30.05.2023
International
Hydro Aluminium Metal, supplier of primary foundry alloys with a yearly production capacity of 300,000 t would like to present a new and smart type of master-alloy: AlSi7_Mg++. The master alloy is based on AlSi7, but with an increased Mg content, so that its addition to a AlSi7Mg melt is just increasing the Mg-level in a defined way, while leaving all other element concentrations unchanged.
In aluminum foundry alloys the following typical issues regarding Magnesium can be addressed: 1. burn-off due to melting or long holding times, 2. need to adjust Mg-levels to reach required mechanical properties after heat-treatment and 3. need of several AlSi7Mg variants due to different customer specifications. The normal practice of increasing the Mg-level by adding pure Magnesium or AlMg-master-alloys has some disadvantages such as poor yield, increased oxide formation, diluting effects, and additional handling.
AlSi7_Mg++ overcomes most of these inconveniences. Delivered as continuous cast ingots with a Mg-content of 2 % and finely distributed Mg-phases it dissolves quickly, avoiding unnecessary oxide formation without showing significant diluting effect. Operations are facilitated since the master-alloy in shape of classical ingots can be handled in the same way as the base alloys. In the standard version of the master-alloy, the Mg-concentration is designed in such a way, that the addition of one ingot to 1000 kg of AlSi7Mg will increase the Mg-level by exact 0,01 % without changing the overall remaining composition.
Magnesium burn-off can easily be compensated by adding an appropriate number of ingots to the melting furnace or into the transport crucible. AlSi7_Mg++ opens up for fine-tuning of mechanical properties of T6-treated castings and allows to manage different variants of AlSi7Mg with just one base alloy. For further information you are welcome to visit us during GIFA, our CTS team is awaiting you.