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Cast Aluminum Housing 4
- Thread starter Adrian2
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4
- #2
There are a large number of variables to consider, so I will start off with some questions:
1. Is this supposed to be the same design as the cast iron version? Specifically, are the various sections and wall thicknesses intended to be the same? Is stiffness a consideration? Aluminum is about half as stiff as cast iron, so deflection for a given section/wall thickness will be almost twice that of cast iron.
2. Are you designing around a nominal stress value? What is the likely operating temperature range? Corrosion environment? Popular grades like 356/A356 can be heat-treated to moderate strength values, but are not particularly temperature resistant (creep, etc.) Stronger grades like 319 and 390 have less ductility, and are prone to brittle failure. High strength/high toughness grades like 201 and 206/A206 have relatively poor corrosion resistance. For higher temperatures, grades like 332, 360, and 390 are more suitable.
3. Casting process to be used makes a difference. All of the grades I mentioned above, except 360, are castable, to various degrees, in sand or permanent molds (gravity or low-pressure processes). 360 is a high pressure die casting alloy. 390 is used in all processes. Do you have a casting vendor picked out yet? I would work closely with the intended supplier on alloy selection, as they will have suggestions based on processability, availability, cost, etc. I highly recommend you check out the following website for more information:
American Foundry Society -
Under this website, there are two magazines that are quite good for information: Modern Casting and Engineered Casting Solutions. There is also a Sourcing Guide for finding suppliers. Good luck.
1. Is this supposed to be the same design as the cast iron version? Specifically, are the various sections and wall thicknesses intended to be the same? Is stiffness a consideration? Aluminum is about half as stiff as cast iron, so deflection for a given section/wall thickness will be almost twice that of cast iron.
2. Are you designing around a nominal stress value? What is the likely operating temperature range? Corrosion environment? Popular grades like 356/A356 can be heat-treated to moderate strength values, but are not particularly temperature resistant (creep, etc.) Stronger grades like 319 and 390 have less ductility, and are prone to brittle failure. High strength/high toughness grades like 201 and 206/A206 have relatively poor corrosion resistance. For higher temperatures, grades like 332, 360, and 390 are more suitable.
3. Casting process to be used makes a difference. All of the grades I mentioned above, except 360, are castable, to various degrees, in sand or permanent molds (gravity or low-pressure processes). 360 is a high pressure die casting alloy. 390 is used in all processes. Do you have a casting vendor picked out yet? I would work closely with the intended supplier on alloy selection, as they will have suggestions based on processability, availability, cost, etc. I highly recommend you check out the following website for more information:
American Foundry Society -
Under this website, there are two magazines that are quite good for information: Modern Casting and Engineered Casting Solutions. There is also a Sourcing Guide for finding suppliers. Good luck.
Also 713 & 771 both are high strength with many advantages on is they do not need the added expence of heat treating
all of the above is very true
we are a small midwestern nonferiuos foundry in Nebraska
Bill L
all of the above is very true
we are a small midwestern nonferiuos foundry in Nebraska
Bill L
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