The aim of this study is to experimentally determine the solid fraction at the cessation of the flow of a molten Al-Si-Mg alloy (JIS-AC4CH) ceases. In this study, an experimental apparatus to measure the melt temperature during flow was developed and was used to perform highly accurate temperature measurements. An immersion-type optical-fiber radiation thermometer without emissivity correction was used for the temperature measurement device in this apparatus. The solid fraction was calculated from the area of primary crystals when the molten metal at any temperature was quenched. The melt temperature at flow cessation was higher than the eutectic reaction temperature, and the solid fraction in the melt front was approximately 0.2. However, the maximum solid fraction was found at a position slightly away from the melt front toward the pouring gate, and was approximately 0.3. It was inferred for this Al-Si-Mg alloy, that the flow cessation mechanism was a mixture of skin formation and mushy formation types.

1. [1] H. Nakae, K. Oota, and K. Sato, “Influence of wettability between molten metal and mold materials on fluidity using water model,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.79, Issue 6, pp. 285-290, 2007.
2. [2] M. Ohmasa and I. Ohnaka, “Comparison of measured and simulated water flow in low pressure die casting,” The J. of the Japan Foundrymen’s Society, Vol.63, Issue 11, pp. 883-888, 1991.
3. [3] K. Kanazawa, K. Yano, J. Ogura, and Y. Nemoto, “Optimum runner design for die casting using CFD simulation and verification with water-model experiments,” Proc. of the ASME 2014 Int. Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, pp. 14-20, 2014.
4. [4] E. Kato, Y. Maeda, H. Nomura, A. Kohketsu, and A. Banno, “Direct observation of mold flow with different cross sectional areas of gate for aluminum die casting,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.71, Issue 1, pp. 34-39, 1999.
5. [5] M. Itamura and N. Yamamoto, “Application of flow visualization technique to die casting mold filling investigation,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.68, Issue 3, pp. 235-241, 1996.
6. [6] H. Iimi, Y. Kameyama, Y. Suzuki, Y. Naganawa, E. Kato, and H. Nomura, “More accurate diecasting fluid flow simulation by direct observation of cavity,” Denso Technical Review, Vol.6, pp. 100-106, 2001.
7. [7] H. Iwahori and Y. Iwata, “Measuring for molten metal behavior in die casting,” J. Japan Society for Precision Engineering, Vol.73, Issue 2, pp. 183-187, 2007.
8. [8] A. Sugiyama, I. Ohnaka, J. Iwane, and H. Yasuda, “Direct observation and numerical simulation of mold filling,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.78, Issue 12, pp. 691-697, 2006.
9. [9] T. Schenk, H. Nguyen, J. Gastaldi, G. Reinhart, V. Cristiglio, N. Mangelinck-Noël, H. Klein, J. Härtwig, B. Grushko, B. Billia, and J. Baruchel, “Application of synchrotron X-ray imaging to the study of directional solidification of aluminum-based alloys,” J. of Crystal Growth, Vol.275, Issues 1-2, pp. 201-208, 2005.
10. [10] H. Yasuda, K. Morishita, N. Nakatsuka, T. Nishimura, M. Yoshiya, A. Sugiyama, K. Uesugi, and A. Takeuchi, “Dendrite fragmentation induced by massive-like δ-γ transformation in Fe-C alloys,” Nature Communications, Vol.10, 3183, 2019.
11. [11] Y. Iwata, S. Dong, Y. Sugiyama, and H. Iwahori, “Effect of solidification behavior during filling on surface defects of aluminum alloy die casting,” Materials Trans., Vol.54, No.10, pp. 1944-1950, 2013.
12. [12] J. E. Niesse, M. C. Flemings, and H. F. Taylor, “Applications of theory in understanding fluidity of metals,” Trans. of the American Foundrymen’s Society, Vol.67, pp. 685-697, 1959.
13. [13] A. Kashiwai, J. D. Zhu, and I. Ohnaka, “Numerical prediction of mold filling and misrun of AC4C plate castings,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.73, Issue 9, pp. 592-597, 2001.
14. [14] T. Funakubo, K. Oda, K. Anzai, and E. Niyama, “Relationship between flow cessation mechanism and Si contact of Al-Si alloys,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.69, No.9, pp. 737-742, 1997.
15. [15] S. Koike and M. Shinohara, “Fluidity of aluminum-manganese alloy,” J. of Japan Foundry Engineering Society, Vol.70, Issue 8, pp. 537-542, 1998.
16. [16] K. Kerrigan and G. E. O’Donnell, “Temperature measurement in CFRP milling using a wireless tool-integrated process monitoring sensor,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.7, No.6, pp. 742-750, 2013.
17. [17] A. Long, D. Thornhill, C. Armstrong, and D. Watson, “Determination of the heat transfer coefficient at the metal-die interface for high pressure die cast AlSi9Cu3Fe,” Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol.31, Issues 17-18, pp. 3996-4006, 2011.
18. [18] M. Nikawa, K. Usui, H. Iwahori, A. Sato, and M. Yamashita, “Estimation of die release force of JIS-ADC12 aluminum alloy die castings manufactured through high-pressure die casting via computer simulation,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.12, No.6, pp. 955-663, 2018.
19. [19] A. Hosokawa, R. Shimizu, T. Kiwata, T. Koyama, T. Furumoto, and Y. Hashimoto, “Studies on eco-friendly grinding with an extremely small amount of coolant – applicability of contact-type flexible brush-nozzle –,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.13, No.5, pp. 648-656, 2019.
20. [20] Y. Ueno, S. Ishii, and Z. Yamanaka, “Measurement of weld metal temperature with an immersion-type optical-fiber radiation thermometer without correcting emissivity,” J. of the Japan Welding Society, Vol.81, No.7, pp. 577-581, 2012.
21. [21] D. Ruvalcaba, D. Eskin, and L. Katgerman, “Behaviour of the solid-liquid interface at the moment of quenching during solidification of aluminum alloys,” T. J. Galloway (Ed.), “Light Metals 2006,” pp. 813-817, 2006.
22. [22] H. Iwahori, K. Tozawa, T. Asano, Y. Yamamoto, M. Nakamura, M. Hashimoto, and S. Uenishi, “Properties of scattered structures included in aluminum die castinds,” J. Japan Institute of Light Metals, Vol.34, Issue 9, pp. 525-530, 1984.
23. [23] M. C. Flemings, S. Z. Uram, and H. F. Taylor, “Solidification of aluminum castings,” Trans. of the American Foundrymen’s Society, Vol.68, pp. 670-684, 1960.
24. [24] Y. Kikuchi, T. Hori, H. Yanagawa, and I. Michiyoshi, “The effect of thin insulating layer on heat transfer characteristics during quenching of hot metals in saturated water,” Trans. of the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, Vol.26, No.6, pp. 576-581, 1986.