Comparison of impact of immersed and micro-jet cooling during quenching on microstructure and mechanical properties of hypoeutectic silumin AlSi7Mg0.3

Abstract

This article presents research the results of the mechanical properties at the ambient temperatureof hypoeutectic cast silumin EN AC-AlSi7Mg0.3 (according to EN 1706:2011; analogic to alloyA356 according to AA – the Aluminum Association). As related to the commonly known and usedprocess of immersion during quenching, the research also used a micro-jet system of cooling.After quenching, the experimental samples were also submitted to artificial aging in three differentvariations. The achieved results were compared with the mechanical properties of the alloyin the as-cast state. Samples from the experimental alloy were subjected to micro-jet cooling during quenching;in principle, they had a similar level of properties as related to the samples that were cooled byimmersion; only in some cases did the micro-jet cooling give better results. Further works in the field should be aimed at constructing machines for micro-jet cooling with water pressure levelssignificantly higher than the typical pressure of community waterworks.