Grain refinement of direct chill cast 7050 aluminium alloy with low frequency electromagnetic field

Low frequency electromagnetic casting (LFEC) process was used to make 7050 aluminum alloy Phi 162mm ingots and study its effect on the as-cast microstructure. Effects of electromagnetic field parameters such as frequency and current intensity on microstructures were systemically investigated. The results showed that LFEC has a significant grain refining effect on 7050 alloy. The microstructures of LFEC ingot from the border to the center of the cross section are all equiaxed or nearly equiaxed grains which are much finer and more uniform than those of DC cast ingot. It was also found that electromagnetic field frequency and current intensity play important roles on the microstructure refinement. The discussion was mainly focused on the mechanism of grain refinement by LFEC process.