Magna International Inc.

Xiaoping Niu

Richard John Wilkes

Owen Michael Zelina

Timothy Walter Skszek

Randy S Beals

Thomas James Oetjens

Chris Alfred

Juergen Wuest

Timothy Skszek

Thomas Oetjens

An aluminum alloy for die casting parts used in automotive structural applications is provided. According to example embodiments, the alloy includes 0.6 to 2.0 wt. % manganese, 0.5 to 4.0 wt. % magnesium, 0.0 to 1.0 wt. % iron, 0.0 to 3.0 wt. % zinc, 0.0 to 3.0 wt. % silicon, 0.0 to 1.0 wt. % zirconium, 0.0 to 0.5 wt. % titanium and/or boron, 0.0 to 0.05 wt. % strontium, and 85.5 to 98.8 wt. % aluminum, based on the total weight of the aluminum alloy. The alloy maintains good characteristics during the casting process, including fluidity, manageable hot cracking, and anti-soldering. The alloy casting does not require a heat treatment process after the casting step to achieve acceptable mechanical properties. The aluminum alloy casting has a yield strength of at least 90 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of at least 180 MPa, and an elongation equal to or greater than 10% without heat treatment.

Non-heat-treated casting alloys for automotive structural applications

A high-pressure die casting apparatus including a shot sleeve extending through a first die half to a molding surface, and a plunger received in the shot sleeve is provided. The shot sleeve includes a side wall presenting a fluid passageway and a partial end wall disposed in a fixed position relative to the side wall. The partial end wall defines a wall opening adjacent the molding surface. Fluid is poured into the shot sleeve while the die apparatus is open, and the partial end wall prevents the fluid from flowing out of the shot sleeve. The plunger then presses the material into the mold cavity until only a portion of the material remains in the shot sleeve and blocks the wall opening. After the solidified material is ejected from the apparatus, the portion of material blocking the wall opening prevents lubricant from entering the shot sleeve.

High-pressure die casting apparatus and method

A method of manufacturing a structural component having tailored material properties by applying an IR-absorbent coating to a substrate formed of a ferrous-based, aluminum-based, magnesium-based, or fiber reinforced composite material is provided. The coating is preferably formed of iron oxide (FeO) decorated multiwall carbon nanotubes. Alternatively, the coating is wax-based or polymer-based and includes TriSilanollsooctylt POSS and additives. Different coating compositions may be applied to different zones of the substrate so that the emissivity coefficient varies along the substrate. The coated substrate is heated and formed between a pair of dies to achieve a complex shape or features. The IR-absorbent coating increases the infrared absorption rate during the heating step, which improves formability of the substrate. The iron oxide (FeO) decorated multiwall carbon nanotubes can also be applied to an engine component to increase the thermal efficiency of the engine by reducing friction and enabling the use of light weight materials.

Tailored material properties using infrared radiation and infrared absorbent coatings

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Richmond Hill, Canada

Xiaoping Niu