Porosities Comparison between Production and Simulation in Motorcycle Fuel Caps of Aluminum High Pressure Die Casting

Many aluminum motorcycle parts produced by a high
pressure die casting. Some parts such as fuel caps were a thin and
complex shape. This part risked for porosities and blisters on surface
if it only depended on an experience of mold makers for mold design.
This research attempted to use CAST-DESIGNER software
simulated the high pressure die casting process with the same process
parameters of a motorcycle fuel cap production. The simulated results
were compared with fuel cap products and expressed the same
porosity and blister locations on cap surface. An average of absolute
difference of simulated results was obtained 0.094 mm when
compared the simulated porosity and blister defect sizes on the fuel
cap surfaces with the experimental micro photography. This
comparison confirmed an accuracy of software and will use the
setting parameters to improve fuel cap molds in the further work.

• P. Meethum
• C. Suvanjumrat

• Aluminum
• die casting
• fuel cap
• motorcycle.

[1] A.A. Luo, “Magnesium casting technology for structure applications,”
Journal of Magnesium and Alloys, vol. 1, pp. 2–22, 2013.
[2] K.K.S. Thong, B.H. Hu, X.P. Nui and I. Pinwill, “Cavity pressure
measurements and process monitoring for magnesium die casting of a
thin-wall-hand-phone component to improve quality,” J. Mater. Process.
Tech., vol. 127, pp. 238–241, 2002.
[3] J.F. Jieng, “Effect of process parameters on microstructure and
properties of AM50A magnesium alloy parts formed by double control
forming ,” Transaction of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, vol. 24,
no. 4, pp. 321–333, 2014.
[4] H.D. Zhao, F. Wang, Y.Y. Li and W. Xia, “Experiment and numerical
analysis of gas entrapment defects in plate ADC12 die casting,” J.
Mater. Process. Tech., vol. 1209, pp. 4537–241, 2002.
[5] H.D. Zhao, Y.F. Bai, X.X. Ouyang and P.Y. Dong, “Simulation of mold
filling and prediction of gas entrapment on practical high pressure die
casting,” Transaction of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, vol. 20,
pp. 2064–2070, 2010.
[6] Y.C. Kim, C.S. Kang, J.I. Cho, C.Y. Jeong, S.W. Choi and S.K. Hong,
“Die casting mold design of the thin-walled aluminum case by
computational solidification simulation,” J. Mater. Sci. Technol., vol.
24, no. 3, pp. 383–388, 2008.
[7] L. Hu, S. Chen, Y. Miao and Q. Meng, “Die-casting effect on surface
characteristics of thin-walled AZ91D magnesium components,” Appl.
Surf. Sci, vol. 261, pp. 851–856, 2012.
[8] J.F. Jieng, G. Chen, Y. Wang, Z. Du, W. Shan and Y. Li,
“Microstructure and mechanical properties of thin-wall and high-rib
parts of AM50A magnesium alloy formed by double control forming
and die casting under the optimal conditions,” J. Alloy. Compd., vol.
552, pp. 44–55, 2013.
[9] D.R. Gunasegaram, M. Givord, R.G. O’Donnell and B.R. Finnin,
“Improvements engineered in UTS and elongation of aluminum alloy
high pressure die castings through the alteration of runner geometry and
plunger velocity,” Mat. Sci. Eng. A–Struct., vol. 559, pp. 276–286, 2013.
[10] E.J. Vinarcik, High Integrity Die Casting Process. New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 2003.