Shape-Dependent Strength of Al Si9Cu3FeZn Die-Cast Alloy in Impact Zone of Conformal Cooling Core

This article presents the results of shape-dependent strength analyses in die-castings from traditional (straight-drilled) and conformal core-cooling moulds. Cores with a traditional cooling layout were made of H13 steel using machining, and the working sections of the conformal cores were made using the selective laser melting method (SLM). Two series of casts were produced in the same mould. For Series A, the mould was fitted with traditional cooling cores, and for Series B, the same mould was fitted with conformal ones. The cast specimens were subjected to two weeks of natural ageing. The strength testing of the casts determined the levels of the destructive forces. The destructive forces in the core-cooling impact zones were approximately 28% higher in the B samples than they were in the A samples. The impact of the alloy's porosity, density, and microstructure on the strengths of the casts was demonstrated. The alloy densities in the central (broken-off) fragments of the casts from Series A were 2.6646 g/cm3; these were 2.6791 g/cm3 in the cases of casts from Series B. The values of the secondary dendrite arm space (SDAS) ranged from 6 to 13 μm in the analysed cross-section of the set of the A casts, and between 3 and 12 μm in the same zone of the set of the B casts. The results of the experimental determinations of the casts porosity levels and SDAS parameters were compared with the results of numerical simulations that were carried out in ProCAST software.