Aluminum AW-4046 Preparation of the melt & casting

[gariartola]

Dear colleagues,

I am melting an equivalent to aluminum alloy AW-4046 (9-11%Si; 0,2-0,5%Mg) and casting it into investment casting shells for a trial in the upcoming weeks and I have never dealt with this alloy.

Since it is a Si-Mg alloy, I have considered to use the same amount of eutectic modifier (Na tablets) and grain refiners (Ti-B tablets) as for A357 (an alloy I am used to in the range 6-7%Si; 0,45-0,65% Mg)), and using same melt temperature and shell temperature. Should I be aware of any issue besides the fact that more silicon might mean more modifier and the difference in the solidification temperature range might mean working with lower melt temperature or higher shell temperature? Does feeding distance shorten enough for me to have to change the criteria for feeder design?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Gari

 

[arunmrao]

As you are now near eutectic composition,perhaps Sr or B additions might help.(more a memory recall)


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