In this paper, the effects of thermal factors on the soundness of Zn-Al binary alloy castings with the various freezing ranges are described. Various thermal factors can be obtained using copper chill and heating plate on both ends of castings. The castings of vertical and horizontal plate shapes are solidified unidirectionally from chilled end to heating plate end. The solidification data are obtained by thermal analysis and the casting soundness is assessed by measuring the ultimate tensile strength and segregation at different locations of the castings. The maximum ultimate tensile strength of Zn-4% and 50%Al alloy castings can be obtained at the chilled end, but that of Zn-22%Al alloy castings is obtained at the center of castings. The statistical analysis indicates that the ultimate tensile strength and the freezing index
θ/G have a better correlation in Zn-4%Al alloys, but the ultimate tensile strength have better correlations with the average cooling rate Rc
1 in Zn-22% and 50%Al alloys. The relations of the ultimate tensile strength between thermal factors are influenced by the constituent of casting alloys. The examples are listed as follows : for Zn-4%Al alloy Y=−1.30 lnX
1+13.0 for Zn-22%Al alloy Y=−1.90 lnX
2+C for Zn-50%Al alloy Y=1.74 lnX
2+24.4 Y : ultimate tensile strength, kg/mm
2 X
1 : freezing time (
θ)/temperature gradient (G), cm.min/°C X
2 : cooling rate (Rc
1), °C/min C : constant, 33.0 for horizonal plate shape casting 34.5 for vertical plate shape casting Zn-22%Al alloys have more porosity near the heating end but in Zn-50%Al alloys coarse porosity is observed near the heating end of castings, and fine porosity is observed over the whole of the castings. The light and shade patterns of radiography for Zn-22% and 50%Al alloy castings show the segregation of Al concentration. The maximum Al concentration differernce of Zn-22%Al alloy vertical plate shape castings in the top and bottom direction is approximately 8%, but in the freezing direction of castings the Al concentration is maximum at the center and minimum near the heating plate except for the bottom of the castings.
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