Semi-solid molding method

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6808004
  • Patent Number
    6,808,004
  • Date Filed
    Monday, November 3, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 26, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A metal alloy is heated to a molten state, and a grain refiner may be added. The refined molten alloy is poured into a large diameter shot sleeve of a vertical die cast press and on top of a shot piston. The shot sleeve is transferred to an injection station while the molten alloy cools to a semi-solid slurry with approximately fifty percent solids and a globular, generally non-dendritic microstructure. A center portion of the slurry is injected upwardly by the piston through a gate opening into a die cavity while an outer more solid portion of the slurry is entrapped in an annular recess. After the slurry solidifies, the shot piston retracts, and the shot sleeve is transferred to a position where the residual biscuit is removed. A second shot sleeve filled with the molten alloy is transferred to the metal transfer station, and the process is repeated.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to semi-solid molding (SSM) of metal alloys and the equipment and methods used for SSM, and which are disclosed in many U.S. and foreign patents, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,455, No. 4,434,837, No. 5,161,601 and No. 6,165,411. SSM is also discussed in technical publications, for example, in a book entitled


Science and Technology of Semi


-


Solid Metal Processing


, published by North American Die Casting Association in October, 2001. Chapter 4 of this publication was authored by a co-inventor of the present invention. In conventional SSM processes, it is necessary to use either a specially treated, pre-cast billet of appropriate microstructure or a slurry especially prepared from molten alloy in equipment external to a die casting press. The cost premiums associated with either the pre cast specially treated billet that must be sawed to length before using, or the slurry especially prepared in equipment external to the die casting press, have severely limited the commercial applications of the SSM processes. Also, the pre-cast billet is available from a relatively few sources, is currently made only from primary alloys, and process offal cannot be reused unless reprocessed back into a billet.




Still, SSM provides some important and highly desirable characteristics. Unlike conventional die castings, die cast parts which are produced using SSM processes can be produced substantially free of porosity, they are able to undergo high temperature thermal processing without blistering, they can be made from premium alloys, and they provide reliable high levels of strength and ductility when made using appropriate alloys and heat treatments. Because of the thixotropic nature of semi-solid slurry and the non-turbulent way that relatively viscous thixotropic slurries flow in die casting dies, the SSM process is capable of producing cast parts having thin sections, great detail and complexity and close dimensional tolerances, without the entrapped porosity and oxides which are commonplace in conventional die casting processes.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is directed to a new SSM process or method which significantly reduces the costs of producing parts by the SSM process. The method of the invention is ideally suited for producing parts having thin sections, fine detail and complexity and close dimensional tolerances, and which are substantially free of porosity and oxides, can be processed at elevated temperatures without blistering and which can provide high and reliable levels of strength and ductility. The method of the invention avoids any need to produce a specially treated, pre-cast billet that must be sawed to length before using or a slurry especially prepared from molten alloy in equipment external to the die casting press. The method of the invention is also applicable to a wide variety of alloys, for example, standard A356 alloy and alloys of the Al—Si, Al—Cu, Al—Mg and Al—Zn families, all of which can be acquired in the form of and at prices normal to conventional foundry ingot, including both primary and secondary origin.




In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an ingot of commercially available solid metal or metal alloy, such as aluminum foundry alloy ingot, is heated to the molten state. If not permanently grain refined, such as by employing a foundry alloy called SiBloy produced by Elkem Aluminum, AS, an α aluminum grain refining material such as 5:1::Ti:B master alloy produced by numerous suppliers, or a product called TiBloy produced by Metallurg, is added to the molten alloy in appropriate quantities to accomplish fine grains in the solidified alloy product. The grain refined molten alloy is poured directly into a large diameter shot sleeve or chamber of a vertical die casting machine or press. The shot chamber receives a vertically movable shot piston which forms the bottom of the shot chamber, and the diameter of the shot chamber is greater than its depth or axial length. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shot chamber is greater than its depth by a ratios of 2:1 or more. The shot chamber is then indexed from the initial filling position to a slurry injection position under a die. The molten alloy is permitted to cool within the shot chamber to a predetermined temperature range in which it forms a semi-solid slurry having 40 to 60 percent solid, the solid fraction having a globular, generally non-dendritic microstructure. The portion of the slurry immediately adjacent to the wall of the shot chamber or shot sleeve and the shot piston become significantly colder and more solid.




When the semi-solid slurry within the central portion of a first shot chamber, now in the slurry injection position under the die, has cooled to the predetermined temperature range in which it has 40 to 60 percent solid, the shot piston is moved upwardly by a mechanical actuator or a hydraulic shot cylinder to transfer or inject the semi-solid slurry within the central portion of the shot chamber through one or more gate or sprue openings and into one or more cavities in the die above the shot chamber. The more solid portion of the slurry adjacent the shot sleeve is prevented from entering the die cavity or cavities, either by appropriately distancing the gate or sprue openings from the shot sleeve walls or by entrapping the more solid portion within an annular recess in the gate plate through which the gates or sprue openings communicate with the die cavity or cavities. As a result, the more solid portion of the slurry remains in the residual solidified biscuit. After the semi-solid slurry solidifies in the die cavity or cavities, the shot piston retracts to retract the biscuit intact with gates or sprues. The shot chamber is then transferred or indexed back to its initial filling position where the biscuit with the gates is removed laterally from the shot chamber and piston, and the shot chamber is then ready to repeat the cycle. After the die is opened, the part(s) is ejected and then indexed to a position where it is removed, and the die is ready to repeat the cycle.




During the slurry forming, slurry injection and slurry solidification steps described above relative to the first shot chamber while in its shot position, a second shot chamber in the original filling position has similarly been filled with grain refined molten alloy. When the first shot chamber and its piston are transferred or indexed back to the initial filling position for biscuit removal, the second shot chamber and molten alloy are indexed to the metal transfer or slurry injection position under the die, and the process of slurry formation, slurry injection and slurry solidification is accomplished just as with the first shot chamber. The process is repeated over and over again.




Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a vertical section through a vertical die casting press which is used to perform the method of the invention and with the die set shown in its open position;





FIG. 2

is an enlarged fragmentary section of the semi-solid slurry transfer or injection position or station shown in FIG.


1


and with the die set shown in its closed position; and





FIG. 3

is a diagrammatic illustration of the metal temperature profile of the semi-solid slurry before a center portion of the slurry is transferred or injected into the die cavities shown in FIG.


2


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a vertical die cast machine or press


10


is constructed similar to the press disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,223 which issued to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The press


10


includes a frame


12


formed by a pair of parallel spaced vertical side walls or plates


14


rigidly connected by top plate


16


a base or bottom plate


18


and a set of intermediate cross plates or bars


22


and


24


all rigidly secured to the side panels


14


. The top cross plate


16


supports an upper double acting hydraulic clamping cylinder


30


having a piston rod


32


projecting downwardly on a vertical center axis of the press. The piston rod


32


carries an adapter plate


34


which supports a hydraulic ejector cylinder


36


having a piston


37


projecting downwardly to support a plate


38


which carries a set of ejector pins


39


.




An upper die or mold section


40


(

FIG. 2

) is secured to the bottom of the plate


38


by an annular retaining plate


41


and has a pair of recesses


42


which receive corresponding core members


43


. A lower die or mold section


45


is recessed within a circular indexing or transfer table


48


and defines a pair of cavities


50


which cooperate with the core members


43


to define the corresponding metal parts P produced in accordance with the method of the invention. The transfer or indexing table


48


is mounted on a shaft


52


(

FIG. 1

) supported by a set of bearings


53


retained within the frame member


54


. The table


48


carries a plurality of at least two lower mold sections


45


and is rotated or indexed by a pinion (not shown) engaging periphery teeth


56


on the table


48


and driven by a stepping motor (not shown). A gate plate


60


is positioned under the bottom mold section


45


and defines a pair of slightly tapered gates or sprue openings


62


, one for each of the cavities


50


. The gate plate


60


also defines an annular metal entrapment recess or groove


63


. It is to be understood that the parts P to be die cast within the corresponding mold sections


40


and


45


are shown for illustration only and that the configuration or size of the parts form no part of the present invention. The parts P may be any size or shape, corresponding to the desired die cast article.




A cylindrical vertical column or post


66


is secured to a plate


67


mounted on the base plate


18


and projects upwardly to support a rotatable circular table


68


by a set of anti-friction bearings


69


mounted on a top hub of the post


66


. The table


68


supports a plurality or a pair of diametrically opposite cylindrical shot sleeves


70


which have parallel vertical axes. The table


68


is also supported by a set of thrust bearings


72


mounted on the cross bars or plates


22


and


24


. The table


68


also has peripheral gear teeth


74


which engage a pinion (not shown) mounted on a vertical shaft of an electric stepping motor (not shown). Actuation of the stepping motor is effective to index the table


68


in steps or increments of 180° for alternately presenting the pair of shot sleeves


70


between a molten metal receiving or pour station


80


and a metal injecting or transfer station


82


located under the die sections


40


and


45


and in axial alignment with the clamping cylinder


30


.




Each of the shot sleeves


70


defines a cylindrical shot chamber


86


which receives a corresponding shot piston


88


. The upper end portion of each shot piston


88


has a pair of laterally extending and tapered dovetail slots


92


, and a shot piston rod


94


projects downwardly from each piston


88


. Each of the shot sleeves


70


and each of the piston rods


94


is provided with internal passages


87


(

FIG. 2

) by which cooling fluid or water is circulated through the sleeves and pistons


88


for cooling the molten metal and to form a metal residue biscuit B having integrally connected and upwardly projecting gate pins formed by the gate openings


62


.




A double acting hydraulic shot cylinder


95


is mounted on a spacer plate


96


secured to the base plate


18


under the metal transfer station


82


and in vertical alignment from the axis of the hydraulic clamping cylinder


30


. The shot cylinder


95


includes a piston and piston rod


98


which projects upwardly, and a guide plate


99


is secured to the upper end of the piston rod


98


. Another double acting hydraulic ejection cylinder


110


is substantially smaller than the cylinder


95


and is mounted on the plate


67


by a spacer block


112


. The cylinder


110


includes a piston and piston rod


114


and a guide plate


116


is secured to the upper end of the piston rod


114


. A guide rod


118


projects downwardly from the plate


116


and through a guide block


121


mounted on the cylinder


110


to prevent rotation of the plate


116


and piston rod


114


. The cylinder


110


is located in vertical axial alignment with each shot sleeve


70


when the sleeve is located at the metal receiving or pouring station


80


.




A pair of opposing retaining or coupling plates


126


are secured to the upper surface of each of the guide plates


99


and


116


. Each set of coupling plates defines inner and outer opposing undercut slots for slidably receiving an outwardly projecting circular flange


128


formed on the bottom of each shot piston rod


94


. Thus when the table


68


and shot sleeves


70


are indexed in steps of 180°, the shot piston rods


94


are alternately connected or coupled to the piston rods


98


and


114


.




In operation of the vertical die cast machine or press


10


to perform a semi-solid molding method, a commercially available permanently grain refined alloy such as SiBloy foundry ingot produced by Elkem Aluminum AS, or a non-permanently grain refined alloy such as standard A356 aluminum foundry ingot or foundry alloy ingot of the Al—Si, Al—Cu, Al—Mg or Al—Zn families, is heated to a molten state. Preferably, when a melt of non-permanently grain refined alloy is at a predetermined temperature, for example 650° C. or higher, an α aluminum grain refining material, for example, a titanium boron master alloy sold under the trademark TiBloy and produced by Metallurg, is added at a preferred melt-to-master alloy ratio according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The grain refinement step is not necessary when utilizing a permanently grain refined alloy such as SiBloy. After the molten grain refined alloy is lowered to a temperature of about 626° C., or within the range of 621° C. to 632° C., the molten alloy is poured into the vertical shot chamber


86


located at the pour or fill station


80


above the ejection cylinder


110


. Preferably, the shot chamber


86


has a diameter substantially larger than its depth or axial length, for example, a diameter over 6 inches, such as 7½ inches and a depth of less than 6 inches.




The shot sleeve


70


confining the molten alloy is then indexed to the transfer or injection station


82


while a cooling period occurs. The molten alloy is allowed to cool in the shot chamber


86


to a temperature range that produces a semi-solid slurry having a range of 40% to 60% solid, such as approximately 50% solid and a globular generally non-dendritic microstructure. For example, the A356 aluminum alloy is allowed to cool to a temperature range between 570° C. and 590° C. for a period of fifteen seconds or more from the time it entered that temperature range to the shot or injection time. When the alloy has cooled to this temperature within the shot chamber


86


at the transfer station


82


, the temperature profile of the alloy is close to that shown in

FIG. 3

wherein a center portion A of the alloy has a substantially uniform temperature, and the peripheral portion of the alloy adjacent the shot sleeve


70


is significantly cooler due to the cooling effect of the shot sleeve.




With the mold sections


40


and


45


in their closed position (

FIG. 2

) by actuation of the cylinder


30


, the injection or shot cylinder


95


is actuated to move the shot piston


88


upwardly. This transfers the semi-solid slurry S


1


within the center portion A (

FIG. 3

) of the alloy upwardly through the gate or sprue openings


62


and into the corresponding die cavities


50


to form the parts P which have the desired globular, generally non-dendritic microstructure. The more solidified outer portion of the slurry S


2


within the shot chamber adjacent the sleeve


70


is captured or trapped in the annular recess


63


and prevented from entering the sprue openings


62


.




While the parts P are solidifying within the cavities


50


, another charge of molten alloy is poured into the second shot chamber


86


located at the pour station


80


. When the parts in the cavities


50


are solidified, the shot cylinder


95


is actuated to retract the piston


88


and the residual solidified alloy material or biscuit B within the shot chamber


86


and to shear the metal within the gate or sprue openings


62


from the parts P at the interface of the lower mold section


45


and the gate plate


60


. The residual solidified metal or biscuit B, including the sprues, within the shot chamber


86


is then transferred by indexing the table


68


to either a biscuit removal station or to the metal pour station


80


. At this station, the piston


88


is elevated to a level where the biscuit B is ejected laterally by a fluid cylinder (not shown). After the parts P are fully solidified, the upper mold section


40


is retracted upwardly by actuation of the cylinder


30


while the cylinder


36


is actuated to eject or release the parts with the pins


39


. The table


48


is then indexed to transfer the parts P to a part removal station where the parts are lifted and removed, for example, by a robot (not shown). The above method steps for semi-solid molding are then repeated for successively molding another set of parts.




From the drawings and the above description, it is apparent that a method of semi-solid molding of parts with a vertical die casting press in accordance with the present invention, provides desirable features and advantages. For example, the method of the invention provides for producing die cast parts free of porosity and which may be heat treated to provide a reliable high level of strength and ductility. As a result, the parts may have thin wall sections and be lighter in weight and/or may be complex die cast parts having close tolerances. The method also extends the service life of the die sections since the die sections receive less sensible heat because the injected slurry is at a lower temperature than fully molten metal and with less heat of fusion since the slurry is already approximately 50 percent solid when injected. Also, since the die is required to absorb much less heat in the process, the overall cycle time may be decreased to obtain more efficient production of parts.




The semi-solid molding method of the invention also eliminates the preparation of special billets or special slurries and the substantial cost of the preparation equipment, and enables the reuse of process offal and scrap. That is, by using conventional foundry ingots or ingots of pure metal, which may be grain refined, the method of the invention significantly lowers the cost of input material for semi-solid molding. As another feature, the large diameter to depth ratio of the shot chamber and the controlled cooling of the shot sleeves and shot piston provide for obtaining the desired cooling and temperature profile of the alloy within the semi-solid slurry S


1


in the center portion of the shot chamber. The annular entrapment recess


63


is also effective to prevent the more solidified alloy S


2


adjacent the shot chamber wall or sleeve from entering the sprue openings


62


and flowing into the cavities


50


. The short stroke of the shot piston


88


, which is greater than its diameter, also provides for a broad range of cavity fill rates, for example, when a rapid fill rate is desired for parts having thin wall sections or a slow fill rate is desired for parts having heavy wall sections. The diameter of the shot sleeve and piston are preferably over 6″ and may be substantially more, for example, 24″ in order to die cast a large diameter SSM part such as a motor vehicle wheel or frame member.




While the method and form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise method and form of apparatus described, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, while the vertical die cast press


10


incorporates rotary indexing tables


48


and


68


, vertical die cast presses with other forms of transfer means may be used, for example, a reciprocating shuttle table for the bottom die section or a tilting mechanism for a single shot sleeve.



Claims
  • 1. A method of semi-solid molding a high strength metal part within a die cavity defined by a die set mounted on a vertical die cast press, the press including a shot sleeve having a generally vertical axis and enclosing a shot piston movable axially within the sleeve with the sleeve and piston defining a shot chamber above the piston, the method comprising the steps of:melting a solid metal to form a molten metal, treating the molten metal with a grain refiner, transferring the molten metal into the shot chamber, cooling the molten metal within the shot chamber to within a predetermined temperature range while the molten metal within the shot chamber has a horizontal width substantially greater than its vertical depth and without stirring the molten metal to form a substantially quiescent and shallow semi-solid slurry having a globular and generally non-dendritic microstructure, moving the shot piston upwardly within the shot chamber to inject a central portion of the semi-solid slurry from the shot chamber into the die cavity through a gate opening within a central portion of the shot chamber, and allowing the semi-solid slurry to solidify within the die cavity to form the metal part.
  • 2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the molten metal is cooled within the shot chamber into the semi-solid slurry while the molten metal has a horizontal width at least twice the vertical depth of the molten metal.
  • 3. A method as defined in claim 1 including the steps of:forming a downwardly facing annular entrapment recess above the shot chamber and generally in axial alignment with an inner surface of the shot sleeve, and trapping a more solidified outer portion of the semi-solid slurry adjacent the shot sleeve within the entrapment recess in response to upward movement of the shot piston.
  • 4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the molten metal is cooled within the shot chamber to a temperature range which produces a range of 40% to 60% solid to form the semi-solid slurry.
  • 5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the molten metal is A356 aluminum alloy and is cooled within the shot chamber to a temperature within the range of 570° C. to 590° C. to form the semi-solid slurry.
  • 6. A method as defined in claim 1 and including the steps of:directing the molten metal into a second shot chamber receiving a second shot piston, interchanging the second shot chamber and piston with the first shot chamber and piston after the central portion of the semi-solid slurry is injected from the first shot chamber into the die cavity, and cooling the molten metal within the second shot chamber to within the temperature range while the molten metal within the second shot chamber has a horizontal width substantially greater than its vertical depth and without stirring the molten metal to form a second charge of the semi-solid slurry.
  • 7. A method of semi-solid molding a high strength metal part within a die cavity defined by a die set mounted on a vertical die cast press, the press including a shot sleeve having a generally vertical axis and enclosing a shot piston movable axially within the sleeve with the sleeve and piston defining a shot chamber above the piston, the method comprising the steps of:melting a solid metal to form a molten metal, treating the molten metal with a grain refiner, transferring the molten metal into the shot chamber, cooling the molten metal within the shot chamber to within a predetermined temperature range while the molten metal within the shot chamber has a horizontal width substantially greater than its vertical depth and without stirring the molten metal to form a substantially quiescent and shallow semi-solid slurry having a globular and generally non-dendritic microstructure with a range of 40% to 60% solid, forming a downwardly facing annular entrapment recess above the shot chamber and generally in axial alignment with an inner surface of the shot sleeve, moving the shot piston upwardly within the shot chamber to inject a central portion of the semi-solid slurry from the shot chamber into the die cavity through a gate opening within a central portion of the shot chamber, trapping a more solidified outer portion of the semi-solid slurry adjacent the shot sleeve within the entrapment recess in response to the upward movement of the shot piston, and allowing the semi-solid slurry to solidify within the die cavity to form the metal part.
  • 8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the molten metal is cooled within the shot chamber into the semi-solid slurry while the molten metal has a horizontal width at least twice the vertical depth of the molten metal.
  • 9. A method as defined in claim 7 and including the steps of:directing the molten metal into a second shot chamber receiving a second shot piston, interchanging the second shot chamber and piston with the first shot chamber and piston after the central portion of the semi-solid slurry is injected from the first shot chamber into the die cavity, and cooling the molten metal within the second shot chamber to within the temperature range while the molten metal within the second shot chamber has a horizontal width substantially greater than its vertical depth and without stirring the molten metal to form a second charge of the semi-solid slurry.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Number Name Date Kind
3954455 Flemings et al. May 1976 A
4434837 Winter et al. Mar 1984 A
5161601 Abis et al. Nov 1992 A
5579825 Shibata et al. Dec 1996 A
5660223 Thieman et al. Aug 1997 A
5701942 Adachi et al. Dec 1997 A
5730201 Rollin et al. Mar 1998 A
5979534 Shibata et al. Nov 1999 A
6068043 Clark May 2000 A
6165411 Adachi et al. Dec 2000 A
6478075 Shibata et al. Nov 2002 B1
20040055726 Hong et al. Mar 2004 A1
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
4232742 Mar 1994 DE
0 554 808 Aug 1993 EP
WO-9900203 Jan 1999 WO
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry
John L. Jorstad, Science and Technology of Semi-Solid Metal Processing, Chapter 4, “Processing of SSM: Practical Considerations”.
Proceedings 5th International Conference on Semi-Solid Processing of Alloys and Composites—Jun. 1998.
Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 10/066527 Jan 2002 US
Child 10/700004 US