Porosities Comparison between Production and Simulation in Motorcycle Fuel Caps of Aluminum High Pressure Die Casting

Authors: P. Meethum, C. Suvanjumrat

Abstract:

Many aluminum motorcycle parts produced by a high pressure die casting. Some parts such as fuel caps were a thin and complex shape. This part risked for porosities and blisters on surface if it only depended on an experience of mold makers for mold design. This research attempted to use CAST-DESIGNER software simulated the high pressure die casting process with the same process parameters of a motorcycle fuel cap production. The simulated results were compared with fuel cap products and expressed the same porosity and blister locations on cap surface. An average of absolute difference of simulated results was obtained 0.094 mm when compared the simulated porosity and blister defect sizes on the fuel cap surfaces with the experimental micro photography. This comparison confirmed an accuracy of software and will use the setting parameters to improve fuel cap molds in the further work.

Keywords: Aluminum, die casting, fuel cap, motorcycle.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1099664

References:

[1] A.A. Luo, “Magnesium casting technology for structure applications,” Journal of Magnesium and Alloys, vol. 1, pp. 2–22, 2013.
[2] K.K.S. Thong, B.H. Hu, X.P. Nui and I. Pinwill, “Cavity pressure measurements and process monitoring for magnesium die casting of a thin-wall-hand-phone component to improve quality,” J. Mater. Process. Tech., vol. 127, pp. 238–241, 2002.
[3] J.F. Jieng, “Effect of process parameters on microstructure and properties of AM50A magnesium alloy parts formed by double control forming ,” Transaction of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 321–333, 2014.
[4] H.D. Zhao, F. Wang, Y.Y. Li and W. Xia, “Experiment and numerical analysis of gas entrapment defects in plate ADC12 die casting,” J. Mater. Process. Tech., vol. 1209, pp. 4537–241, 2002.
[5] H.D. Zhao, Y.F. Bai, X.X. Ouyang and P.Y. Dong, “Simulation of mold filling and prediction of gas entrapment on practical high pressure die casting,” Transaction of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, vol. 20, pp. 2064–2070, 2010.
[6] Y.C. Kim, C.S. Kang, J.I. Cho, C.Y. Jeong, S.W. Choi and S.K. Hong, “Die casting mold design of the thin-walled aluminum case by computational solidification simulation,” J. Mater. Sci. Technol., vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 383–388, 2008.
[7] L. Hu, S. Chen, Y. Miao and Q. Meng, “Die-casting effect on surface characteristics of thin-walled AZ91D magnesium components,” Appl. Surf. Sci, vol. 261, pp. 851–856, 2012.
[8] J.F. Jieng, G. Chen, Y. Wang, Z. Du, W. Shan and Y. Li, “Microstructure and mechanical properties of thin-wall and high-rib parts of AM50A magnesium alloy formed by double control forming and die casting under the optimal conditions,” J. Alloy. Compd., vol. 552, pp. 44–55, 2013.
[9] D.R. Gunasegaram, M. Givord, R.G. O’Donnell and B.R. Finnin, “Improvements engineered in UTS and elongation of aluminum alloy high pressure die castings through the alteration of runner geometry and plunger velocity,” Mat. Sci. Eng. A–Struct., vol. 559, pp. 276–286, 2013.
[10] E.J. Vinarcik, High Integrity Die Casting Process. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2003.