A study of die design of semi-solid die casting according to gate shape and solid fraction

In this paper, the effects of gate shape and solid fraction on filling behavior during semi-solid processing of A356 alloys have been demonstrated by experimental and computer simulation. Effects of solid fractions and gate shapes on material properties have been investigated through experiment and computer simulation. Although the cross-section areas of the gates were identical, the filling behavior of the semi-solid material differed due to differences between the widths and heights of the gates. Furthermore, when the cross-section area of the gate is held constant, the increase in height plays a key role in improving mechanical properties. Because the pressure applied by the plunger transfers easily to the material during injection when the cross-section area of the cavity is large, the mechanical properties improved. Therefore, the optimization of die design and the experimental conditions that enhance material properties are proposed in this paper.