OPTIMIZATION OF MOLDING MATERIAL COMPOSITION FOR IMPROVED HARDNESS IN SAND-CAST ALUMINUM ALLOYS USING METAL CHIPS: TAGUCHI DESIGN APPROACH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jm.v49.698Keywords:
Hardness Improvement, Metallic Chips Reinforcement, Foundry Sand Modification, Aluminum Alloy Casting, Taguchi Optimization, Thermal StabilityAbstract
This study presents an innovative and environmentally friendly method for enhancing the hardness and thermal stability of aluminum alloy castings by incorporating metallic machining chips into foundry sand. The research identifies the optimal combination of parameters using Taguchi optimization and regression modeling. Characterization techniques, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy, were employed to validate the results. XRF analysis confirmed that the base aluminum alloy (engine block) contained aluminum, silicon, and magnesium, while brown sand consisted mainly of silicon, phosphorus, and potassium. Cast iron and brass chips contained iron, carbon, silicon, copper, zinc, and iron, respectively. Mechanical testing revealed a 21.2% improvement in the hardness of the modified aluminum alloy over the as-cast sample. Taguchi optimization identified the optimal conditions as brass chip type (level 4), 30 wt% content (level 3), and 100 μm particle size (level 1), which yielded a 26.08% increase in hardness. SEM and optical microscopy of the optimal sample showed significant grain refinement compared to the control. TGA/DTA results demonstrated a 12.99% increase in residual mass and a 28.37% improvement in thermal degradation resistance, indicating better thermal stability. The regression model developed for predicting hardness exhibited strong performance, with R², adjusted R², and predicted R² values of 97.81%, 96.35%, and 91.33%, respectively. Foundry tests further revealed 16.03%, 18.18%, and 6.82% improvements in green compressive strength, dry compressive strength, and compactibility, respectively, for brass chip-modified sand. These findings have significant implications for foundry operations. The integration of metallic machining chips into conventional sand molds can be practically adopted as a cost-effective and sustainable technique to enhance the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy castings without altering the alloy composition.
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