Features of A356 alloy solidified under water cooling conditions

Abstract This study focused on using a simple quench method to study the effect of ablation water cooling on microstructural features and heat treatment response of A356 alloy. Molten alloy of a given quantity was solidified in water and the resultant microstructure was characterized and compared with that solidified in metal molds and that reported on ablation castings. It is found that the simple method is suitable in simulating certain features of eutectic solidification during ablation casting. The microstructural length scales obtained in this multicomponent alloy are comparable to that predicted by theories developed for binary alloys. The heat treatment response of the water cooled samples are much faster than that of conventional castings which can be translated into reduced energy consumptions and significant cost savings if the heat treating process is optimized for ablation casting.