solid forging (SSF) is compared with conventional easting such as gravity die-easting and squeeze casting, the product without inner defects can be obtained from semi-solid forming and globular microstructure as well. Generally speaking. SSF consists of reheating, forging, ejecting precesses. In the reheating process, the materials are heated up to the temperature between the solidus and liquidus line at which the materials exists in the form of liquid-solid mixture. The process variables such as reheating time, reheating temperature, reheating holding time, and induction heating power have much effect on the quality of the reheated billets. It is difficult to consider all the variables at the same time when predicting the quality. In this paper, Taguchi method, regression analysis and neural network were applied to analyze the relationship between processing conditions and solid fraction. A356 alloy was used for the present study, and the learning data were extracted by the reheating experiments. Results by neural network were on good agreement with those by experiment. Polynominal regression analysis was formulated by using the test data from neural network. Optimum processing condition was calculated to minimize the grain size, solid fraction standard deviation, otherwise, to maximize the specimen temperature average. In this time, discussion is liven about reheating process of row material and results are presented with regard to accurate process variables for proper solid fraction, specimen temperature and grain size.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.329-332
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• 2004

Cast-forging process has a lot of advantages in terms of saving materials along with enhancement of mechanical properties. Therefore, this process has been taken as one of candidate process to manufacturing automotive suspension parts. Since most of cast-forging parts are made with using Al-Si alloys of high castability, the mechanical properties largely depends on the primary ${\alpha}$ and eutectic Si particles. During hot forging step these microstructural features evolve with strain increment. In the present study, the mechanical property evolution was investigated in terms of microstructual evolution with strain. Specially, fracture behavior of A356 alloy was studied to find out how to improve the mechanical properties.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.350-353
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• 2005

Microstructures according to experimental conditions (pouring temperature, stirring current and stirring time) and hardness according to aging time were investigated for A356 cast aluminum alloy and 7075 wrought aluminum alloy. In pouring temperature control, grains became larger and non-uniform at high temperature, however dendritic shapes were shown at lower temperature. In stirring current control, dendritic grains were not destroyed enough at lower current, however fine grains were agglomerated at higher current. And, in stirring time control, grains were more globular but grew larger and larger with the stirring time increasing.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.174-178
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• 2010

In the present study, in-situ real-time observation with an X-ray radioscopic facility was carried out on pure aluminum and aluminum alloy solidification. The three kinds of aluminum alloys, such as pure aluminum, Al-8.5%Si alloy, commercial A356 (AC4C) alloys, were used in the present study. The formations of the shrinkage defects in the castings were visualized and different formation phenomena for different aluminum alloys were investigated.