IJIRST –International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 4 | Issue 2 | July 2017

ISSN (online): 2349-6010

Effect of Mould Vibration on Mechanical and

Metallurgical Properties of Aluminum 6063alloy
Casting
Santhosh Kumar Sape T. Naga Raju
PG Student Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering
Gudlavalleru Engineering College, AP. Gudlavalleru Engineering College, AP.

Abstract
Casting is one of the oldest and mostly used production methods in industry. The traditional casting has certain disadvantages like
poor strength due to hot tears, shrinkage and poor surface finish. The properties of casted product mostly depend on the
microstructure after solidification. Providing Mould vibration during casting is one of the latest techniques employed in order to
get better structure in the solidified casting. Mould vibration during casting gives reduced amount of shrinkage, better morphology,
surface finish, and less chances of hot tear. In this research work the effect of mould vibration on casting during solidification of
Al-6063 alloys for different values of wave lengths at fixed pouring temperatures is investigated to understand the changes in
microstructure and mechanical properties of casting .The casting has been prepared in iron EN8 mould with and without vibrations.
The frequencies varied from 0Hz to 40 Hz. A casting has been made without vibration as well to compare the results of castings
with vibration. The experimental results showed significant grain refinement and remarkably improvement in mechanical
properties of casting with mechanical mould vibration during solidification.
Keywords: Aluminum 6063 alloy, mould vibration, Vibration table, microstructure analysis, Hardness test Impact test,
Wear test. Grain refinement
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. INTRODUCTION

Now a day’s more than 85% of products are produced by casting processes. The totality of metals and alloys begin to work by a
very important operation, that of solidification. Solidification is the operation that gives shape and structure. Currently the
solidification technique has experienced a rapid development. Because of progresses made as yet the castings are used in high
security parts in the aero-spatial industry, the automotive, chemical and metallurgical equipment [1]. Recent techniques suggest
that, mold vibration during pouring and till solidification is one of the important methods to produce casting for better morphology,
surface finish and reduced amount of shrinkage [2]. Mold conditions, pouring temperature, frequency of vibration and other process
variables are factors that would have a definite effect on the microstructure and properties of the cast [3]. Investigated the
mechanical vibration causes improvement in mechanical and corrosion properties of alloys. The mechanical mold vibration on
liquid metallic materials and their crystallization has a significant effect on the grain structure of the casting, grain size reduced by
vibration and grain became more compact.

II. SELECTION OF MATERIAL

Material examined in this work is aluminum 6063, the basic composition and mechanical properties of Al-6063.
Table - 1
Chemical Composition
component Si u Mg Cr Ti Fe Mn Al Zn
%Wt 0.6 0.1 0.9 0.1 0.1 0.35 0.1 97.5 0.1
Table - 2
Mechanical Properties
Tensile Strength Hardness Modulus of Elasticity Elongation
(N/mm^2) (RHB) (N/mm^2) (%)
150 50 71 12

III. METHODOLOGY

Preparation of specimen: specimen prepare is casted in two phases

 Preparation of casting without vibration

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 Effect of Mould Vibration on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Aluminum 6063alloy Casting
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 Preparation of casting with vibrations [25Hz, 30Hz, 35Hz, 40Hz]

Preparation of casting specimen without mould vibration
The cut pieces are placed into the crucible, and then the crucible is placed in muffle furnace. Heat the crucible up to 7200c (above
melting temperature of Al-6063). While the crucible is taken out at the temperature of 690oc and stir the solution with stirrer. After
stirring process the crucible is again placed in the furnace and then heated up to 7200c. At 7200C the crucible is taken out and add
small amount of c2cl6 (approximately ½ spoon) stir the solution and poor into the die. Leave the die up to 10 minutes to
solidification. After solidification process the dies is separated and collect the casted object. The process repeated till required
number of products obtained.
Preparation of casting specimens with mould vibration
The above same process is used to make the products with vibrations apart from that the vibrations created by placing the die on
vibrating table. The die is placed at different frequencies. By changing the frequency values (25Hz, 30Hz, 35Hz, and 40Hz). This
process is repeated till required number of products obtained at required frequencies.

Fig. 3: Die should be placed on Vibrating table Fig. 4: Muffle furnace

Heat treatment process
Casted product need to conducted Heat Treatment process there by controlled heating and cooling. In this process, we heated
samples temperature to 1550C and soaked the sample at temperature about 2hr.After that we quenched the sample in water at
temperature of 150C.
Testing of Specimens
Specimen preparation of Impact test
Casting prepared with dimension 15*15*60 at different frequencies 0, 25, 30, 35 and 40 Hz .After that the specimen is machined
to standard dimension [E3] i.e. 10*10*55. Shown in fig-5.

Fig. 5: Specimen Dimensions

Impact test samples with and without vibration are shown in figure 6, 7 respectively.

Fig. 6: Specimen for Impact Test without Vibration

Fig. 7: Specimen for Impact test with vibration

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 Effect of Mould Vibration on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Aluminum 6063alloy Casting
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Specimen preparation of Hardness test:

We selected three different positions in the samples for hardness test. By cutting the total casted specimen into 2 parts, First - top
position of casted sample part, Second- bottom position of top casted sample part/middle position of casted sample part, Third-
middle position of casting part (top position of bottom sample part)specimen prepared ready for Hardness test by making surface
smooth.

Fig. 8: Specimen for Hardness Test without Vibration

Fig. 9: Specimen for Hardness Test with Vibration

Wear testing
Initially the castings were made with the dimension of 15*15*60, after that the specimen machined and converted to the standard
dimensions ø10 lenth30mm. The wear test is conducted with pin and disc wear test apparatuses. Specimen tested at constant time
and variable loading. The results are shown in table 6. And graph 3.

Fig. 10: Specimen for Wear test without Vibration

Fig. 11: Specimen for Wear Test with Vibration

Microstructure
Microstructure test is conducted on computerized microscope. The total casted specimen is cut into 2 equal parts. Specimen is
processed all metallographic stages, make it ready for microstructure test.

Fig. 12: Specimen for Microstructure analysis without Vibration

Fig. 13: Specimen for Micro Structure analysis with Vibration

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 Effect of Mould Vibration on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Aluminum 6063alloy Casting
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IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Impact Test Results

Table – 3
Impact Test Results
Frequency(Hz) Specific Impact strength
0 3.125
25 3.175
30 3.189
35 3.405
40 2.125

Graph 1: Frequency Vs specific Impact strength

Specific Impact strength of the cast samples are shown at different frequencies in the table 3. It is clear that the impact strength of
the casting increases from a frequency of 0-35 Hertz and beyond that ( at 40HZ) there is a reduce in the impact strength of the
specimen. We can observe that the material has high impact strength at a frequency of 35HZ. The variation frequency v/s specific
impact strength is shown in graph 1.
Hardness test Results
Table - 4
Hardness Test Results at frequency
Hardness(RHB)
Methodology No of specimens No of trails Average(RHB)
1 2 3
1 44 45 46 45
Without vibration
2 47 44 45 45.33
1 53 49 42 48
With vibration at 25Hz
2 47 47 48 47
1 53 55 48 52
With vibration at 30 Hz
2 57 53 48 54
1 55 57 53 55
With vibration at 35 Hz
2 59 53 53 55
1 61 62 63 62
With vibration at 40 Hz
2 62 65 59 62
Table - 5
Average Hardness Test Results
Frequency(Hz) Hardness(RHB)
0 45
25 47.8
30 53
35 55
40 62

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 Effect of Mould Vibration on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Aluminum 6063alloy Casting
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Graph 2 Frequency Vs Hardness

Hardness of the casted samples is shown in table 4 and Average hardness test results are shown in table 5. It is clear that hardness
of casting increases with the increase of vibration frequency. The vibrations during solidification lead to refinement of grains. The
highest hardness is obtained at the bottom of each and every sample, because highest cooling rate and vibration intensity at the
bottom of sample, it is evident from the microstructure. More cooling action promotes creation of fine grain and at the same the
vibration procedure fine grains. That means more grain boundary more hardness. So we may be concluded that due to combined
effect of cooling rate and intensity of vibration, there are remarkable changes of hardness in the cast product. The variation of
hardness is plotted on graph 2.
Wear testing
Table - 6
Wear testing values for deferent Frequency (Hz)
Frequency Weight Time Wear rate
S.no
(Hz) (kg) (min) (µ)
0.5 10 72
1 0
1.0 10 104
0.5 10 57
2 25
1.0 10 86
0.5 10 52
3 30
1.0 10 84
0.5 10 65
4 35
1.0 10 184
0.5 10 76
5 40
1.0 10 410

Graph 3 frequency v/s wear rate

These results are saying, the wear resistance increasing by increases of mould vibrations. It is shown at different loads (0.5 Kg
and 1 Kg) in table 6. As we increasing vibration frequency during solidification of casting wear resistance is increasing at 0.5 kg
load. But at 1.0kg load up to 30Hz vibrations the wear resistance is increasing beyond that it in decreasing.

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 Effect of Mould Vibration on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Aluminum 6063alloy Casting
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Microstructure Results
By increasing the frequency of vibrations the grain are refined, this can be seen in following figures 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. The
microstructure test results (images) saying that refinement of grains can observed on increasing of vibration.

Top part of the cast Bottom part of the cast

Fig. 14: Microstructure without vibration

Top part of the cast Bottom part of the cast

Fig. 15: Microstructure with frequency at 25Hz

Top part of the cast Bottom part of the cast

Fig. 16: Microstructure with frequency at 30Hz

Top part of the cast Bottom part of the cast

Fig. 17: Microstructure with frequency at 35Hz

Top part of the cast Bottom part of the cast

Fig. 18: Microstructure with frequency at 40Hz

V. CONCLUSION

The main conclusion is that creation of vibration on mould during solidification of casing gives good mechanical properties and
metallurgical properties. The following are the specific conclusions we can say
1) Mould vibration during casting provides good impact strength and best impact strength at 35 HZ.
2) By increasing the mould vibrations of the casting the hardness increases.
3) Mould vibration during casting gives good wear strength.
4) The vibration in the casting procedure gives refinement of grains.

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