Steel Reinforced Aluminium Casting

A multiphase topology optimization, formerly validated on human bone structures, is applied to design a hybrid aluminium-steel longnitudial carrier. Following the designing, the composite component is manufactured via high pressure die casting with an integrated topology optimized steel core. To proof the functionality the hybrid longnitudial carrier is tested under quasistatic bending loads. As a serial monolithic longnitudial carrier with casting rips for reinforcement is concidered as reference. Goal of the hybrid concept is to obtain the function, remain weight neutral to the reference but reduce the required space in the body framework. The functional potential the optimization shows theoretically for the composite component is covered by productional restrictions in reality. Though a significant enhancement in bending stiffness occurs however the hybrid longnitudial carrier can't compare with the weight-related bending stiffness of the monolithic reference reinforced by cast rips. As long as space is available, a conventional monolithic construction offers a more efficient weight-related bending stiffness than the developed hybrid component. Is space the limiting factor, integrated steel cores in high pressure die casting parts can contribute to improve the bending stiffness.