Aluminium die casting alloys: alloy composition, microstructure, and properties-performance relationships

Since commercial production of aluminium by the Hall-Heroult process, the use of aluminium and its alloys has been widespread, and commercial applications continue to increase. The casting process has always been a major manufacturing method for aluminium based products, and parts have been produced using all the traditional casting processes. However, recent advances in die casting technology, coupled with improvements in die materials, have made the die casting process the most commonly used method for producing aluminium alloy castings. Despite recent innovations and advances in die casting technology that have significantly expanded the commercial applications of die cast aluminium products, the development of complementary new alloys, the optimisation of existing alloys, and the documentation of reliable properties data for these alloys, have all categorically lagged behind. Realising the potential of research and development in enhancing the technological competitiveness of the USA, the North American Die Casting Association and the US Department of Energy cooperatively sponsored a research program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute aimed at systematically investigating alloy-microstructure—property interactions in aluminium die casting alloys. This literature review was conducted during the early stages of the project.