Analysis of the impact of the change of primary and secondary AlSi9Cu3 alloy ratio in the batch on its performance

The ratio of primary and secondary alloy in the batch is important in determining and evaluating the quality of the alloy. The resulting quality of the casting and the costs associated with its production are directly related to the composition of the raw materials entering the smelting process. With the use of an alloy composed of a high proportion of recycled material a negative effect on performance can be expected despite its economic benefits. Based on the results of thermal analysis, mechanical properties and microstructure analysis, the effect of changing the primary and secondary AlSi9Cu3 alloy ratio in the batch was determined. A negative effect of the increasing proportion of secondary alloy was already evident in the case of an alloy composed of a 50-50% ratio. Conversely, in the case of artificial aging, a positive effect was observed with increasing amounts of secondary alloy. © 2019. Published by Manufacturing Technology. All rights reserved.