Abstract

Solidification time is one of the very important parameters used for assessing the properties of the material. Aluminum casting alloys with tin as the major alloying elements are the most important commercial casting alloys because of their superior casting characteristics. This paper presents influence of different casting method on solidification time and mechanical properties of Al-(20%-40%) Sn alloys against both the molding conditions and tin content. Experimental investigation is carried out to measure the solidification time in cylindrical parts by using sand and die casting methods. The results showed different cooling rates and solidification times can produce substantial variation in the resulting structure and properties. However, decrease of both the ultimate tensile strength and the hardness is obtained by the increase of the tin content. For instance, die casting, which uses metal molds, has faster cooling and produces higher-strength castings than sand casting, which uses a more insulating mold material.