The Influence of the Metal Head on the HTC Evolution in the Sand Casting of A357

The influence of the effective metal head height on the HTC (Heat transfer coefficients) in sand casting of A357 aluminum alloy is analyzed here. Different metal heads were used for the same casting process, evaluating the heat transfer at the metal-chill interface. Thermal analysis and inverse modeling techniques were used, based on the temperature measurements at selected locations in the casting and the chill. The experiments were specifically developed for replicating typical sand casting manufacturing conditions. Aluminum was used as the chill material. Evolutions of HTC and heat flow are reported as a function of time, casting temperature, chill temperature and variation in temperature between casting and chill.