Abstract
The mechanical properties of Al-7Si-Mg casting alloy A357 under various aging conditions have been investigated in the present study. A significant secondary peak in the elongation versus aging time curve was observedfor samples aged at different temperatures. The secondary elongation peak corresponds to optimum mechanical properties. It was also found that the combination of tensile properties and elongation varies with aging parameters. Aging at 165°C gives the optimum balance of strength and ductility. An ultimate tensile strength of324.3 MPa, yield strength of258.1 MPa, and elongation of 5.4% were obtained for sand castings by aging at 165°Cfor 6 h. Compared to this condition, preaging at 155°Cfor 4 hand final aging at 175°Cfor 10 to 12 h enhances strength without much loss in elongation. This process could be used to produce the high performance premium quality sand castings.
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