The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 15, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 13, 1992
Muftau M Alabi, East Amherst, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method is provided for forming a metallurgical bond between an aluminum-base insert and an aluminum-base casting material during a casting process, wherein the method entails wetting the oxide surface of the insert, coating the surface with a metallurgically compatible material, and raising the temperature of the insert to reduce the temperature gradient between the insert and the casting material. The insert is dipped into a molten zinc-base alloy which includes about 2 to about 10 weight percent aluminum. The zinc-base alloy coats the insert and remains on the surface of the insert until a molten casting material is introduced. As a result, the surface of the coated insert is nearly oxide-free. The aluminum content in the zinc-base alloy is preferably about 4 to about 6 weight percent of the zinc-base alloy. The zinc-base alloy also preferably contains between about 0.25 and 0.35 weight percent magnesium for the purpose of weakening the oxide film layer on the insert. As a result, both the zinc-base alloy and the casting material can more readily wet the surface of the insert to achieve a good metallurgical bond therebetween. The residual zinc-base alloy layer fuses to the surface of the insert and the casting material. The method of the invention is equally applicable to magnesium-base alloys and composites.