Abstract
Premium strength and optimum quality in Al-9%Si-0.5%Mg castings may be attained by the proper selection of production procedures. The current study investigates the influence of a number of metallurgical parameters on the strength and quality of permanent mold castings; these factors include the Fe-level, the Cu-content, and the heat treatment. Quality charts were used as an evaluation tool for selecting the optimum conditions to be applied in practice. Statistical analyses confirmed the evaluation of results obtained using such quality maps. Selected metallurgical conditions used in the production of Al-9%Si-0.5%Mg alloy castings which displayed superior strength and optimum quality were observed to be: (i) a minimum level of iron, since Fe has a deleterious effect on both strength and quality; (ii) an increase in the copper content since Cu enhances alloy strength; and (iii) the maximum safe solutionizing temperature, which improves both the strength and quality of castings.