Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.

Denso Corporation

Takaaki Ikari

Yukio Kuramasu

Hiromi Takagi

Akio Hashimoto

Sumi Yoshikawa

Shinya Sato

Yoshihiro Tajima

Osamu Yoshida

There are provided a method of manufacturing an aluminum product and a method of manufacturing an aluminum brake caliper each using die casting, for improving flow and run of molten metal during casting and enhancing productivity and quality. In a method of manufacturing an aluminum product provided with opposing portions opposed to each other with a hollow portion interposed in between, and connecting portions connecting the opposing portions at two sides thereof, the method includes a die casting step of performing casting by pouring molten metal of an aluminum alloy from a gate for the molten metal formed in one of the opposing portions via the connecting portions and a bridge connecting the two opposing portions, and a bridge removing step of removing the bridge.

Aluminum product manufacturing method using die casting and aluminum brake caliper manufacturing method using the same

The newly proposed cast aluminum alloy product has the composition consisting of 6.5-8.0% Si, 0.25-0.45% Mg, 0.08-0.40% Fe, 0.001-0.01% Ca, P less than 0.001%, 0.02-0.1% Ti, 0.001-0.01% B, optionally one or two of 0.05-0.3% Cr and 0.05-0.2% Mn, and the balance being Al except inevitable impurities. It has the metallurgical structure that an &#x3b1;-Al phase in a surface layer is of average grain size different by 50 &#x3bc;m or less from an &#x3b1;-Al phase in an inner part, and that a maximum size of eutectic Si particles is 400 &#x3bc;m or smaller. It is manufactured by injecting a molten aluminum alloy into metal dies at an injection speed of 0.05-0.25 m/second, and then cooling the injected alloy at a cooling speed of 20&#xb0; C./or higher in a temperature range between liquidus and solidus curves in a state charged with a pressure of 30 MPa or higher. Since the cast product is good of ductility, it is used as a member for coupling another member therewith by calking or the like.

Plastically worked cast aluminum alloy product, a manufacturing method thereof and a coupling method using plastic deformation thereof

The present invention provides a die-casting method comprising the steps of evacuating a cavity defined by dies of a die-casting machine to provide therein a vacuum of 100 millibar or less during a first period, injecting a reactive gas from a sleeve of the die-casting machine into the cavity during a second period which has a partial overlap period with the first period and follows the overlap period, so as to increase the inner pressure of the cavity to atmospheric pressure or more, pouring a molten aluminum alloy M into the sleeve while keeping the injection of the reactive gas, and subsequently moving a plunger in the sleeve forward to forcibly inject the molten aluminum alloy from the sleeve into the cavity while re-evacuating the cavity The evacuation, reactive-gas injection and re-evacuation operations can be performed with respective overlap periods therebetween. During the operation of supplying the molten aluminum alloy, air and water are effectively discharged to outside, and the reactive gas in an unreacted state is discharged to outside without being incorporated into the molten aluminum alloy. Thus, the present invention provides a die-cast product having a significantly reduced volume of incorporated gases and allows the die-cast product to be applied to functional members.

Die casting method and die casting machine

After a cavity,of a die-casting mold,is evacuated to exclude gases, oxygen gas is blown into the cavity,until an internal pressure of the cavity exceeds the atmospheric pressure, and then a molten metal,is forcibly injected into the cavity,The cavity,is evacuated to a degree of vacuum less than 100 millibar through a suction nozzle,The oxygen gas is blown through a nozzle,into the cavity,so as to fill the cavity,with the oxygen gas at an internal pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. When the molten metal,is injected into the cavity,clarified in this way, inclusion of gases is perfectly prohibited. As a result, obtained die-cast products are free from defects such as blowholes or porosity caused by inclusion of gases and so useful as functional members as well as structural members.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano, Japan

Takaaki Ikari