Liquid Metal Feeding: Quantifying its role on defect formation

轻金属在汽车和运输行业中的使用量持续增加，这是因为通过减轻重量来提高燃油经济性和性能的需求。铸造轻金属产品通过替代铁基部件（如气缸盖）和部件整合，显示出良好的市场渗透率。虽然轻金属的使用可以提高汽车的能源效率，但制造过程需要不断改进，以提高产量和生产能源效率。消除铸造缺陷的策略的发展历来是一个试错的过程。然而，计算能力的不断提高导致了使用数学模型来改进铸造设计，提供了铸造系统的定量知识。 拟议的研究计划的重点是开发新的和基础知识相关的模型（二元）和商业合金的敏感性，形成三个铸造缺陷：i）宏观偏析，ii）大孔隙，和iii）表面凹陷。这三种缺陷都与凝固过程中的液态金属补缩密切相关。提出了一种涉及实验铸件和数学建模的组合方法，以生成必要的知识并开发计算工具来量化金属合金形成液态金属进料相关缺陷的敏感性。 与铸造行业相关的新知识的持续发展对于保持这种竞争优势至关重要。发展对液态金属补缩缺陷的更基本的理解，并开发工具来定量预测其形成，最终将导致更好的铸件和更有效的铸造工艺。这将使加拿大制造企业在面临来自海外制造商越来越大的压力的同时保持竞争力。

Light metals usage in the automotive and transportation industries continues to increase with the demand for improved fuel economy and performance through weight savings. Cast light metal products have shown good market penetration by replacing ferrous based components such as cylinder heads and through part consolidation. While light metals usage may advance vehicle energy efficiency, continuous improvement is needed in the manufacturing processes to increase yield and production energy efficiency. The development of strategies to eliminate casting defects has historically been a trial and error process. However, the continued increase in computational capabilities has led to the use of mathematical models to improve casting design, providing quantitative knowledge of casting systems. The proposed research program is focused on developing new and fundamental knowledge related to the susceptibility of model (binary) and commercial alloys to form three casting defects: i) macrosegregation, ii) macroporosity, and iii) surface depressions. All three of these defects are intimately related to liquid metal feeding during solidification. A combined approach involving experimental castings and mathematical modeling is proposed to generate necessary knowledge and to develop computational tools to quantify the susceptibility of metallic alloys to form liquid metal feeding related defects. The continued development of new knowledge relevant to the casting industry is critical to maintaining this competitive advantage. Developing a more fundamental understanding of liquid metal feeding defects and developing tools to quantitatively predict their formation will ultimately lead to better castings and more efficient casting processes. This will enable Canadian manufacturing companies to remain competitive while facing increasing pressure from offshore manufacturers.