Improvement of impact resistance of aluminum and zinc based die cast parts by means of tool steel inserts


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Metalurji ve Malzeme Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2011

Öğrenci: MURAT KAMBEROĞLU

Danışman: ALİ KALKANLI

Özet:

High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) is low-cost technique for the mass production of complex, non-ferrous parts. Despite its benefits such as dimensional accuracy, surface quality and high production rate; some mechanical drawbacks limit use of HPDC in production of critical parts especially under dynamical loads. This study aims to improve impact resistance and surface hardness of die cast parts by means of tool steel inserts. These inserts act as a barrier between the impactor and die casting alloy, in order to avoid surface deformation and reduce stress localization which leads crack formation. Except the impact surface, whole insert is embedded into the die casting alloy by placing them on specially machined die casting molds prior to the metal injection. The mentioned method was evaluated by mechanical test and micro-examinations which were applied on AISI D2 tool steel inserted A518.0, A413.2 and Zamak5 alloy samples. To see the effect of inserts on energy absorbance under single destructive loads, both monolithic (conventional) and inserted (produced by mentioned technique) samples were subjected to Charpy impact test. In order to observe its behavior under non-destructive, cyclic, low velocity impacts; a dedicated real rifle part was produced by this method and tested in the real service loads. Explicit Finite Elemental Analysis was also carried out to understand how the inserts increases the energy absorbance and protect the die cast body by simulating both destructive and non-destructive impact loads. In addition to these, micro-examinations were also conducted especially on insert-die casting alloy interface for chemical and physical interactions, defects and stability. In regards of experimental findings, mechanical feasibility of the method was achieved. It was proved that steel inserts improve energy absorbance, stress distribution and impact-surface hardness of die cast products.