The presented work discusses the influence of material of foundry mould on the effect of modification of AlSi11 alloy. For this purpose castings were produced in moulds made of four various materials. Castings of the first type were cast in a metal die, the second ones in the conventional mould of bentonite-bound sand, those of the third type in the sand mould with oil binder, the last ones in a shell mould where phenol-formaldehyde resin was applied as a binder. All the castings were made of AlSi11 alloy modified with strontium. For a purpose of comparison also castings made of the non-modified alloy were produced. The castings were examined with regard to their microstructures. The performed investigations point out that the addition of strontium master alloy results in refining of the alloy structure, particularly of the α-phase, causes some morphological changes in the alloy and the refinement of eutectics. The advantageous influence of modifier on the structure of the examined silumin was observed particularly in the case of alloy cast either in the conventional oil-bound sand mould or in the shell mould. The non-modified alloy cast into a metal die exhibits a structure similar to those of modified alloy solidifying in the other moulds. The improvement in both tensile strength and unit elongation suggests that the modification was carried out correctly. The best mechanical properties were found for the alloy cast in a metal die, both with and without modification treatment.

The paper analyses the as-cast state structure of chromium cast iron designed for operation under harsh impact-abrasive conditions. In the process of chromium iron castings manufacture, very strong influence on the structure of this material have the parameters of the technological process. Among others, adding to the Fe-Cr-C alloy the alloying elements like tungsten and titanium leads to the formation of additional carbides in the structure of this cast iron, which may favourably affect the casting properties, including the resistance to abrasive wear.

The article is focused on thermomechanical and plastic properties of two high-manganese TRIPLEX type steels with an internal marking 1043 and 1045. Tensile tests at ambient temperature and at a temperature interval 600°C to 1100°C were performed for these heats with a different chemical composition. After the samples having been ruptured, ductility was observed which was expressed by reduction of material after the tensile test. Then the stacking fault energy was calculated and dilatation of both high-manganese steels was measured. At ambient temperature (20°C), 1043 heat featured higher tensile strength by 66MPa than 1045 heat. Microhardness was higher by 8HV0,2 for 1045 steel than for 1043 steel (203HV0,2). At 20°C, ductility only differed by 3% for the both heats. Decrease of tensile properties occurred at higher temperatures of 600 up to 1100°C. This tensile properties decrease at high temperatures is evident for most of metals. The strength level difference of the both heats in the temperature range 20°C up to 1100°C corresponded to 83 MPa, while between 600°C and 1100°C the difference was only 18 MPa. In the temperature range 600°C to 800°C, a decrease in ductility values down to 14 % (1045 heat), or 22 % (1043 heat), was noticed. This decrease was accompanied with occurrence of complex Aluminium oxides in a superposition with detected AlN particles. Further ductility decrease was only noted for 1043 heat where higher occurrence of shrinkag porosity was observed which might have contributed to a slight decrease in reduction of area values in the temperature range 900°C to 1100°C, in contrast to 1045 heat matrix.

Porosity is one of the major defects in aluminum castings and results in a decrease of the mechanical properties of Al-Si alloys. It is induced by two mechanisms: solidification shrinkage and gas segregation. One of the methods for complex evaluation of macro and micro porosity in Al-Si alloys is using the Tatur test technique. This article deals with the evaluation of porosity with the help of Tatur tests for selected Al-Si alloys. These results will be compared with results obtained from the ProCAST simulation software.

Fabrication and microstructure of the AlSi11 matrix composite containing 10 % volume fraction of CrFe30C8 particles were presented in this paper. Composite suspension was manufactured by using mechanical stirring. During stirring process the temperature of liquid metal, time of mixing and rotational speed of mixer were fixed. After stirring process composite suspension was gravity cast into shell mould. The composites were cast, applying simultaneously an electromagnetic field. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of changes in the frequency of the current power inductor on the morphology of the reinforcing phase in the aluminum matrix. The concept is based on the assumption that a chromium-iron matrix of CrFe30C8 particles dissolves and residual carbide phases will substantially strengthen the composite. The microstructure and interface structure of the AlSi11/CrFe30C8 composite has been studied by optical microscopy, scanning microscopy and X-ray diffraction.

The dimensional accuracy of a final casting of Inconel 738 LC alloy is affected by many aspects. One of them is the choice of method and time of cooling the wax model for precision investment casting. The main objective of this work was to study the initial deformation of the complex shape of a rotor blades casting. Various approaches have been tested for cooling a wax pattern. When wax models are air cooled and without clamping in the jig for cooling, deviations from the ideal shape of the casting are very noticeable (up to 8 mm) and most are in extreme positions of the model. When the blade is cooled in the fixing jig in a water environment, the resulting deviations compared to those of air cooling are significantly larger, sometimes up to 10 mm. This itself does not mean that the final shape of the casting is dimensionally more accurate with the usage of wax models, which have smaller deviations from the ideal position. Another deformation occurs when the shell mould is produced around the wax pattern and further deformations emerge while cooling the blade casting. This paper demonstrates the first steps in describing the complex process of deformations occurring in Inconel alloy blades produced with investment casting technology by comparing results of thermal imagery, simulations in foundry simulation software ProCAST 2010, and measurements from a CNC scanning system using a Carl Zeiss MC 850. Conclusions are so far not groundbreaking, but it seems that deformations of the wax pattern and deformations of the castings do in some cases cancel each other by having opposite directions. Describing the whole process of deformations will help increase the precision of blade castings so that the models at the beginning and the blades in the end are the same.

The results of studies on the use of magnesium alloy in modern Tundish + Cored Wire injection method for production of vermicular graphite cast irons were described. The injection of Mg Cored Wire length is a treatment method which can be used to process iron melted in an electric induction furnace. This paper describes the results of using a high-magnesium ferrosilicon alloy in cored wire for the production of vermicular graphite cast irons at the; Tundish + Cored Wire to be injected methods (PE) for pearlitic-ferritic matrix GJV with about 25 %ferrite content. The results of calculations and experiments have indicated the length of the Cored Wire to be injected basing on the initial sulfur content and weight of the treated melt. The paper presents a microstructure matrix and vermicular graphite in standard sample and different walled castings. The results of numerous trials have shown that the magnesium Tundish + PE Method process can produce high quality vermicular graphite irons under the specific industrial conditions of the above mentioned foundries.

Changes of gas pressure in the moulding sand in the zone adjacent to mould cavity were analysed during pouring of cast iron. No significant effect of pressure on the surface quality of castings was observed. In the second series of tests, the concentration of hydrogen in the gas atmosphere was measured. It has been found that the value of this concentration depends on metal composition and is particularly high in cast iron containing magnesium. This is due to the reduction of water vapour with the element that has high affinity to oxygen. The presence of hydrogen causes the formation of gas-induced defects on the casting surface.

A comprehensive understanding of melt quality is of paramount importance for the control and prediction of actual casting characteristics. Among many phenomenon that occur during the solidification of castings, there are four that control structure and consequently mechanical properties: chemical composition, liquid metal treatment, cooling rate and temperature gradient. The cooling rate and alloy composition are most important among them. This paper investigates the effect of the major alloying elements (silicon and copper) of AlSi-Cu alloys on the size of secondary dendrite arm spacing. It has been shown that both alloying elements have reasonable influence on the refinement of this solidification parameter

Statistical Process Control (SPC) based on the well known Shewhart control charts, is widely used in contemporary manufacturing

industry, including many foundries. However, the classic SPC methods require that the measured quantities, e.g. process or product

parameters, are not auto-correlated, i.e. their current values do not depend on the preceding ones. For the processes which do not obey this

assumption the Special Cause Control (SCC) charts were proposed, utilizing the residual data obtained from the time-series analysis. In the

present paper the results of application of SCC charts to a green sand processing system are presented. The tests, made on real industrial

data collected in a big iron foundry, were aimed at the comparison of occurrences of out-of-control signals detected in the original data

with those appeared in the residual data. It was found that application of the SCC charts reduces numbers of the signals in almost all cases

It is concluded that it can be helpful in avoiding false signals, i.e. resulting from predictable factors.

The paper proposes a methodology useful in verification of results of dilatometric tests aimed at determination of temperatures defining

the start and the end of eutectoid transformation in the course of ductile cast iron cooling, based on quenching techniques and

metallographic examination. For an industrial melt of ductile cast iron, the effect of the rate of cooling after austenitization at temperature

900°C carried out for 30 minutes on temperatures TAr1

start and TAr1

end was determined. The heating rates applied in the study were the

same as the cooling rates and equaled 30, 60, 90, 150, and 300°C/h. It has been found that with increasing cooling rate, values of

temperatures TAr1

start and TAr1

end decrease by several dozen degrees.

The chosen, typical causes of quality defects of cast-iron „alphin” rings embedded in aluminum cast are being presented in this paper.

Diffusive joint of those inserts with the pistons casts is being used, due to extreme work conditions of destructive influence of the fuel mix

and variable thermo-mechanical loads, which reign in the combustion motor working chamber.

The results of structure observations of Ni base superalloy subjected to long-term influence of high pressure hydrogen atmosphere at 750K

and 850K are presented. The structure investigation were carried out using conventional light-, scanning- (SEM) and transmission electron

microscopy (TEM). The results presented here are supplementary to the mechanical studies given in part I of this investigations. The

results of study concerning mechanical properties degradation and structure observations show that the differences in mechanical

properties of alloy subjected different temperature are caused by more advanced processes of structure degradation during long-term aging

at 850K, compare to that at 750K. Higher service temperature leads to formation of large precipitates of δ phase. The nucleation and

growth of needle- and/or plate-like, relative large delta precipitates proceed probably at expense strengthening γ" phases. Moreover, it can't

be excluded that the least stable γ" phase is replaced with more stable γ' precipitates. TEM observations have disclosed differences in

dislocation structure of alloy aged at 750K and 850K. The dislocation observed in alloy subjected to 750K are were seldom observed only,

while in that serviced at high stress and 850K dislocation array and dislocation cell structure was typical.