Bulk and subsurface structure analysis of the 319 aluminum casting using acoustic microscopy methods

This article presents the results of a nondestructive investigation of 319- aluminum. alloy casting samples using scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM). S ubsurface structure is inspected with a high frequency LEITZ ELSAM acoustic microscope and the lower frequency desktop SAM is used for a bulk structur al investigation. This analysis reveals that SAM can be used to reveal the grain structure, constituents, inclusions and the porosity of aluminum cast ings. Results also indicate the feasibility of using SAM to study various s tructural transformations that occur during solidification and heat treatme nt processes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.