Effect of Si, Cu and Fe on mechanical properties of cast semi-solid 206 alloys

The development of a modified 206 alloy whose composition was optimized to minimize hot tearing during semi-solid forming was reported. The effect of varying silicon, copper and iron contents was investigated using a design of experiment (DOE) approach. Semi-solid slurries were prepared using the SEED process and injected into a high pressure die casting press. The hot tearing sensitivity results were reported for different alloy variants. The microstructure evolution during the semi-solid preparation was presented along with actual die cast components. The effects of silicon, copper and iron on mechanical properties in the T7 condition were also analyzed. Beyond the benefit of reducing hot tearing, it is shown that the tensile and fatigue properties remain compatible with the automotive industry requirements.