Mechanical Properties and Joinability of AlSi9 Alloy Manufactured by Twin-Roll Casting

AlSi casting alloys combine excellent castability with high strength. Hence, this group of alloys is often used in the automotive sector. The challenge for this application is the brittle character of these alloys which leads to cracks during joint formation when mechanical joining technologies are used. A rise in ductility can be achieved by a considerable increase in the solidification rate which results in grain refinement. High solidification rates can be realized in twin-roll casting (TRC) by water-cooled rolls. Therefore, a hypoeutectic EN AC-AlSi9 (for European Norm - aluminum cast product) is manufactured by the TRC process and analyzed. Subsequently, joining investigations are performed on castings in as-cast and heat-treated condition using the self-piercing riveting process considering the joint formation and the load-bearing capacity. Due to the fine microstructure, the crack initiation can be avoided during joining, while maintaining the joining parameters, especially by specimens in heat treatment conditions. Furthermore, due to the extremely fine microstructure, the load-bearing capacity of the joint can be significantly increased in terms of the maximum load-bearing force and the energy absorbed.

Automated summary

AlSi casting alloys are widely used in the automotive industry, but their brittle nature can lead to cracks during mechanical joining. By increasing the solidification rate and using TRC process, ductility can be improved to prevent crack initiation during joint formation. Additionally, the load-bearing capacity of the joint can be significantly increased due to the extremely fine microstructure.