THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLIDIFYING ALUMINUM FOUNDRY ALLOYS - OVERVIEW

Increasing the fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of defect f ormation is essential for further optimization of cast products. The o rigin of most casting defects in aluminum alloys is usually explained by the solidification, segregation, and material transport processes t hat occur while the casting is in a semisolid state, referred to as th e mushy zone. The rheological properties of the mushy zone, which desc ribes the deformation and flow properties, is determined by the micros tructural development and plays an important role in the efficiency of the transport processes occurring to compensate for density differenc es, inclllding solidification shrinkage.